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'More bike lanes could calm traffic, sa~ ýCouncillors, candidates say additional lanes benefit to townupaebtsfcailnHaonpie recently caught 127 speeders on Scott By Tim Foran CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF Z Tbougb not a bridge to nowbierc, ils an a. orphaned lane. <Almost tbrec years after council approved 5an update to its Trails Master Plan with a 0 timeline to eventually paint on-road bike Slanes on most of the town's major roads - including within five years on collector roads Sin new residential areas - staff have only dropped down white paint on a stretch of Bronte Street, soutb of Main Street. j"And that wasn't even in the plan (budg- et),' said Ward 4 Councillor Wendy Schau, wbo sits on the Town's traits advisory com- mittee along with rural colleague Jan Mowbray and Mayor Gord Krantz. Schau pointed out works staff only paint- Sed the lanes at the behest of urban local/regional councillor Colin Best. IAs the installation of bike lanes wasn't going to resuit in the elimination of parking spots or traffic lanes, the only cost would be paint, Best said. Council subsequently approved Beats suggestion, with the lanes to eventualty reacb Derry Road, at a coat of Boulevard, travelling on average 50 per cent $3,000. faster than the speed limîit. Recently, a seven- Bronte, wbicb now also includes a centre year-otd boy was bit near PL. Robertson tefi turn lane, appears narrower tbougb tbe sebool wbile bc rode bis bike." widtb of the roadway neyer cbanged. Scbau Botb Mowbray and Ward 7 believes ibis creates a psycbotogicat barrier counicit candidate Marshall that slows down drivers - a form of traf- Horner bave also argued fic calming on a major road. theres a need for traffic calm-_ "t thinte wben people (drivers) ing on collector roads at coun- see a wide open road, tbey're tempt- cl ed to speed," she said. "Wben tbey The Towns poticy is see a road witb bike lanes and trees ' tbat traffic-calming atong tbe aide and indications of peo- devices aren't warrant- ple, tbey slow down." ' ed on coltector A aimilar argument was roada, according made to counicit tast montb - to a 2009 report by. Zeeshan Hamid, who's - on reaidents' vying to become tbe local -requests for them councillor for tbe new -to be instalted Ward 8 in west Milton, atong Woodward soutb of Derry Road. Avenue in otd Milton. "In general, Milton needa to narrow col- But wbite speed bumpa might not meet tector roads and require traffie catming tbe Town's criteria, many of the coltector devices at leasi near elementary scbools and roads in new subdivisions are wide enougb partes,' stated Hamid in a submîssîon given to include dedicaîed bike tanes wiib no road as part of a public meeting on tbe Towna reconstruction necessary, according to tbe ACADEMYOF Bake Sii1e.&I anid more.... M .V C Dou't forget your Lawn Chairs! Bring r Friends 905-878-7090 www.academy-of-muslc.ca IN THE WOROS 0F THE CHILO: 'l hear and 1 foruot. I sea and I remember. 1 do and I undersland." Toddler Programs (18 months - 2 1/2 ypars) Casa-Programs (2 1/2 - 6 years) Elemontary Programs (6 - 9 years> French and Music, Computera, Field Trips, Nutritious mals & Snack: Structured Playground & Gym ewGieopi', lch oo lofiflto o Fax905876515 ie.U t 1O eIIOIg IdbOdClils municipaity. Thats wby tbey were identified as being witbin the Trails Master Plana firat pbase (zero to Oive years) to, receive bike lanes. However, tbe Town's director of engineering services, Paul Crippa, said bike lanes sbould- nit be used as a traffic-calming measure, tbougb be acknowledged narrowing roada by painting them migbt achieve that effeet. "If bike tanes are painted, the primary purpose woutd be to accommodate tbe cycling and active transportation groupa, not to, set as traffie catming," be stated. "Tbe commenta from the public may be correct, as drivers tend to travet at a speed that tbey feel comfortable -at, (therefore) introduction of the cycting lanes may bave a payehotogical effeet on the drivers and slow themn down as the available pavement may seemn narrower. However, t bave not seen any studies on this issue." rs councillor Wbile money wasn't included in the past tbree budgets to put in bike lanes identified in the master plan, there might be some in 2011, said Cripps. "There are no specific timelines for mndi- vidual bike lane projects, but given the receni increase in demand for active trans- portation alternatives, t fulty expeet this issue to receive greater attention in the future," bc stated. "(The departmients of) engineering services and community servic- es wilt be working together during our budg- et preparations to implement the Trails Master Plan." Schau, who's retiring as a counciltor at the end of this term, remains bopeful. "It's just basicatty a matter of painting the roads," she said. "There isn't the impetus that t would like to make the town more pedestri- an and bicycle friendly" lronicaly, wbite the master plan identified atready wide, single ltne cottector roads as spots for earty imptementation of bike lanes, anme major roads about to be reconstructed mîgbt have tbem in place first. Halton Region plans to tnstall tbem on Dcrry betwecn Bronte and Tretnaînc Road and on remaine between Derry and Main wben it widens the roada this year. The Town is also considering including tbemn on Main Street west of Bronte when it reatigna and widens tbe road over the next few years. On the otber aide of downtown, wbere Main is going to be rebuitt to, cross under the CP railway tractes eaat of Ontario Street, Town staff stated in an emait taat fait there are no firm plana to create an off-road multi-use trait atong the nortb aide of the raitway tracks between the Winners store and the GO Station. "The Central Business District Secondary Plan identified a possible pedestrian connec- tien in this area several years ago, but it would be if land became available and a fuît east-west connection could be made. Notbing immediate," stated a Town apokeaperson. Tim Forti.n carn be reached at tforan@myitIton- canadiancliampion.com. & Ze this THURSDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAY! S?r.v\l & swmQz ftkO!t I