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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, April 4, 2013 | 6 T Making active transportation safe for all his is an open letter requesting the implementation of the active transportation policy on McCraney Street East. It is critical that the necessary measures be taken to ensure the safety of all modes of active transportation, including walking and bicycling. I bike to work on McCraney Street, every day if the weather allows it, and I walk if it doesn't. I could drive my car, but I ride my bicycle for three reasons: It's good for my health, it's good for the environment, and it's good for my pocket. Unfortunately, I can only do it by risking my life, or by riding on the sidewalk, which would contravene the law. McCraney is one of the most important bicycle routes, as it is used to reach the Oakville Town Hall and Oakville Place. Currently, when crossing the intersection, I am dangerously exposed to vehicles that use the same lane, before I can use the bicycle lanes, which start quite a distance away from the intersection. The problem again is the excessive speed and negative attitude of some motorists. They may not be aware of the two main provisions in the Highway Traf c Act intended to protect bicycles, and I quote: "Every person in charge of a vehicle on a highway meeting a person travelling on a bicycle shall allow the cyclist suf cient room on the roadway to pass." "Every person on a bicycle or motor assisted bicycle who is overtaken by a vehicle travelling at a greater speed shall turn out to the right and allow the vehicle to pass and the vehicle overtaking shall turn out to the left so far as may be necessary to avoid a collision." Based on my observations, the passive traf c calming measures used here, such as pavement markings, bicycle lanes, reduced width of driving lanes and speed limit signage, are insuf cient. Many motorists exceed the 50 km/h speed limit, despite the recent Spotlight "Connected to your Community" It is critical that the necessary measures be taken to ensure the safety of all modes of active transportation, including walking and bicycling. Nicholas Varias, Oakville Nicholas Varias road realignment intended to slow down traf c and encourage cycling. The reason is simple: A lot of people, who live in northwest Oakville, use McCraney as a shortcut and to avoid the rush hour traf c on Trafalgar, which is from very bad and will only get worst due to the town's expansion to the north. The frequent speeding on McCraney is also facilitated by a lack of police enforcement. The inadequate con guration of the Trafalgar/McCraney/White Oaks intersection, combined with the unwillingness of some motorists and cyclists to accommodate each other, create a life hazard that can be eliminated only by linking the bicycle lanes on McCraney and White Oaks Blvd. This requires the reworking of this major intersection; to prevent injuries and loss of life, and considering the importance of this bicycle route, this matter should be given immediate attention. Crossing McCraney is very hazardous. Yet, in order to go to McCraney Valley Park, students and dog owners have no choice but to cross the street, as the nearest pedestrian crossings at Trafalgar Road and Montclair Drive are quite far apart. Adding a midway pedestrian crossing would create an effective physical traf c calming measure and is long overdue. There are also many other effective measures available to deter motorists from speeding. Of course they cost money, but I hope we don't have to wait for a fatality to occur before something is done. Nicholas Varias, Oakville NEIL OLIVER Volume 51 | Number 40 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor