FEATURED COMMENT – Issue isn’t need for bike lane, it’s need for connectivity
City promo photo at opening of Sixth Avenue bike lane. (Image: Peter Olsen)
Re: JOHNSON – Will Kamloops City council fix its boondoggle ways?
The City just spent $3.4 million to add an extra turning lane onto Pacific Way. I believe the City is paying for all of that and some of it through long term debt. That is only one of a great many vehicle centred projects this year. So, yes your grand daughter is going to inherit debt but bike lanes aren’t going to be much of it.
There are issues with the 6th Avenue bike lane in that it can be argued that it is overbuilt. However, it isn’t an issue of not needing a bike lane, rather it really is an issue of connectivity which was much too casually dismissed by the Mr. Johnson. We could argue 6th vs 5th Avenue forever, but really the problem is the bike path ending at Lansdowne. Council decided to not approve a bike lane on Lansdowne, noting it would remove a few centimetres of width from the vehicle lanes, so here we find ourselves. A road to nowhere until additional Active Transportation infrastructure is built out. That may happen when the Performing Arts Centre is built so don’t damage our options before that by spending a lot of money to remove the lane.
Cycling in Kamloops became a much more viable option for many with the rise of the eBike. It essentially flattens the city so the trail in Peterson Creek (Xget’tem Trail) isn’t just one way or limited to Tour de France cyclists. However, most people considering riding a bike, need to be separated from traffic to feel safe. It doesn’t help that cars are on average a foot wider than they were in 2013 and the F150 is longer that a World War 2 Sherman or Panzer tank. It doesn’t help that the average SUV driver can’t see a child in front of their car in a parking lot. It doesn’t help that the maximum legal speed limit isn’t even the minimum socially acceptable speed. Hence the need for separated bike lanes, and, YES, build a connected system and it will be used.
Regarding the quip about cyclists running red lights. The scale of this issue is a true urban myth, especially compared to drivers. Multiple studies have shown the cyclists break fewer laws than drivers and I am not aware of a study suggesting the opposite. One large study using cameras at intersections showed about 5% of cyclists breaking laws when on bike paths and 14% when not on bike paths. However, an earlier study showed that 66% of drivers were found to be breaking laws. The myth comes from bad driving behaviour being normalized and thus not noticed while bad behaviour from ‘others’ stands out.
Finally, we often say we want a ‘family friendly’ city. Don’t separated bike lanes move in that direction? Wouldn’t it be nice for a family to be able to cycle to City events or even for kids to cycle to school? Is that so bad?
ROB HIGGINS
Chair, Kamloops Cycling Coalition
ArmchairMayor.ca 
In Kathmandu, Nepal, we’re seeing a similar situation. Our mayor, Balen Shah, is also working to improve urban infrastructure with more focus on walkability and bike lanes. It’s not just about transport — it’s about making the city more livable and safe for families, students, and especially tourists.
Since tourism plays a major role in our economy, having a connected, people-friendly city adds real value. Visitors appreciate clean, accessible spaces, and these changes help shape a better experience for everyone.
— Hari, Himalaya Heart Trek
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To help put things in perspective, we spent about $2.5 on the 6th ave bike path, $3million on the Peterson Creek trail 10 yrs ago and about $1million more earlier this yr and we can’t even bother to place a bike stand at city hall.
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The Peterson Creek multiuse path is younger than 10 years and it cost way more than 3 millions, including building it and designing it. Plus this year they spend more than 2 millions (costs are ongoing BTW because of “watering the plants” which most will die anyways in a couple of years time). And don’t forget the Valleyview connector under the Yellowhead overpass. That was more than 10 millions. Which brings the question why is McCorkell still working for the City?
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And BTW, the Sifton Lane multi-use pathway is another example of extremely out of touch planning with a large price tags even if some pipe work is tugged along…
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The Kamloops’ problem is not so much of “connectivity” but more of the lack of a solid bicycle culture. Cycling is not only an awesome sport but a great form of transportation where sport and practically really intermesh unlike any other endeavour. That we emphasize and continue to spend an unbalanced amount of money on indoor activities is the grandest failure of it all.
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