Bike lanes are an essential component of any city's infrastructure. When they are implemented well, they provide citizens with choice when it comes to mode of transit, encourage healthy pastimes, and reduce congestion on major thoroughfares. Sadly, even the best idea implemented poorly is a bad idea. When bike lanes are implemented poorly, they build friction between cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians. The solution lies in identifying strengths and weaknesses with the existing infrastructure, and building upon those strengths while addressing the weaknesses in order to create a city that benefits everyone that lives here.

Take the bike lane on 83rd Avenue as an example of a well-implemented bike lane. It runs parallel to a major artery, providing similar access while not reducing throughput on Whyte avenue. People actively use that lane to travel through and use the community. It is a separated lane, keeping cyclists safe, off the sidewalk, and out of the lanes of motor vehicle traffic. Bike lanes like this are a huge benefit to the city.

Edmonton's population grew over the last year, so much so that we effectively added the City of Red Deer to our base! With this in mind, it's important we plan and build for a city rapidly growing in population.
Bike lanes are a key part of that solution however, they haven't been executed well.

I want to share with you Better Edmonton’s views as well, Tim Cartmell supported a motion moved by his Better Edmonton team member Karen Principe in the fall of 2024 to cancel the currently-funded bike lane extension (about $180M) and return it to the tax base (which would have helped bring down the property tax impact you're facing). Unfortunately, this current council defeated that motion. Tim Cartmell firmly believes in multi-modal transportation options but when we can afford them and not when many Edmontonians are already facing an affordability crisis.

In short, both myself and the entire Better Edmonton Team are committed to supporting a thriving cycle culture, creating solutions that do not detract from the existing ways that we use our city, and ensuring that bike lanes serve the needs of all Edmontonians.