The Editor:
As the person who organizes the Tri-City Bikes & Brews casual cycling community on weekly rides — often involving Guildford Way — I thought it was about time somebody threw their hat in the ring to “review” the new separated bike lane from the viewpoint of casual cyclists.
We have a large number of inexperienced cyclists in our group who are nervous about riding on roads. Anyone who has cycled on a busy road around the Tri-Cities, whether on a bike lane or not, knows that there are a lot of drivers out there who have little regard for cyclists. The new separated bike lane provides a safe artery for cyclists riding to and from Coquitlam and Port Moody (if and when all sections are completed in the future).
While I understand that the separated bike lane now forces cyclists to ride through bus stops, potentially causing and hazard, my response is - just be patient. You wouldn’t thread a car through a crowd of people, you would stop and wait. While you may grumble about being held up on your journey, this is an inconvenience that motorists accept and maybe its about time cyclists do too.
Is the bike lane perfect? No. Is it a step in the right direction to improve micromobility infrastructure and encourage more people to travel by bike? Absolutely.
For myself and the casual riders we take out on a regular basis, the separated bike lane provides another route around the Tri-Cities that is accessible to less experienced and confident cyclists, allowing them to explore their city and reap more of the overall benefits of cycling.
Local advocacy groups like HUB Cycling work tirelessly to bring about positive change to cycling infrastructure and accessibility . While the changes may not please everybody, the cycling community is much better off for it.
- Bill Jones, Port Coquitlam
