WHEREAS bicycle lanes are essential to the safety of all those traveling on roadways; AND WHEREAS cycling is an environmentally friendly and healthy form of transportation as well as an increasingly popular pastime; AND WHEREAS the Ministry of Transportation Cycling Policy includes provisions for cyclists on all new and upgraded provincial highways: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of British Columbia Municipalities urge the Ministry of Transportation to amend the Cycling Policy to provide for the construction of bicycle lanes or other provisions for bicycle traffic whenever works compatible with such construction are taking place adjacent to roadways.
Ministry of Transportation The Ministry of Transportation Ministry realizes the need for cycling infrastructure and does its best to provide cycling improvements whenever it is feasible. Pat Bay highway resurfacing included the expansion of the shoulder to better accommodate cyclists. However, there are circumstances that prevent the Ministry from providing cycling infrastructure during a project. These include safety, if the cost is excessively disproportionate to the need, a provincial act or municipal bylaw prohibits cycling, or cycling is not in the greater public interest. The proposed inclusion to the Ministrys cycling policy would create a situation where the Ministry would be required to justify its actions for not including cycling infrastructure on every minor project it undertakes throughout the Province of British Columbia. This would create a large burden in terms of staff time. That is why the ministry has limited its policy to the larger projects that include new and upgraded highways.