Lack Of Bike Lanes In Ancaster Essay

The civic issue that I chose was the lack of bike lanes in Ancaster. The existing bike lanes are minimal in number, and cover only short stretches, and often don't connect to each other. This is relevant to the many people that ride their bicycles in Ancaster and those who drive around them. The lack of bike lanes is an issue because it poses a safety concern to those who cycle in Ancaster and puts drivers nearby at risk because cyclists might not have appropriate or safe areas to bike. This also discourages possible riders from cycling in Ancaster. It can also cause damages to infrastructure and property that is used as an alternative to a proper bike lane, such as lawns, curbs, and sidewalks. It can also pose a safety concern to pedestrians if the cyclist is forced to use the sidewalk instead, something that is against Hamilton By-Law 01-215 (paragraph 21, see https://goo.gl/j5MzrY). Therefore, it is necessary to add bike lanes where they are feasible and will be used effectively. The City of Hamilton has made and approved plans to improve the biking infrastructure in Ancaster. The plans include improvements to all aspects of Ancaster’s transit, and have an area dedicated to new plans for bike lanes. All of the plans involve either a Bike Lane or a Paved Shoulder. These options were evaluated and explained in the City’s Cycling Master Plan. It was specified that …show more content…
They have weighed all the factors that anyone would consider, and have come up with different approaches and options and have found what is most effective on Ancaster’s roads to deal with our growing needs. They have also analyzed traffic data and identified major roads which would benefit from added bike lanes. Because of this I think that their plan is ideal, thorough, and would be the best solution to our current