Vision Vancouver councillor Andrea Reimer pointed today (May 6) to the Burrard Bridge bike-lane trial in order to justify approving funding for more cycling infrastructure.
“To see it not only happen but succeed with flying colours tells me we’re ready to move to the next step,” Reimer said during a meeting of council’s city services and budgets committee.
Council voted unanimously to support spending $1.25 million on a list of items that includes $500,000 to develop a 10-year cycling master plan to replace the 1999 plan that is nearing its best-before date.
“We have a lot of catching up to do,” Mayor Gregor Robertson told council, echoing many of his colleagues’ statements. “This is a big step to approaching where we need to be.”
Vision councillor Tim Stevenson called the vote “historic”, while fellow Vision councillor and committee chair Raymond Louie termed it “a big step forward”.
“If we’re to realize the opportunity to have a generation of cyclists in this city, this type of infrastructure is absolutely necessary,” Louie said before casting his yes vote.
Alongside the new 10-year master plan, council approved spending up to $400,000 to develop a cycling monitoring program, $100,000 on additional bicycle parking, and $250,000 on “spot” improvements to existing bike routes.
Non-Partisan Association councillor Suzanne Anton said anything that encourages more cycling is a good thing. She mentioned that she has biked across the country and is planning to cycle the world with her husband, Olin, starting this year.
“This summer, we cycle from Paris to Prague,” Anton told the Straight outside council chambers.
Earlier on in the meeting, Anton noted that people forget that cycling is “fun”.
“It’s just so great to be on a bike,” Anton said.
