ELORA – John Scott got his wish.
The member of GreenLanes, an active transportation group, implored Centre Wellington council to approve separated bike lanes on St. David Street North when infrastructure work on the busy Fergus thoroughfare is completed in 2023.
Scott told council at the June 21 committee of the whole meeting that active transportation is the wave of the future, bike lanes will increase the health of residents, and they’ll bring shoppers to downtown Fergus.
“GreenLanes is hoping for a unanimous vote,” he said. “A vote in favour of the future. A future that improves everyone.”
Staff had presented four options for the reconstruction of St. David Street North from St. Andrew Street to Edinburgh Avenue once infrastructure work is complete: replace the surface as is; remove on-street parking lanes and increase boulevard and sidewalk width; keep on-street parking from St. Andrew Street to St. Patrick Street; and the separated cycling lanes option.
Manager of engineering Adam Gilmore said the plan includes separated bike lanes from St. Andrew Street to Hill Street and then un-separated bike lanes north to Edinburgh Avenue.
It maintains some on-street parking, would improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and is a “complete street” solution, he said.
“This could be a catalyst to multi-model connections to cycling and hiking trails.”
Centre Wellington staff provided examples of what separated bike lanes could look like as council approved installing them on St. David Street North through Fergus. (CW council agenda image)
Gilmore said staff consulted with the downtown Fergus BIA, the healthy growth advisory committee, the Elora Cataract Trailway Association, the Ministry of Transportation and the local advocacy group GreenLanes, and received more than 750 responses from the public.
Based on that feedback, staff has altered the concept slightly to include crosswalks and line painting at the Garafraxa Street and St. David Street North intersection to include a bike box, to improve safety for cyclists making left-hand turns.
Adding bike lanes would eliminate some parking spaces on St. David Street. There are currently 42 on-street parking spaces between St. Andrew Street and Hill Street and that would be reduced to 19 with the cycling lane option.
But with three-hour parking limits on St. Andrew Street now in effect, there is more turnover, and parking is not such an issue, Gilmore said.
All four options were estimated to cost between $3.8 million and $4 million, though the actual cost won’t be known until the detail design phase.
“I’m thrilled with option four,” said Mayor Kelly Linton. “We have the opportunity to be visionaries.”
Council unanimously approved option four, and the detail design and costs will return to council for further approvals.
With the concept now approved, staff can apply for funding through the provincial Connecting Links program.
