Saskatoon business advocate not happy as Ave. C bike lanes approved

A Saskatoon business advocate was not happy to hear that the city plans to move ahead with its bike lane project on Avenue C.

Last week, council gave the green light to move ahead with the plan in a 6-5 vote.

When completed, bike lanes on Avenue C would stretch from Spadina Crescent to 45th Street.

The project is projected to cost nearly $9 million, and would also bring changes to the roads to accommodate the new bike lanes, including curb extensions and shared pathways.

A project to add bike lanes to Avenue C was approved last week. (Shane Clausing/650 CKOM)

Keith Moen, executive director for the North Saskatoon Business Association, has been vocal about the project for a while. He said council’s decision isn’t sitting well with him.

“We were disappointed and spoke against the particular motion, hoping to see the relocation of the bike lane as it relates to the intersection of Avenue C and Circle Drive,” he said.

“That is statistically the most dangerous intersection in Saskatoon, and we didn’t see the logic in bringing bicycles into the area that’s deemed the most dangerous.”

Moen spoke to council before the decision, and presented data suggesting the addition of bike lanes in this area make no sense.

“Their logic is they want to incorporate cycling into the north industrial district and the airport industrial district – but the reality is, that’s not a positive mode of transportation,” he explained.

“Our survey we conducted last week, prior to the council meeting, indicated that 98 per cent of the people commuted to work by car, and that just indicates the level of demand for this type of infrastructure.”

Moen said he’s heard from businesses in the area who are frustrated and are calling council “tone deaf” in terms of not listening to what the general electorate is wanting.

He said he thinks the project will drastically impact business in the area.

“The Travelodge I spoke with is going to lose 47 parking spots. The parking lot is a big part of their business model, and losing those spots will be detrimental,” he explained.

Funding for the project still needs to be secured, so the bike lanes aren’t being built straight away.

Moen said he hopes a change in council next fall could put an end to the project.

“If there’s a change in council – which I predict there will be, because this council is not hearing what the general electorate is saying and recognizing the frustration within the community – I predict there will be a significant change in council next fall and that council might have a change in heart when it comes to this piece of infrastructure,” he said.

Moen said he doesn’t think the move will make Avenue C any safer, and would just put more cyclists at risk.