Plus: AI boom is gas-fired; $7B for Indonesian carbon capture; More big batteries; Total pauses US offshore wind project; Sweden’s Northvolt collapses
Hi everyone,
Alright, I took the bait, so to speak. Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford took away the power of cities in that province to decide on bike lanes and will rip out existing ones. That has me and many others shaking our heads. Check out my take on it below.
Just one more issue for 2024 before I take a break for the Christmas holidays. Let me know if you have a topic you think I should cover or a story to include.
Thanks for reading and continue to share around with others.
Peter
Peter’s take: The case for bike lanes
Recently, the Province of Ontario passed a law to remove bike lakes, as well as make it harder for municipalities to install new ones:
- Ford gov’t passes law to remove Ontario bike lanes, frustrate future installations
It represents a fine example of post-truth populist politics taking us in the wrong direction. Heavy sigh. Others have commented on this and I encourage you to read the two op-eds:
- Shawn Micallef in The Star talking about the “war on the car”
- Sarah Elton and Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher in the Globe and Mail ($): The bike lane debate isn’t a war on cycling – it’s a war on data
To really get a good idea of what this means for Toronto, watch all 13 minutes of Oh the Urbanity!’s latest take on it.
Here are the reasons why we ought to enable cycling in cities:
- Increased Local Business Revenue: Studies have shown that bike lanes can boost sales for local businesses.
- Higher Property Values: Properties near bike lanes often see an increase in value. This can lead to higher municipal revenues from property taxes.
- Reduced Road Maintenance Costs: Bikes cause less wear and tear on roads compared to cars, leading to lower maintenance costs for cities.
- Health and Productivity Benefits: By promoting cycling, bike lanes can improve public health, reducing healthcare costs and increasing productivity due to fewer sick days, reducing rates of obesity, heart disease, and other health issues. Another source: here.
- Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Cycling produces far fewer emissions compared to driving. For instance, cycling emits between 16 to 50 grams of CO2 per kilometer, depending on factors like diet and cycling efficiency. In contrast, a typical car emits about 170 grams of CO2 per kilometer. Sources: here, here, here and here.
And here are why bike lanes are important to enable cycling:
- Safety: Bike lanes significantly improve safety for cyclists by providing dedicated space on the road, reducing the risk of accidents with motor vehicles. Studies have shown that cities with protected bike lanes see fewer fatalities and injuries for all road users. Sources: here and here.
- Reduced Traffic Congestion: Contrary to some beliefs, bike lanes can help reduce traffic congestion. By encouraging more people to cycle, there are fewer cars on the road, which can lead to smoother traffic flow.
- Social Equity: Bike lanes provide a low-cost transportation option, making it easier for people of all ages and abilities to commute and access amenities and essential services. An important attribute: make them “always available”, meaning keep them cleared of snow and ice. Those are the five “A’s” in Calgary’s “5A network: Always Available for All Ages and Abilities.
So where does that leave us? I invite you to:
- Not fall into the trap of thinking that “getting that one lane back” will solve traffic congestion. It has been proven over and over that the additional lane merely induces more demand.
- Advocate with your local municipality, and ahem, now also higher orders of government, to invest in bike lane infrastructure. It is an investment in economic development and improved heath and environmental outcomes.
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