Bike lane for Penticton

[seewood]

Inflated? The last number I was told was 13 million. And this comes from a city employee.

I am in no way a defender of the new bike lanes, however on Atkinson for example, there was a bunch of underground upgrades/replacements made with new paving. Was this expence included in the creation of the bike lanes?
I can't see some paint and new fangled concrete barriers with loopy pieces of plastic costing 8-13 million. Oh, and bike specific stop lights.
I do see more than one per hour on the bike lane on Fairview on occasion, perhaps up to 3-4 now. Still way fewer than bikes on other roads, Government for example or the channel.

[Nooby]

Inflated? The last number I was told was 13 million. And this comes from a city employee.

I am in no way a defender of the new bike lanes, however on Atkinson for example, there was a bunch of underground upgrades/replacements made with new paving. Was this expence included in the creation of the bike lanes?
I can't see some paint and new fangled concrete barriers with loopy pieces of plastic costing 8-13 million. Oh, and bike specific stop lights.
I do see more than one per hour on the bike lane on Fairview on occasion, perhaps up to 3-4 now. Still way fewer than bikes on other roads, Government for example or the channel.

In addition to the above mentioned underground upgrades/replacements (which were badly needed, especially on our corner) there's the new street lighting along Atkinson between Duncan and Industrial. Lights came on for the first time tonight - wow - very bright and I for one appreciate how well lit it is now. And it looks like they are in fact just doing the concrete barriers along Atkinson, already have them in place on one side between Industrial and Warren.

I'm no defender of the bike lanes either but I appreciate the underground upgrades and the new lighting.

[twobits]

In addition to the above mentioned underground upgrades/replacements (which were badly needed, especially on our corner) there's the new street lighting along Atkinson between Duncan and Industrial. Lights came on for the first time tonight - wow - very bright and I for one appreciate how well lit it is now. And it looks like they are in fact just doing the concrete barriers along Atkinson, already have them in place on one side between Industrial and Warren.

I'm no defender of the bike lanes either but I appreciate the underground upgrades and the new lighting.

But were those infrastructure improvements included in the bike lane 8.5 mill budget or were they slipped in to get under Fed and Prov scrutiny of funding?
This whole 8.5 million for this infrastructure project of precast concrete parking curbs, painted lines and about 2000 friggren signs for the route is stunning!!!!
Anyone with epilepsy will be triggered to spasm with signs as frequent as a strobe light in a night club. If any of you have not driven from Westminster Ave south to Eckhart on Martin St I suggest you do so just so you can see the absurd waste of your tax dollars. I have drove it at least 2 dozen times now trying to figure out the benefit. I have not seen any benefit and even after that many trips down Martin St......I am still numbed by the stupidity of this tax dollar investment. I am instead.....still gob smacked at the stupidity.

[southy]

And then you have mayor Vas saying …. “Give it time and then we will make improvements”. What the hell is he drinking? Guess the cities New communications dude wasn’t available to help Johnny on this one. Seriously … wait - give it time and they will make improvements. I suppose it’s normal process to spend $8m plus on something knowing it will require improvements. Unbelievable but true. Now I suppose we wait for a response from (drum roll) the all knowing Spooker. I’m sure he will agree with John on improvements.

[spooker]

I know ... it's been said over and over again, "Penticton is not [insert other city name]" ... but here is another explanation of how bike lanes do not cause congestion ...

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... jams-video

[soupy]

And then you have mayor Vas saying …. “Give it time and then we will make improvements”. What the hell is he drinking? Guess the cities New communications dude wasn’t available to help Johnny on this one. Seriously … wait - give it time and they will make improvements. I suppose it’s normal process to spend $8m plus on something knowing it will require improvements. Unbelievable but true. Now I suppose we wait for a response from (drum roll) the all knowing Spooker. I’m sure he will agree with John on improvements.

Maybe the improvements he is mentioning are a basic driver education session for the people who complain that the roadways are now too narrow for them to drive. Or perhaps the City will make educational videos teaching these drivers how to properly turn a corner without striking a barricade.
You know, basic things every driver should know and be able to do.

[twobits]

I know ... it's been said over and over again, "Penticton is not [insert other city name]" ... but here is another explanation of how bike lanes do not cause congestion ...

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... jams-video

What a pile of dung. I actually took the time to look at the links you provided. Most would not even bother but I did.
How smart do you think you look by posting links to an avid cyclist blogger in the United Kingdom and pretend there is some relevance or comparable to small town Okanagan?
What's the matter Spook.......can't find any BC or Canadian Cycling Blogger to support your view so you have to scour the internet to find some obscure blogger in the United Kingdom that you can use as a "footnote" to establish your legitimacy???
That is sad dude....really sad.

[spooker]

I know ... it's been said over and over again, "Penticton is not [insert other city name]" ... but here is another explanation of how bike lanes do not cause congestion ...

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... jams-video

What a pile of dung. I actually took the time to look at the links you provided. Most would not even bother but I did.
How smart do you think you look by posting links to an avid cyclist blogger in the United Kingdom and pretend there is some relevance or comparable to small town Okanagan?
What's the matter Spook.......can't find any BC or Canadian Cycling Blogger to support your view so you have to scour the internet to find some obscure blogger in the United Kingdom that you can use as a "footnote" to establish your legitimacy???
That is sad dude....really sad.

Editors for The Guardian are just bloggers? Not sure how that conclusion was reached ... if there are issues with the information please feel free to refute it ... otherwise it's just another instance of "attacking the messenger" that doesn't hold a lot of water ...

I know that I'm not going to change anyone's mind here, that has been made abundantly clear ... but allowing different points of view is at the root of giving people choices, again a big part of the purpose of having different modes of transportation available to people, even in Penticton ...

Most recently the bike lanes In London were attacked as the source of congestion being experienced by people in cars, so the most recent coverage of it is by media in the UK ... and I thought the video was a good format that was easily digestible ... wasn't much worried about the other links on that page but I applaud you for taking the time to look at them ...

[southy]

I know that I'm not going to change anyone's mind here, that has been made abundantly clear ...

So then the question is why do you keep trying? What is your payoff?

[spooker]

I know that I'm not going to change anyone's mind here, that has been made abundantly clear ...

So then the question is why do you keep trying? What is your payoff?

Seeing if there is anything new that someone can come up with ... while I've been a cycling advocate for over a decade I've seen the road infrastructure change, designers and planners learn new things, examine reaction from users ... but I'm always learning, nothing is exactly the same while at the same time having common threads ... I'm always trying to figure out how can we bridge the gap between what people see from different perspectives, i.e. behind the wheel of a car or gripping onto the handlebars ...

My payoff is an interesting life filled with the push and pull of opinions, digging for knowledge and way of expression understanding ... and many times a new route to ride on my bike for research ...

[twobits]

Spook.....you are a poster child for flogging a dead horse. Bike lanes might have some benefit in certain metro City corridors....but Penticton???? Not a hope in hell of a cyclist explosion of transportation.
The only hope for the bike lanes in Penticton is a soon, and rapid uptake in ev bikes/scooters/boards/and whatever else one can call them, to use these expensive lane to justify the cost. We will see in the next 2-4 yrs if the 8 plus million was a smart decision.
No matter how much of a cycle enthusiast you are, it is going to be a challenge for you in this current environment and age demographic to convince a majority here that we need these types of bike lanes. Pick your battles spook.

[spooker]

Spook.....you are a poster child for flogging a dead horse. Bike lanes might have some benefit in certain metro City corridors....but Penticton???? Not a hope in hell of a cyclist explosion of transportation.
The only hope for the bike lanes in Penticton is a soon, and rapid uptake in ev bikes/scooters/boards/and whatever else one can call them, to use these expensive lane to justify the cost. We will see in the next 2-4 yrs if the 8 plus million was a smart decision.
No matter how much of a cycle enthusiast you are, it is going to be a challenge for you in this current environment and age demographic to convince a majority here that we need these types of bike lanes. Pick your battles spook.

And that was a similar sentiment in Kelowna when I moved here in 2009 ... yes, it did take some time to see a significant shift, but riding a bike gives one patience ...

No, I don't characterize it as a battle ... it's just participation in the conversation ...

[hozzle]

Spook.....you are a poster child for flogging a dead horse. Bike lanes might have some benefit in certain metro City corridors....but Penticton???? Not a hope in hell of a cyclist explosion of transportation.
The only hope for the bike lanes in Penticton is a soon, and rapid uptake in ev bikes/scooters/boards/and whatever else one can call them, to use these expensive lane to justify the cost. We will see in the next 2-4 yrs if the 8 plus million was a smart decision.
No matter how much of a cycle enthusiast you are, it is going to be a challenge for you in this current environment and age demographic to convince a majority here that we need these types of bike lanes. Pick your battles spook.

And that was a similar sentiment in Kelowna when I moved here in 2009 ... yes, it did take some time to see a significant shift, but riding a bike gives one patience ...

No, I don't characterize it as a battle ... it's just participation in the conversation ...

twobits has a point... almost 30% of Penticton is over the age of 65... I don't see too many of them using the bike lane... a younger demographic region may have benefited more from the provincial money that went towards the project, but it appears as if the some of the counselors and the mayor had something to gain from their decision.

[XT225]

[
twobits has a point... almost 30% of Penticton is over the age of 65... I don't see too many of them using the bike lane... a younger demographic region may have benefited more from the provincial money that went towards the project, but it appears as if the some of the counselors and the mayor had something to gain from their decision.

I agree with your comments re our Demographics here. Had there been a proper, democratic (PENTICTON; not Kelowna) Referendum, the bike lanes would have gone down in flames; no question about that. I don't believe, however that mayor and council had anything to gain by it; they were just completely conned by certain senior management in the City. Rubber stamped what they were told before anyone could wake up and smell the roses. Its too bad these same management staff were not elected as they would be given the boot this month. One has retired; but there are still a couple left on staff that should be "History".

[southy]

Now if we can just fire Spooker life would be great .