As a walker, hiker and cyclist, I love nothing more than to get out into the environs in and around Banff.
The trails are quite inviting and I take every opportunity to get out and enjoy them. However, they do have their limits, especially when it comes at the expense of a fully functioning and efficient transportation network.
One should not come at the exclusion of the other. I find it totally unconscionable to even consider narrowing the main east-west arterial thoroughfare in Banff that is Wolf Street in favour of a designated segregated two-way bike path.
Traffic volume on the street, especially in summer, coming down from Tunnel Mountain Campground is only rivaled by Banff Avenue and Lynx Streets. To constrict traffic flow on Wolf Street as proposed in the new Trails Plan would be disastrous to say the least.
It does not take yet another unnecessary expensive study to confirm this obvious fact. It would only serve to make congestion and delays even worse. Wolf Street cannot support being narrowed – period.
The same is true on Muskrat Street. It is unacceptable to assume for one nanosecond that residents are willing to walk farther than the curb for their vehicles. As one member of council quite correctly observed, there literally is nowhere else to park and to remove such parking from the street for a designated bicycle route only exacerbates the problem.
Residents will not be willing to walk however many blocks it takes to get to their vehicles, especially in winter and especially loaded down with various items.
Once again, it does not take yet another expensive impact study to confirm this. Streets must be kept totally functional for residents at all times. Narrowing the 100 and 200 blocks of Muskrat Street is just as objectionable as on the 300 and 400 blocks. The plan simply makes no sense.
The fact is, by “solving” one “problem,” tenfold more are created requiring yet further unnecessary and expensive studies in a vicious circle. Clearly this is not acceptable. Installation of separated bike lanes is a perfect example of this. Their “need” is highly questionable.
Since municipal government has no “official opposition” to keep it in check from having absolute power, it is up to the citizens to take up this vital role, not because we love to criticize, but because we care deeply about how our community is managed or mismanaged.
Cars may be left behind, temporarily, but they still need convenient close places to reside and be used when necessary. Bikes and vehicles don’t need to be at the mutual exclusion or inconvenience of the other. It is a long way off yet to get to the Jetson flying saucer vehicle, but even that needs a place to park.
Mark Bowes,
Banff
