The new Windsor Street bike lane is experiencing growing pains. Since Thanksgiving weekend, drivers have parked in the bike lane, and last week thumbtacks appeared, puncturing several tires.
Cyclists have snapped photos of licence plates and called 311 to report herds of vehicles parked illegally in the lane. Parked cars in bike lanes force cyclists to weave in and out of traffic instead of riding in a predictable way.
On October 23, a Metro Transit driver parked a bus in the lane, one cyclist posted on a local bike-enthusiast Facebook group. The following evening, parents parked in the lanes outside the Forum while waiting for their children. And on Oct. 27, cyclists reported “carmageddon” as vehicles filled the bike lane outside the Forum, rendering it useless.
“We may have to put up ‘no parking’ signs,” says councillor Waye Mason, who sits on the active transportation advisory committee. The standard diamond sign on the pavement in the bike lanes doesn’t indicate “no parking” to some drivers. That could mean HRM needs to launch an education campaign, which could be costly, he says.
Parking enforcement officers have handed out tickets to vehicles parked in the new lane, which was painted Oct. 15. Though initial signage was inconsistent, contractors added signs along the bike lane on Oct. 22 to make the parking prohibition comply with provincial standards.
The Motor Vehicle Act prohibits parking in bike lanes. A ticket for doing so starts at $25 and can increase to $57.96 if not paid within two months.
The city approved the Windsor Street lane in June after a push by the Halifax Cycling Coalition to create a north-south bike corridor on the peninsula. The Windsor Street lane still has a few minor glitches, say cyclists who have biked it. The lane stops abruptly northbound at Almon Street; the signage isn’t clear that a bike lane means no stopping; and one portion of the lane was repainted due to contractor error.
Blips in HRM’s learning curve and conflicts between cars and cyclists are bound to happen at this stage of the city’s bike lane implementation, says HCC co-chair Ben Wedge. Overall, he believes the trend toward a bike-friendly city is encouraging.
HRM is working on turning Vernon Street into a bikeway; the North End Business Association is surveying businesses about parking, which could influence a decision on an Agricola Street bike lane; and the city may finally be getting around to painting the Hollis Street bike lane.
Approved in 2010 as part of a three-step plan, the Hollis Street lane was scheduled for completion this past summer. “The Hollis Street bike lane is on hold for now,” says Dave McCusker, HRM’s manager of strategic transportation planning. “We’ll be building it in the spring,”
The bike lane could have been completed earlier if not for construction at Hollis and Duke streets, he says. “Fortunately, the bike plan is seven years old now, and the pieces are starting to fill in, and we’re getting continuous corridors now.”
The city intends to put up more signage along Windsor Street, McCusker says. Wedge says he is meeting with the city’s traffic team in early November to discuss how the city’s newest bike lane is progressing.
This article appears in Oct 31 – Nov 6, 2013.
Will parking on Hollis be banned on both sides 24/7 ?
In other cities with bike lanes, are there no parking signs and enforcement implemented? Why would the city think people are not going to park in these lanes if they have for ages, or pull over and wait in their cars for someone, I guess tickets will be need to be handed out until people get it. Sounds like the city should have put more thought into this.
Buses are legally allowed to conduct layovers on Windsor St Southbound just before Young St. As well in the Northbound direction on Windsor St just after Young, this is what is considered a time point (catch up point), otherwise a bus is only allowed to be stopped in a bike lane to pick up and drop off passengers.
as a resident who lives near the Forum, this bike lane has been nothing but a pain since it was installed. Parking in the neighbourhood was near impossible at times, before the lane was installed, especially when events were on at the Forum. Now, it is impossible most of the time. In addition, trying to pull out of a driveway on to Windsor St. has become more challenging since the lane opened. We have vehicle traffic, and now there are bikes speeding in the lane, at night with no lights and drivers wearing dark clothing. Not to mention that traffic is now frequently backed up at lights, as cars wait to turn left across traffic, and others can not get around them. Yes, it might be great for the bikers, but for those of us in the neighbourhood, it presents many annoying and dangerous problems..
The number of cyclists in the metropolis is 1% of commuter traffic (source 2013 HRM study) in summer months. The numbers in winter 5mths are substantially lower.
This is virtually unchanged from surveys in earlier years.
Halifax is an old city with narrow streets and a huge parking problem for everyone else.
The public never had an option as to whether there should be cycle lanes or not as it was pushed through by the HCC and ATAC who are all cyclists.
Business on cycle routes can not afford to lose what little customer parking they have.
You can not shop at a store or restaurant if you can not park there. Thats the reality.
“The public never had an option”!!! Huh!!! Smoke much crack? There were numerous consultations with the public over a year,..open houses, etc. Geez,..don’t blame your ignorance of what’s going on in the city on the city,..it’s your own damn fault.
Unfortunately thats simply not true. Public meetings were held to decide which route NOT if there should be one in the first place.
Perhaps you would like to comment as to how business can exist if people cannot stop outside their premises.
Lets face it this was pushed through without public support and thats why there is so much angst. Thats unfortunate and undemocratic.
So much angst? lol Undemocratic. lol What a drama queen. You’ve polled everyone in the city I suppose?
The real estate guy who complained wasn’t interested in his customers, he was interested in parking his own car out front.
Question for you, how many businesses on Windsor street were affected? How many supported it? How many objected?
There are businesses everywhere that survive fine and dandy without parking directly out front of their doors. There is still parking around Windsor street but heaven forbid if you have to walk 100 extra feet. It’s times like this when I’m reminded of how Halifax is such a small provincial city afraid of change. And apparently full of lazy ass people too.
Move the fuck away and make room for people who are a little more forward thinking.
err no Halifax is a capital city and HUB for the Maritimes. Many people live well outside walking and cycling range. We also have an ageing population who perhaps can not walk as far as they once could. Its not a matter of being lazy its a matter of doing what you are able and can.
There are other people to consider as well as cyclists. Also what about the 4 or 5 mths of winter we get here when these lanes will be empty not that they are not now.
Cycle lanes going by peoples homes are a problem also as many do not have driveway parking or maybe one vehicle. This all has the further consequence of dropping real estate values in the area.
If we had wide streets and could accommodate cycle lanes then that would be fine by most I am sure. Its not being against cyclists its a matter of logistics.
Biked a part of it tonight and it felt AWESOME. I’ve ridden that street many times, but tonight was so much more relaxing. Hopefully, given time, others will take a bike and see how great that stretch is with the addition of a bike lane. And I’ve always been against bike lanes, go figure.
I don’t know who decided a bike like could fit on Hollis St. but whoever it was is a dumba**
I drove my car in Halifax for 18 years of living there. Tried cycling three times – and it was impossible once I arrived into the core.
Moved to Quebec City – older than Halifax with narrower streets and significant parking and congestion problems. Cycling is embraced here along with mass transit. bike lanes, corridors, and now 5000km of connected lanes, paths, and trails that bring in tourists and promote healthy living. It’s excellent. Can’t believe Hali can’t sort it out.
When you complain about the lack of parking directly in front of a business, consider this: when you go to Mic Mac Mall (or HSS etc.) do you have the right to drive your car through the front doors of the mall and park directly in front of your favorite store? No! Next time you’re at the mall, consider how far you’re actually walking to get to the store you want. The one block walk to get to the street business won’t seem that bad any more.
A lot of businesses need some parking outside their property for moving hard to move items and also getting deliveries and dropping off Gran for lunch … that type of thing.
I agree the bulk of people can afford to walk from a parking lot assuming there is one and thats the real problem here. Most business on the peninsular only have on street parking, there are very few parking lots.
Installing bike lanes on narrow streets does not work as business loses parking for their clients, but its no good for cyclists either as they have to swerve in and out of bike lanes when a delivery vehicle or service vehicle is parked there, and in a busy area thats an almost continual problem.
The use of calming side streets into a one way system for Halifax is probably the best option.
The side streets do not lose any parking and the street become multi use and traffic slowed down.
Bike lanes 7-9 am and 3.30- 5.30 pm and only Monday – Friday.
Other hours will be the usual free-for-all