New Bike Paths in Penticton

Its not 100% clear, but I believe that council will work toward adding a bike lane down Wade from the end of Government St. in the near future. If you read paragraph 6 of this article:

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/pentictonwesternnews/news/90793439.html

...that is the only route that I can see it happening on. I will speak with Andrew J. to confirm.

At any rate, this is great news, and hey, look at that - I suspect that we will have to let up on Mike Pearce about his position on bike lanes, as his vote drove this one home!

Andrew D.

To hear some discussion on a motion from Pearce and a different motion by Jakubeit check out the May 3rd meeting at about 3 hours 18 min and 45 seconds:

mms://www.penticton.ca/council/video/2010/05/2010-05-03-cm-1of1.wmv

DBrooke,

An excellent article! We need to keep the heat on Penticton City Council, for although we have several councilors who are keen to take a stand for cycling in the city, there are others, including our mayor, who are leaning toward removing the pathways from Government St.

This - we must not allow to occur!

It is utterly beyond me how anyone in a position of power on council could be so shortsighted as to take a position that does not include full support for bicycle lanes within city boundaries.

We will include a blurb about this in our next general newsletter, and a pointer to the article that you posted will certainly be part of that.

Andrew D.

This is a great meeting to watch if you would like to figure out where the different City Councillors stand on the Penticton bike lane network.

windows media:
mms://www.penticton.ca/council/video/2010/05/2010-05-17-cm-1of1.wmv

2hrs:31min:45sec is Jakubeit's motion for staff to review the current bike network plan from 1998. Motion passed with Albas and Vassilaki opposed.

2hrs:46min:00sec is Pearce's motion to study 4-laning government street between Ekhart and Duncan. Great discussion and compromise to deal with traffic congestion issues by removing parking, maintaining 2 lanes, 2 bike lanes, and adding a turning lane. This compromise was also favourable because it is already in the budget to repaint the lines so it won't be extra money. Pearce seems to have softened his stance. Motion passed with Albas and Vassilaki opposed.