Hamilton Spectator: ‘Squeaky Wheels’ give advice

Cycling sense catching on, thanks to advocates for transportation alternatives

Hamilton’s sustainable-transportation culture is rich. For a small city there’s plenty of action. With the exception of the City Cycling Committee, most of the active groups have formed since 1998. Recycle Cycles, a nonprofit, volunteer, community bicycle repair workshop, found a home in the basement of a church that year, and the first Hamilton Critical Mass ride soon followed in May ‘98.

Transportation for Livable Communities celebrated its first Car Free Day in 2000, the same year that Green Venture took up the annual Commuter Challenge. MacCycle Co-op’s bike-repair workspace sprouted at McMaster University in 2002. And Environment Hamilton’s Transit Users Group got on board in 2003.

More recently, there have emerged small groups of Hamilton boosters who place sustainable transportation improvements in their fast lane. Raise the Hammer for one, or Mixed Media’s human dynamo Dave Kuruc, whose most recent accomplishment was winning the competition for the new B-Line paint design.

So, while we’ve seen improvements with some new bicycle lanes, and moves to increase the level of service offered by the HSR, there are some ideas lurking in the minds and on the drawing boards that need to come to light.

Let’s call our three guests the Squeaky Wheels:

Daryl Bender is a member of the City Cycling Committee and works for McMaster University’s Alternative Commute and Transportation (ACT) office. He’d like to see:

* Beeline fast buses all day and extended to Dundas.

* Seven-day service connecting the lower city to Ancaster/Meadowlands.

* Some 24 hour transit.

* North/south service along Centennial Parkway up the escarpment.

* Bus service on Upper James Street extended to the airport.

* Have the City enter into arrangements with adjacent municipalities for transit connections (or have GO connections).

* Either subsidize the Coach Canada transit service in the rural areas of Hamilton — Waterdown, Freelton, Rockton, Sheffield — or provide service through the HSR.

* A bike crossing in the central city of the escarpment.

* Bike racks on buses.

* Bike route on south side of Main between downtown and McMaster area.

* Bike lanes through downtown Stoney Creek.

* Bike lanes along York Road from Dundas to Waterdown.

* Good bike access to Confederation Park area (over QEW).

* A new standard for vehicle ramps crossing sidewalks, so the whole sidewalk does not become a ramp. (Too slippery in winter weather). Standard should state the slope only in the first 0.3 m of the sidewalk, so the rest remains flat.

Ryan McGreal is the editor of the online journal Raise the Hammer. He and his journal exhibit an abundant, even urgent, love for Hamilton.

* Convert all streets to straightforward two-way (i.e. no over-engineered, non-intuitive designs such as on James Street South).

* Establish an east-west BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) line on dedicated lanes from McMaster University to, say, Parkdale/Red Hill (and design it so that it can be upgraded to electric Light Rapid Transit in the future).

* “Put the damn bike racks on the damn buses already!”

* Convert Upper James into a European-style boulevard with tree-lined medians, through traffic and rapid transit down the centre, wide sidewalks in front of the stores, and mixed-use intensification through the gaps between buildings.

* Rezone the city to mixed use with maximum building heights based on street width.

* Plant street trees along all major streets.

* Install variable, market-priced parking meters at curbsides throughout the city. Let local neighbourhood associations decide in what local infrastructure to invest the revenue.

* Ensure that safe, continuous bike routes (bike-friendly streets and/or segregated bike lanes where applicable) run throughout the city.

Reuven Dukas arrived in Hamilton via Vancouver, and won’t rest until his new city of residence compares favourably to the cycling culture he left behind on the left coast. He’s seen the light and fired up the members of Transportation for Livable Communities.

* Create a senior City Hall staff position for cycling and pedestrian issues.

* Traffic calming on Main Street from Cootes to Dundurn (to benefit McMaster University and several schools).

* High-occupancy vehicle lanes on Main and King streets.

* Bicycle lanes and traffic calming in the school zone on Governor’s Road in Dundas.

* A city policy of paving shoulders on key rural roads.

* Bike racks on buses.

* Review of bus routes and an increase in service levels.

* Completion of the Shifting Gears Cycling plan, and develop a sequel plan.

* More two-way conversions.

Sphere: Related Content