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| Biking in Copenhagen |
Last week I went for a bike ride.
I’m one of the lucky ones who worked from home even before
COVID-19 came to visit, so my work routine hasn’t suffered while we all stay at
home and master the art of Zooming.
But my exercise record has definitely suffered. So with the
incredible weather we’ve had egging me on, I performed an archeological dig in
my garage and retrieved my bike.
And shortly after biking queen Jackie Chow re-posted
a 20-km
“easy” bike route from the Maple
Ridge/Pitt Meadows Cyclist website, I hopped onto my bike and headed out.
Discovering my new/old home
Of course HUB Cycling is not currently hosting their group
rides due to the pandemic, so this was a solo venture. I had my phone tucked
away in case I got a flat or ran out of steam. I had water. I had the flashing
lights I bought from MEC two years ago and never used. I had my helmet, my
gloves, my emergency rations. I was set.
I'm a fair-weather, lily-livered rider who had really not
ridden much other than on the dikes. Traffic concerns me. And it still does,
but Jackie’s route kept me out of trouble.
It took me through neighbourhoods I had never seen in the
20+ years I’ve lived in Maple Ridge. I rode through lovely little pocket parks.
I passed grand estates. I encountered sheep (I think that was the bleating I
heard). I got a tan (this is April, people). I got home in one piece.
A week later
I’m still going to bed early to recover.
Transportation plan could lower emissions
Later that day I attended (online through streaming video) the
workshop where the city’s manager of engineering, David Pollock, made a presentation
to council on the strategic transportation plan, which is up for renewal this year.
(David also appeared in January as a guest speaker at Maple Meadows Green Drinks,
where the topic was green transportation in our communities.)
The city’s transportation plan sets the stage for the next five years – the roads we'll build, the bike paths, sidewalks, etc. Although
it looks forward 20 years, it prioritizes concrete actions in five-years stages.
The transportation strategy will integrate with Translink’s plans for mass transit,
and the province’s plans for highways.
It’s a huge opportunity for this community to get ambitious
about green transportation options. We know that more than half of our district-wide
greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) come from the cars and trucks on our roads. How
can our transportation plan help Maple Ridge curb our emissions?
Council considers
The (virtual) talk around the council table was encouraging,
with some councillors enthusiastic about exploring micromobility options,
such as wide pathways to accommodate electric bikes and scooters as
well as regular bikes and pedestrians. There was talk of bike lockers around
the R3 bus stops.
Others pointed to the need to complete and enhance the existing
network of bicycle and pedestrian options, which I can attest to after my excursion
last week.
With traffic at an all-time low it was a calm experience, but the
presence of a painted line being all that separated me from moving vehicles,
while I cycled along 18 inches of marginally maintained blacktop – at
points interrupted by parked cars – doesn’t inspire me to keep going when
traffic returns to normal.
Consulting the public – that’s us
The city is now ready for a consultant to draft the
strategy. Part of their work will include public consultation.
What that will look like during lockdown isn’t clear. But if
you’re eager to see a fully-developed transportation network that is safe for
pedestrians and cyclists, that integrates smoothly with public transit, and stretches
from north to south and east to west throughout Maple Ridge, stay tuned.
We’ll
do our best to let you know when and how to make your support known.
