City & Politics, City Hall, Planning

Bowman balks at bikes plan

In advance of today’s Executive Policy Committee meeting, Mayor Brian Bowman has indicated he intends to move a motion delaying the implementation of the City’s 20-year bike-and-pedestrian strategy by a month, citing concerns about the public consultation process.

On the heels of Transcona Councillor Russ Wyatt’s opposition to the plan, Bowman intends to tap his newly created Office of Public Engagement to reexamine the consultations conducted in 2013 and recommend new approaches for public engagement for future active transportation projects.

Councillors Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) and Janice Lukes (St. Norbert) both support the Mayor’s move. They argue the delay will allay any “fears” about the proposed strategy. Bicycles, after all, can be quite scary.