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| (P. McIntyre
photo) |
Vernon's
mayor says given the opposition, he would be surprised if a proposal
for a road diet on 43rd Avenue got approval from city council. The city has proposed shrinking the four block section of 43rd from
Seaton school to the highway, from four to three vehicle lanes to
improve safety and promote cycling. The lanes would include one each way for traffic and a centre two-way
left turn lane, and the space left over would be for cyclists. About 50 business reps protested the idea in a noon hour event at Vernon Square intersection (32 Street and 43 Ave). Organizer Harald Kober, owner of Roko Service on 43rd, says it's not the right place to encourage cycling. "And we're saying, 'Bike lanes in a commercial industrial area?' Give
your head half a shake. There is no destination for a biker here on
43rd Avenue." He also says biking would be dangerous with the large trucks in that area. Kober says they want the city to scrap the plan. "We're saying this (plan) is ridiculous. It will harm business in this area and will harm the community as a whole." Corky McMechan who owns on a business on nearby 29th Street says it's
an absurd idea, given the similar project the city undertook on his
street. "We're turning our most important business streets, light industrial,
into street that are incapable of handling the type of traffic that are
the life blood of most of the businesses, like tractor-trailers." Mayor Wayne Lippert tells KISS FM, suggestions that council was going ahead with the changes are incorrect. "Council has passed a resolution to apply for a grant and put the plans out for information, and to get input from the public." The mayor says council will make a decision at its October 11th meeting. "Given the opposition that's there, I would be surprised if council
does go ahead with it because we haven't heard very many people coming
out in favour of it." The city estimates about 14,000 vehicles use that street each day, with that number expected to increase by 4,000 by 2031.
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43rd Business Protest Sparked By Proposed Road Diet - Mayor says misinformation being spread
Kate Bouey & Betty Selin 105.7 SUNFM 9/29/2011
Dozens
of business owners and employees spent their lunch hour protesting a
proposed "road diet" on 43rd Avenue in Vernon on Thursday. Roko Service
owner Harald Kober says going from four lanes to two and adding a centre
turn makes no sense. ``This is the business community coming out and
saying `hey, not only do we want to phone in, we want to show you we are
real people','' says Kober. He says it is time for council to listen to
what people are saying. Kober says bike lanes should be put where
they're wanted, not in a light industrial - commercial area. Mayor Wayne
Lippert says the road diet is only a proposal. Speaking from the UBCM
convention in Vancouver, he stressed that city council has not approved
the project. And he is suggesting someone has twisted the information
for their own ends. ``I'm just concerned that in this case that some
people put out some misinformation because it's an election year,'' said
Lippert. ``I would like to believe that's not the case.'' Lippert
refused to point any fingers. A municipal election is slated to take
place in November. Meanwhile, council is expected to debate the road
diet at its next meeting in October.
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