Bike Lanes and Active Transportation Infrastructure

Want better bike lanes? So do we.

We’ve seen it in the Netherlands and it doesn’t require new technology or something that secretly only the Dutch have.  Here in the Fraser Valley, many of us just haven’t seen good active transportation infrastructure.   Why not? Learn more, then Act

Bike Lane is the short form we’ll use but good Active Transportation Infrastructure benefits ALL road users. It protects vulnerable road users and can be directly used by scooters, cyclists, people pushing baby carriages, people in wheelchairs, Mobility scooters, people walking with carts and more.

Learn

  1. See what good bike infrastructure looks like
  2. Understand and overcome silly objections to bike infrastructure.
  3. Video and online resources
  4. Topics and Talking points

Act

1. Promote the creation/ expansion & use of good bike infrastructure.

2. Do this in a way that cooperates with others and empowers people.

3. Educate people and shift perceptions

4. Plan and Empower government to make wise decisions

What we are Learning 

Can you get around by bike? Or is driving your only safe option?
City planning has been stuck in car-centric design, making other options inconvenient or unsafe.  It doesn’t have to be bad. There are lots of good practices we could be following from experts like this: https://dutchcycling.nl/ 

Are students in your community able to bike safely to school, store their bikes securely, and return home without major risks?
Most young people can’t legally drive, yet where is the infrastructure that allows them safe travel to and from school?

We have a car network that connects everything. Why don’t we have the same for bikes and pedestrians?
A well-connected bike network encourages use. The more places it reaches, the more likely people will choose it. A bridge only halfway across a river or a sidewalk that ends at a wall is pointless—and so are bike lanes that don’t connect to useful destinations.

Biking infrastructure is affordable and efficient.
Bike lanes cost much less than those for cars, take up less space, and can move 3-4 times as many people per lane. They’re narrower and don’t have to support heavy loads, making them easier and cheaper to build.

Bike lanes vary from unsafe or nonexistent to accessible for people of all ages and abilities.
Additional infrastructure like bike racks, lockers, shelters, traffic signals, and repair stations would also improve safety and convenience for cyclists.

There’s a strong economic case for biking infrastructure.
Cycling has benefits for public health, reduces pollution, and builds community.

In North America, bikes are often seen as just for recreation, not transportation.
This perception misses how vital and affordable cycling is elsewhere, like the Netherlands. Riding in circles at a park or down a mountain for fun has sidelined the view of bikes as efficient transport.

Cycling is extremely efficient.
Compared to walking, driving, or public transit, biking allows people to cover more distance and carry more weight with ease.

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Action FVCA is taking.

Your participation is welcome and necessary.  All of these activities are subject to available time and energy. 

  1. We want to review existing bike infrastructure so it can be used, and improved.
    1. Videoing bike lanes
    2. Inviting reports of bike lane deficiencies
    3. Identifying gaps in the infrastructure
    4. Summarizing this for city governments to take action
  2. Volunteering to assist in practical ways.
  3. Suggesting Bike network planning goals like the ability for students to safely bike to their local elementary, middle and high schools.
  4. Writing letters of support for city grant proposals
  5. Working with Anchor institutions to inspire and connect change makers. 
 
  1. We want to voice our support of local government and other entities that support and create active transportation infrastructure.
  2. We want to encourage government to follow good examples and build great bike lane infrastructure.
 

How you can help.
1. Learn about good bike infrastructure.

2. Write letters to government leaders who can influence the expansion of good bike infrastructure.

3. Ride your bike and encourage bike riding.

4. Record And/or review bike lane videos

5. Record/compile bike lane deficiencies and help build connected bike network plans. 

6. Other ideas you have?