Cycling blogger can't imagine ever using Saskatoon bike lane

A Calgary Herald cycling blogger has published a scathing critique of Saskatoon's attempt to test the viability of protected bike lanes in the city.

Tom Babin spent some time in Saskatoon recently and declared the protected lane "so bad [he] can't imagine ever using it." In fact, he said the test lane "sucks."

"It certainly represents the truth," said Cathy Watts with Saskatoon Cycles.

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"No, it's not perfect, absolutely not perfect, it is a learning project for everybody and I would say it's about developing a relationship with the city, and trust with the city. "

Babin's article criticizes the 23rd Street lane as a route to nowhere that is too icy to navigate safely. The cycling blogger also took note of the broken lane posts that often litter the path, and was bemused by the bus mall that sits smack-dab in the middle of the route, forcing cyclists to dismount and walk.

City hall says article flawed 

Saskatoon's director of planning is not impressed.

"I was a little bit surprised that the Calgary Herald had already judged it to be a failure when they really didn't have any context for this demonstration project at all," said Allan Wallace.

Wallace argued that Babin's article contains a handful of inaccuracies, and suggested that it is too early to declare the protected bike lanes test a failure or success, noting that city hall will not assign the project a grade until 2017 at the earliest.

"We are all learning: the city, drivers, pedestrians, buses and cyclists are all learning about this new infrastructure."

Indeed, the 23rd Street route is just phase one. City Hall intends to set-up another test lane on 4th Avenue through downtown. It will be in place in May.

For Cathy Watts, patience is a virtue.  The cycling advocate is also looking forward to the expansion of the test project in the city, and the possibility of moving forward with permanent infrastructure that offers cyclists safer routes through downtown.

No it's not perfect.- Cathy Watts, Saskatoon Cycles

Still, she shares at least some of Babin's frustration with the bike lanes in Saskatoon.  Watts wondered aloud why the city is so slow to adopt new ideas.

"Saskatoon could be the very best city in the world for its compactness, its geography, we are fairly flat, and you know we could show the world how to run a city."

"Where is our courage in Saskatoon?"