Barrie Council Finds Common Ground to Ensure Citizen Cycling Safety After Months of Divisive Rhetoric

During the March 22 General Committee Meeting at the City Hall City councillors have approved a motion to review the right-of-way road standards for land in south Barrie. 

The motion will potentially make future streets narrower in order to increase pedestrian and driver safety by adding a bike lane at the same height as the sidewalk. 

The motion proposed by councillor Sergio Morales from Ward 9 includes reducing lane size on minor and major collector roads, providing space for school drop-off zones, and building bike lanes that are separated from the roads and at the same level as the sidewalk.

“I want these things to be reviewed. And that way for future members of council and the people that are moving to the subdivisions, they don't have the same concerns that all of our existing residents have now,” Morales said in support of his motion. “I have an opportunity to prevent that from happening now.”

Ward 1 Councillor Riepma supported the motion, saying that narrower roads are cheaper to build and have better drainage, which helps the environment.

“Mom and Dad are not going to allow a five year old on a bike where the traffic is going right by them with a six inch wide painted line beside them, that is just not going to happen,” Riepma said. “I think we really need to start looking at every street that's going to have a bike lane, the bike lane needs to be above the curb and separated from the cars.“”

Mayor Alex Nuttall said that while he was a councillor, he moved a motion to support balanced growth, which was written by former Mayor Lehmann. 

“I think it falls in line with everything has been approved by council in the past,” he said.