Cyclists concerned over parking in bike lanes

Some Fredericton cyclists are raising safety concerns over the city's decision to allow vehicles to park in some of its new bike lanes.

Cyclists in the capital city will have nine more bike lanes to use by the end of the year.

Todd Young is one of many Fredericton cyclists who use the city's streets and trails every day.

Young said hebelieves the city is smart to add the new bike lanes.

But Young said he is worried that some of the bike lanes are open to vehicle parking.

"That creates the chance for cyclists to have to swerve around a car, and a car could be coming from behind or whatnot too," Young said.

"So it just creates an unnecessary danger for cyclists."

Alstair Terry has been cyclist for years and even worked as a bike courier in Toronto.

He said allowing parking in bike lanes puts cyclists in danger.

"So by going around the car, you are that close to a door, it could throw open at any time and it's the worst," said Terry.

Terry said not all motorists are ready to share the road or know the rules that he said creates those safety problems.

"Even though it's [a parked car] not moving, it's still very dangerous," said Terry.

The city will have 45 kilometres of bike lanes by the end of 2011.

Cars will be able to park in about nine kilometres of the city's bike lanes, which are all located in residential neighbourhoods.

Darren Charters, the city's traffic engineer, said it's necessary to have parking available on one side of the street in those residential areas.

"To go in to a residential neighbourhood and remove all the on street parking would be very difficult for the residents," Charters said.

Charters said from a safety perspective, the city is comfortable with the decision because there is less traffic in those areas and vehicles tend to go slower.

"On the rare occasions where folks are parked on the street, cyclists can easily go out and around those parked vehicles," Charters said.

A compromise that could work, at least according to one cycle shop employee.

"I mean we aren't going to have fewer cars on the road, just more bicycles. So the more bicycles there are,the more awareness there isand drivers are just going to be come more accustomed to them," said Joshawa Lamkey.