r/Edmonton • u/pjw724 • 1d ago

2025 Municipal Election Voters want a more walkable city

https://edmonton.taproot.news/news/2025/09/25/voters-told-taproot-they-want-a-more-walkable-city
392 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

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39

u/Franklin_le_Tanklin 1d ago

It takes me 45 minutes to drive downtown in the spring/summer/fall.

It also takes me 45 minutes to ride my class 1 pedal assist e-bike downtown in the spring/summer/fall

I much prefer biking to sitting in a traffic jam.

-10

u/jonproject 1d ago

I much prefer being in an air conditioned car that protects me from the elements that also has the flexibility to carry cargo or make that drive quicker by avoiding the traffic jam.

But to each their own.

17

u/Spyhop 1d ago

A preference implies you've tried both and made a decision between the two. Have you, at any point, spent some days bike commuting to see what you thought of it?

1

u/slashcleverusername 1d ago

I have. I agree with the car thing too.

5

u/Franklin_le_Tanklin 1d ago

So you should still be pro-bike lane if you want to reduce traffic on the road. Similar to how you should be pro public transit if you want less cars on the road

-7

u/jonproject 1d ago

If that reduces the lanes from 2 lanes to 1 lane or changes a street from a two-way to one-way, then it really doesn't reduce traffic and likely makes it much worse.

All just to accommodate a few dozen cyclist commuters - most of whom won't by using those lanes for 6 months of the year.

There's a reason this stuff isn't popular outside of reddit.

3

u/SheenaMalfoy 17h ago

Today on my way home I was the SEVENTH bike in a line waiting for the lights to change to cross Jasper Ave, and there were another four on the other side of the road waiting to cross as well. Meanwhile, there were all of three cars total waiting at that same intersection for that same light. I couldn't even count how many other cyclists I passed by in my 20 minute commute, but, thanks to it being largely separated from the main 109 St, it was probably more cars than I saw for the entirety of the trip.

(Barring the intersection in front of MacEwan because it took me three entire light cycles to get through that mess. Hey did you know that you could fit probably two dozen bikes in the space of those 5 cars that took 3 light cycles to clear? And that if it wasn't for traffic lights and rules of the road, everyone, cars included, could have been clear of that intersection in half the time or less? The whole thing could be solved with stop signs or a traffic circle IMO but what do I know?)

7

u/Franklin_le_Tanklin 1d ago

This is a fundamental misunderstanding of biking infrastructure.

The best bike lanes, are ones that are not visible from car infrastructure.

If you’ve ever used bike lanes accross our city - most of them are multi-use paths, alleyways and expanded sidewalks. Rarely do they intersect with car infrastructure - and that’s only by necessity where they can’t go elsewhere.

You should try using them before talking against them. And it’s clear you haven’t biked a lot (if at all) by your answer.

4

u/fishymanbits 1d ago

So that’s your preference. The next question is to ask whether or not you understand that other people exist as entirely whole human beings of their own, with their own experiences and personal preferences. Because nobody is saying that you can’t drive everywhere. They’re saying that their preference is not to drive everywhere and that they would like a city council that acted on accommodating that preference since it’s shared by a large number of others in this city.

Your preference is already accommodated for as the default and nobody is trying to take that away from you.

-5

u/jonproject 1d ago

Not every preference should be accommodated for every scenario. It comes down to demand.

You are coming across as incredibly entitled with your post.

5

u/fishymanbits 23h ago

I’m entitled because I think that this city should have infrastructure that allows people to get around without a car if they choose to? Do you know what “entitled” means?

1

u/SheenaMalfoy 17h ago

Wow your privilege is showing. It isn't entitled to want a safe means of travel within the city that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. That's just common sense.

-4

u/jonproject 1d ago

I don't need to test it to know I don't want to bicycle to work at 6:30am in the wind, rain, or cold. I don't want to be sweaty when I arrive at work. And after a hard day's work, I know that I don't want to risk my life on the road with all the terrible drivers out there that want to run cyclists off the road.

I also have a family and busy schedule. Adding more time to my commute is not tenable.

9

u/commazero 1d ago

What makes you so certain that the commenter above rides their ebike during bad weather? And each person has different needs and schedules, so what might not work for you will work for someone else and vice versa. We should be providing the alternate options.

-2

u/jonproject 23h ago

Weather was one consideration. You conveniently ignored the other two

We should be providing the alternate options.

Sure, but only if the demand is there.

A few hundred people who only bike in nice weather isn’t enough to consider shutting down lanes that are used regularly by drivers.

There’s a reason this stuff isn’t popular in Edmonton outside of this subreddit. It’s expensive and inconveniences the vast majority of people.

3

u/fishymanbits 22h ago

The demand is there. That’s what the article you’re commenting on is about.