Why is there no bike lane to Garden River?

Ward 1 Couns. Sandra Hollingsworth and Sonny Spina will be pushing next week for a link allowing cyclists to travel from the end of the bike trail at Highway 17B to the city's existing cycling route on Queen Street.

The existing bike lane ends at the city limits of Highway 17B, where cyclists can't safely pedal into Sault Ste. Marie without going through heavy traffic including transports.

"Building a cycling link from the top of Fournier Road along the south side of Trunk Road to join the already existing Highway 17B cycling lane will help improve safety," the councillors say in a resolution prepared for Monday's city council meeting.

They also want big “welcome cyclists” signs erected at entrances to the city limits.

The following is the full text of their resolution:

Bike lane link

Mover: Coun. S. Hollingsworth
Seconder: Coun. S. Spina

Whereas the Ontario government has been working towards a province-wide cycling network for several years to connect municipalities and towns to promote tourism; and

Whereas according to the province of Ontario about 50 per cent of the network routes are existing, meaning they have been implemented and are currently identified as a cycling route in Ontario; and

Whereas the Garden River portion of Highway 17B has a dedicated cycling lane on the shoulder of the highway that connects with the provincial cycling network; and

Whereas building a cycling link from the top of Fournier Road along the south side of Trunk Road to join the already existing Highway 17B cycling lane will help improve safety; and

Whereas a large “welcome cyclists” sign marking the entire city biking network would be an asset to cyclists if erected at the entrances to the city limits;

Now therefore be it resolved that staff be requested to report back by April 2024 with recommendations on the possibility of constructing a welcome sign with existing city biking lanes and on the cost and design of a link for cyclists from the end of the bike trail at Highway 17B to the city's existing cycling route on Queen Street, and whether there are funding opportunities available from other levels of government.