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Letter: Burnaby has bad cycling infrastructure so I moved away

Editor: I am writing to thank you for your articles addressing cyclist and pedestrian safety in Burnaby.
barnet bike lane burnaby
This section of Barnet Highway in Burnaby doesn't look like a bike lane. Chris Campbell photo

Editor:

I am writing to thank you for your articles addressing cyclist and pedestrian safety in Burnaby. 

It took me years before I was brave enough to ride my bike in Burnaby due to car traffic and poor cycling infrastructure, but I became hooked after undertaking #30daysofbiking a few years ago.

Unfortunately, Burnaby really is a terrible place to get around by bike, as most recently illustrated by Charles Masala's death.

I no longer live in Burnaby. We moved to Victoria almost two years ago. Part of the motivation in doing so was because we wanted to be able to continue commuting by bike, and were really encouraged by the investment the City of Victoria was making in their cycling infrastructure.

When living in Burnaby, I used to bike the two blocks along Lougheed Highway between Gilmore and Rosser Avenue, taking my two kids home from daycare in either the bike trailer or cargo bike. It wasn't uncommon for the painted bike lane to be blocked by drivers and as I was doing this ride during rush hour, I could just feel the stress from drivers as they sat in traffic. Despite car traffic being almost at a standstill most days, this stretch was by far the worst of my three-kilometre commute.

I continue to be invested in the bettering of Burnaby. I want to see this city move towards more sustainable and safe transportation. I believe that anyone should be able to get themselves around without getting killed by someone else, and I am saddened by the lack of action the City of Burnaby takes in their transportation planning and infrastructure design. But I am encouraged whenever I see your articles covering these topics. I hope that by continuing to bring this topic to the forefront, meaningful action will follow.

Maureen O'Connell, Victoria