Friday 25 October 2024
A Message from Councillor King
Dear Residents:
I want to update you on an important issue affecting our community’s transportation future. I have joined several of my Council colleagues in signing a letter opposing new provincial legislation that would severely restrict Ottawa’s ability to build and maintain vital cycling infrastructure.
The proposed legislation would require municipalities to seek provincial approval before implementing any new bike lanes that affect vehicle traffic lanes. This overreach by the provincial government puts nearly all projects in Ottawa’s Active Transportation Master Plan at risk, including potentially removing existing infrastructure like the successful O’Connor Street protected bike lanes – which see over 150,000 uses annually.
This legislation fundamentally undermines our City’s ability to make informed, local decisions about transportation safety and climate action. Many of our cycling infrastructure projects were implemented in direct response to tragic accidents and deaths on our roads. These aren’t just statistics – they represent our family members, friends, and neighbors whose lives have been forever changed by road accidents.
Click on this link to continue reading: October 25, 2024 Newsletter – Councillor Rawlson King (rideau-rockcliffe.ca)