Local trustees have agreed to pay $400 to a group calling itself the ad hoc Gabriola Transportation Committee (GTC) for a report on an “on-road” cycling path plan to improve cycling safety and encourage greater use of bicycles on the island.

At the Jan. 29 Local Trust Committee (LTC) meeting, Fay Weller and Cameron Murray presented a proposal on behalf of the transportation group, and volunteered for that work. The ad hoc GTC submitted an application for funds at the Feb. 25 LTC meeting.

Weller said Jan. 29 that the basis of the proposal was an existing protocol agreement between the Trust and the Ministry of Transportation (MoT) that provides for the creation of cycle paths when the MoT is upgrading roads. She said the Official Community Plan (OCP) makes provision for paved bicycles paths of not less that 1.2 metres and a painted line on the road to distinguish the path from the road. Weller said that there isn’t yet a bicycle route plan for Gabriola.

Weller said the current OCP makes it clear there has been a desire for a bicycle route for a long time. She noted that Sustainable Gabriola and others have identified transportation and the need for safe walking/riding paths along the side of the road as a key priority.

Weller said there are skilled and enthusiastic volunteers willing to do the work to map out the route.

Cameron Murray, who works as a landscape architect, said the mapping is a step-by-step process by which safety issues would be identified and a rough preliminary map would be created. He said that the group could work with the Gabriola Lands and Trails Trust as well as with other sustainability groups, and “polish the map as we go and as we get more input and feedback from people”.

Chair Louise Bell noted that the provision for creating on-road bike paths is contingent on roads being upgraded, and that there currently is no money for MoT upgrades. She said that it was a good idea, however to have a plan in place for whenever the roads would be upgraded.

Trustee Deborah Ferens said that Salt Spring Island has a Land Use Bylaw and map in place for bike routes. She said she asked the planner on Salt Spring about the routes and “got this torrent of information”. She said that it appears that there are lots of positive things about having cycle paths, but also many challenges. She said: “After four years there is still some uncertainty about liability and responsibility for cycle paths. It seems that MoT is not really wanting to go there at all, and is kind of waiting for some other group or body” to take responsibility for the paths.

Ferens said that the Capital Regional District, in which Salt Spring Island resides, now has the Salt Spring Island Transportation Commission which holds responsibility for the paths.

Trustees agreed to charge the ad hoc transportation committee with developing an on-road cycle path plan for review by the LTC by March 31. Trustee Sheila Malcolmson suggested that once the LTC has received the information that it be submitted to the Advisory Planning Commission or Volunteer Review Committee for comment. She noted that Trust policy directs that such work go through a LTC Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC). She said that she would trust that it will be okay not to go that route. She said that the work will be open and transparent.

Ferens said that when the cycle path plan is ready the LTC might consider forming a TAC. She thought that public consultation would be an important part of that work, as well as to deal with the designation and registration of the paths.