A trio of Penticton councillors want to look into changing the design of the lake-to-lake bike lane section on Martin Street.
Councillors Campbell Watt, Amelia Boultbee and Ryan Graham are expected to team up on Aug. 1, and present a notice of motion that directs city staff to report on the possible modifications that can be made to the controversial two-year-old project.
Watt said Tuesday, July 18, that the motion will ask staff to present design changes that “respond to the feedback received since its opening and to better reflect the character of the downtown while maintaining the integrity of the all ages and ability infrastructure.”
The councillors’ proposed request to staff only references Martin Street, and not other completed bike-lane sections on Fairview Road or Atkinson Street.
It won’t make any specific recommendations for how to modify the route.
“Ultimately, the request is that staff brings back (the options),” Watt said. “We don’t have anything in mind, we’re looking at the experts to come back to us.”
Watt told the Western News on Wednesday he does not expect pushback from the rest of council when the motion is formally introduced on Aug. 1.
The section was completed in 2021 and was built along Martin Street, from Lakeshore Drive to Eckhardt Avenue.
Officially known as Section No. 4 of the controversial project, the Martin Street stretch of bike lane was the first to be built.
Watt, Boultbee and Graham’s proposed motion comes while the city gathers public feedback regarding the soon-to-be-completed final phase of bike lane on South Main Street.
The approved route will be built along South Main Street, from Galt Avenue to Skaha Lake Park. The city will collect public feedback regarding the pending section at an online presentation followed by a Q&A session via Zoom Thursday, July 20 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Registration link is available at shapeyourcitypenticton.ca.
There will also be in-person open house at the Penticton Seniors’ Centre Tuesday, July 25, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Once the South Main section is built, the 6.7-kilometre protected bike route through the city will be complete.
READ MORE: Penticton holding 2 info sessions on final phase of controversial bike lane
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