Lethbridge City Council has scrapped plans to further discuss a potential pathway between the north and south sides of the community.
At their meeting on Tuesday, February 10, councilors voted 6-2 in favour of cancelling the proposed capital project ‘18 Street Functional Planning and Design Study’, also known as the ‘Winston Churchill to Sugar Bowl Functional Plan’.
READ MORE: Feedback sought on future corridor connecting north and south Lethbridge
The vote means the project will not be brought to the next Capital Improvement Program budget deliberations later this year.
The 18 Street corridor from 26 Avenue North to Scenic Drive South had been considered as a possible future bicycle boulevard.
The City held a public engagement session from January 16 to February 4, with 191 residents participating in an online survey. Feedback was also gathered at last month’s Community Conversation event.
Results from the survey showed a mostly negative response, 75 per cent, to the idea. Officials say that was mostly driven by concerns about costs, a perceived lack of need or demand for the pathway and fears around impacts on vehicle priority and traffic flow. Additionally, the City says many respondents cited negative experiences with past cycling projects and voiced skepticism toward planning and engagement processes.
A smaller portion of respondents, 15 per cent, held neutral or mixed thoughts, while generally supporting minor improvements. The City adds that 10 per cent of individuals shared positive thoughts, highlighting the benefits related to safety and connectivity.
“We’ve heard loud and clear from residents that this is not a priority at this time,” says Mayor Blaine Hyggen. “People took the time to share concerns, questions and perspectives, and we are acting on what we heard.”
“Listening to our community is essential, and this decision reflects our commitment to making choices that align with public needs and expectations,” Hyggen adds.
The motion at Tuesday’s meeting also directed the removal of any planning, design construction and lifecycle projects from existing 2021-2026 segments of the 2022-2031 CIP cycle that contain bike lanes on the roads.
It was also directed that for sections C and D of the 2027-2036 CIP budget deliberations, no future requests for bike lanes will be considered. Officials say this excludes any bike associated projects on pathways that have been identified as a multi-use pathway.
