Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said she’d be happy to meet with Alberta’s transportation minister on local commuting options after the pair exchanged letters on city bike lanes.
Alberta Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen sent a letter, obtained by LWC, to Mayor Gondek, dated June 27, the day after he was in town to break ground on Calgary’s $6.25 billion Green Line, expressing concern over “the City of Calgary’s approach to constructing bike lanes at the expense of road capacity.”
Minister Dreeshen’s letter follows regular social media posts targeting the construction of bike lanes Alberta municipalities that remove traffic lanes. He posted an interview with QR Calgary’s Andrew Schultz that referenced vehicle lanes removed in Edmonton in a busy area near schools and recreation centres.
“As a province, we obviously are fine with bike lanes,” he told Schultz.
“They’re OK, they’re good, they’re healthy for folks, but we have to make sure that bike lanes make sense and they’re not at the expense of driving lanes, and essentially, are clogging up our major arteries, because our provincial road network obviously ties into the municipal network.”
The letter sent to Mayor Gondek reiterated that concern.
“As our urban populations continue to grow, we need to seriously consider on how to maintain adequate capacity for motor vehicle traffic flow for current and future traffic needs, not reducing capacity,” Minister Dreeshen wrote.
“We are also concerned with future bicycle lanes and other lane-removal initiatives where taxpayer dollars are used to shrink, rather than increase road capacity for vehicles.”
Calgary currently has more than 300 kilometres of on-street bike lanes around the city, along with more than 1,300 kilometres of pathways crisscrossing the municipality.
Back in 2023, the City of Calgary included $40 million in cash for Calgary’s 5A network, which is a city-wide alternative mobility network. At that time, an additional 20 kilometres of dedicated bicycling infrastructure.
Mayor Gondek welcomes a bike lanes conversation with the Minister
Calgary’s Transportation Plan Goal number 2 calls for safety for all transportation system users, and will be achieved through ongoing operations, maintenance and public education programs, “as well as mobility management and land use strategies that will reduce vehicular travel and improve public safety and health.”
Goal 4 suggests the City “enable public transit, walking and wheeling as the preferred mobility choices for more people.”
Goal 5 does speak to ensuring there is efficient movement of goods and workers through roadway, rail and air.
Mayor Gondek sent a response letter, obtained by LWC, to Minister Dreeshen that was dated July 3. In it, the mayor said she was open to a meeting this summer to support the transportation needs of Calgarians.
“Traffic flow remains one of the top concerns I hear from Calgarians. As the economic engine of the province and the fastest-growing city in Canada, Calgary must find thoughtful ways to keep people moving—whether they’re commuting to work, heading out for dinner, or shopping at local businesses. It’s all vital to our shared economic prosperity,” the mayor’s response read.
“I appreciate your attention to ensuring provincial and municipal transportation infrastructure works cohesively. Let’s work together to explore practical solutions that balance the needs of all road users and support Alberta’s continued growth and mobility.”
The Government of Alberta has spent billions on Calgary road infrastructure in the past decade-plus, on projects including the ring road and, most recently, the Deerfoot Trail upgrades.
Calgary’s mobility director Troy McLeod, has told council in the past that they have a goal of 3,300 kilometres of cycleable pathways. He said back in 2022 that it would be a billion-dollar investment.
