This municipal election Bike Ottawa is doing things a little different, rather than our usual survey, we’re asking candidates if they’ll support the 2 | 4 | 10 Plan, and we’ll be evaluating candidate platforms on commitment to Safe Streets, Sustainability, and Livability in our City.
What’s the 2 | 4 | 10 Plan?
The Next Bike City: Bike Ottawa’s 2|4|10 Plan
For Ottawa to become a true leader in active transportation, it must be more ambitious about creating livable streets. The excuses we frequently receive are that things take time and there is a lack of funding. These excuses have waned and have been proven wrong. Globally, we see cities that have acted decisively, positioning themselves as leaders in sustainability and livability, reducing injuries and deaths on their streets, and greatly reducing GHG emissions.
Bike Ottawa believes it cannot take another 20 years to become a truly great Bike City. Currently, in Ottawa, more than 40% of greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation and 70% of trips are taken by private vehicles.This needs to change. Bicycles are a key part of reducing GHGs, creating an accessible, and equitable Ottawa. However, people choosing to swap car trips for bicycle trips only happens at a significant rate when they have safe, separated infrastructure to bike throughout Ottawa, from the urban centre, to the suburbs, to rural areas.
With this in mind, we have created a plan for Ottawa to become the next bike city. We ask candidates in the upcoming election to support our 2|4|10 Plan:
- Within 2 years, the City will reconfigure the 29 High-volume Intersections, create a City-owned Bike Share to expand multi-modal transportation, and end revert reds for people biking, walking, and rolling.
- Within 4 years, the City will build a four-season bicycle network, so that everyone is within 1 km of separated biking facilities, thus connecting people to where they need to go across Ottawa, and the creation of a sustainable transportation app that helps create routes for people and includes multi-modal transportation considerations.
- Within 10 years, the City will reach Vision Zero – zero fatalities on our streets. No more people will be killed while moving around our City- whatever mode of transportation they use.
These proposals are not only achievable but necessary, if we are to keep Ottawans safe, meet our climate obligations, and create an Ottawa that works for everyone.
We’ll be asking candidates if they’ll support this plan to make Ottawa a true Bike City.
Raising the Grade: Evaluating Candidates Platforms
Bike Ottawa will be looking at the platform of each candidate with three key topics in mind:
Safe Streets – are they committed to reducing road deaths and injuries in Ottawa?
Sustainability – are they committed to promoting a shift to sustainable modes, resilience, and curbing climate change?
Livability – are they committed to accessibility, equity, and prioritizing sustainable transportation, density, 15 minute neighbourhoods?
Stay tuned for more……