Bike lanes coming to Station Street in Saint John, N.B.

Saint John, N.B., is removing some car lanes to make room for cyclists.

A commonly-travelled Saint John street is about to undergo a “road diet.”

The city has announced plans for Station Street and City Road – stretching from Smythe Street to just east of the Stanley Street pedestrian bridge – to be reduced from a four-lane roadway to three to accommodate new bike lanes.

The three lanes of traffic will consist of two through lanes going either way, and a centre turning lane. Designated bike lanes will be present on either side of the road along the curb.

The work will cost $8,000 and is expected to be complete by the end of June.

“We want to give that choice to residents who do use other forms of transportation,” says Saint John’s director of Public Works Tim O’Reilly on the road changes. “In most cases we’re using streets that have been overbuilt for the use of cars and trucks, so we’re repurposing that for other forms of transportation.”

O’Reilly says the city has gotten positive feedback on their attempts to make Saint John a more accessible community for everyone. He adds the city has a long-term vision for additional bike lanes in the future.

While he knows not every resident will be on board with the changes to city streets, he says they are for the best.

“One of the big things we are doing in Saint John is having a plan,” says O’Reilly. “But also making sure that we respect all modes of transportation. In all the cases we’re looking at taking lanes away from motorists, we are making sure that there’s an acceptable level of surface area for motorists so that we’re not impacting those residents too much.”

O’Reilly says he doesn’t anticipate longer waits in traffic for residents once the new bike lanes are in place.

With more bikes coming to the road in the city, O’Reilly reminds travellers on both two and four wheels to follow the rules of the road to help keep everyone safe.

“Combined with the existing sidewalks, this redesign will create a key active transportation corridor in line with MoveSJ, Saint John’s Transportation Plan,” the city said in a news release.

“This corridor is part of Saint John’s section of the Trans Canada Trail, linking Harbour Passage and the Stanley Street pedestrian bridge, and further connecting the South Central Peninsula to Rockwood Park.”

City studies by the Federal Highway Administration show “road diets” can reduce crashes anywhere from 19 to 47 per cent.

Some residents are against the idea, saying it will increase traffic congestion during rush hour and major events at TD Station.

Nick Cameron with Saint John Cycling says their club has more than 400 members within the city and notes that not everyone with a bike is part of their group.

“Three lane roads actually flow better for everyone, not just for bicycles” says Cameron. “They have a more efficient flow to them for left hand turns, for making visibility better for people traveling in both directions. It’s something that will benefit everyone.”

He also notes everyone can drive a car, and the bike lanes will make it safer for young kids who use their bikes to travel around the city.

Cameron says many people got into biking during the pandemic, but Saint John didn’t have the infrastructure in place to support it.

“We have to make some changes so that it’s a more inviting community for newcomers and for tourists,” he says. “Especially when it comes to connecting the uptown to Rockwood Park. It just makes sense.”

Saint John has already undergone “road diets” on a number of streets, including Metcalf and Somerset streets, as well as Milledgeville and University Avenue.

The city is committed to make 20 per cent of trips within its limits possible by using sustainable transportation methods as part of its Strategic Plan.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.