‘Cheap retrofits’
Dear Editor:
The low concrete bike lane barriers on Scottsdale Drive in Guelph have become an urgent safety concern that highlights a broader municipal planning issue across Wellington County.
These retrofitted curb dividers are continually struck and shattered by traffic and maintenance equipment. In multiple spots, the concrete has crumbled away entirely, leaving sharp steel rebar exposed directly in active roadway lanes. One damaged barrier on Scottsdale Drive has sat completely unaddressed since June 11. Beyond the immediate hazard to tires and pedestrians, the narrowed road width creates daily bottlenecks for transit, emergency vehicles and school buses.
Our community supports safe active transportation, but cheap “curb and bollard” retrofits fail all road users and create unnecessary fiscal liabilities for taxpayers.
As municipal election discussions heat up, our community is urging leadership to immediately audit and remove these damaged concrete hazards. Long-term, municipalities should invest in proper off-road, divided boulevard multi-use pathways – similar to College Avenue – that protect cyclists without compromising road width, transit access or winter snowplowing.
Brittany Scott,
Guelph