Saskatoon council green-lights Victoria Avenue bike lanes

Saskatoon city council has signed off on plans for new bike lanes along Victoria Avenue. It’s a move supporters say will make the road safer for everyone, not just cyclists.

The project will run between Taylor Street and Ruth Street, with one lane in each direction. According to CKOM, the design also removes on-street parking and adds sidewalks where gaps currently exist.

City transportation general manager Jay Magus said the stretch fits into a broader plan, He said that it “ties into the recommended protected bike lanes between Eighth Street and Taylor Street well.” The price tag is coming in at $3.6 million. The only snag though, is that no funding has been secured (yet.)
Mayor Cynthia Block backed the project, framing it as part of a bigger picture. “If we don’t have what other cities have, it is harder to keep and attract talent to our city,” she said during the March 25 meeting.

Good news for Saskatoon cyclists

For local riders, the decision is a welcome one. Saskatoon Cycles board chair Gord Holtslander said the lanes will create a safer route not only for cyclists, but also for people walking or using wheelchairs and strollers. He said riding in Saskatoon is “mainly positive,” but sharing the road with traffic can still be tense.

He also pointed to a “noticeable change in attitude” toward cycling safety following a fatal 2024 collision involving a local rider. Expanding bike lanes, he said, could help more people feel comfortable getting on a bike, while also easing congestion for drivers. It’s a sentiment felt by cyclists across the country–separated bike lanes make it far safer for cyclists.

Despite that fact, there still exists all kinds of kerfuffles from folks who would like to kibosh current or future attempts at cycling infrastructure. Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, the list goes on. The debate about safe cycling rages on…

As far as the cash, Holtslander acknowledged concerns. He said change can be difficult, “no matter the benefits.”