Saskatoon’s Transportation Committee has approved the installation of a one-way protected bike lane on Victoria Avenue between Taylor and Ruth streets.

Saskatoon’s Transportation Director Jay Magus says the bike lane will cost a total of $3.6 million, and snow removal will cost about six times more than it does currently along that corridor once the upgrades are complete, climbing from roughly $38,000 to $225,000 per year.

The project would also mean on-street parking would need to be removed from Victoria Avenue between Ruth and Taylor. Magus says according to parking studies, this shouldn’t be a problem.

“Parking studies found that on-street parking demand is very low, zero to 14 per cent for most blocks because (the street faces) the sides of houses, and (because of) the long driveways that folk’s houses have on Victoria.”

Councilor Robert Pearce was the only committee member to vote against the recommendation, as he believes that the current number of bike riders in the area, between 14 and 29 per peak hour, does not justify spending $3.6 million.

“I’m in favour of forward thinking. I’m in favour of forward planning. I’m concerned that we don’t necessarily have the justification. I feel like we’re trying to operate in the ‘field of dreams’ mentality, that if we build it, they will come. That’s been proven that doesn’t always happen.”

If approved by City Council at the end of the month, the project will remain on the Transportation Master Plan list of projects awaiting funding.