Editor:
To my surprise, I went to take my vacuum in for repair at Columbia Vacuum at 769 Sixth St., only to find that the new bike lane has taken away all parking on the east side of Sixth Street from Seventh Avenue to Eighth Avenue. So those poor businesses in that whole block no longer have any customer parking.
I had to park on Seventh Avenue and carry my vacuum three-quarters of a block to the shop. These businesses have suffered enough in the last three years that they certainly don’t need this on top of everything else.
I’m not against bike lanes, but when it takes away parking for a whole block, that is insane.
Across from the vacuum shop there is parking, but only two spots, again because of the bike lane. When you head north on Sixth Street, past Eighth Avenue, the bike lane has taken away parking for the houses on the east side so they can no longer park in front of their house or even have company over with nowhere to park.
Also, the bus stop is now in the middle of the road, so the bus can no longer pull off the road when loading and unloading people. This will just cause a traffic jam. Who thought of this and why?
I haven’t seen a bike on the bike lane yet. I feel so bad for those businesses who have lost their on-street parking. I don’t think Wendy’s and the IHOP will let you park in their parking lots.
To what cost did it cost us taxpayers? The roads in New Westminster are in terrible shape and should be repaired before this kind of senseless money is spent on unnecessary bike lanes for the very few that use them.
Doug Brunn, New Westminster
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