If you follow the pages of Canadian Cycling Magazine (hi!), then you know the bike lane debate is a-ragin’. A big argument from cycling advocates is that decisions are too often made on feelings rather than data. Or just strong opinions based on nothing. It happens a lot.
We’ve seen claims that bike lanes sit empty in the winter, that they slow emergency response times, or that they’re simply underused. The problem is that good data isn’t always easy to come by. Although, there has been plenty in recent years in certain areas, but sadly it isn’t always enough it seems to placate the “non-believers,” as it were.
Why data matters
Advocates often have to rely on counts and studies conducted by cities and towns, and collecting that information takes time, money and staff resources that municipalities are already stretching across countless other priorities.
But you know the expression: if you want something done…get someone who loves cycling to do it. (OK maybe that’s not it, but it works.)
A Dartmouth, N.S., resident has spent the last two years conducting his own informal study of bicycle traffic, using a camera mounted outside his home to track how many cyclists use a nearby bike lane.
Tracking the bikes
According to a report by CTV News Atlantic, Rick Gautreau began recording traffic patterns in 2024 after hearing a discussion about cycling infrastructure on local radio. Curious about how frequently bike lanes were being used, he set up a GoPro camera overlooking a Dartmouth street and started documenting rush-hour activity.
Several times a year, Gautreau records traffic and converts the footage into time-lapse videos, allowing him to review hours of activity in just a few minutes. The recordings have helped him track how cyclist numbers change with the seasons.
Gautreau said the busiest periods can see around 50 riders pass through during a rush hour, while winter conditions and poor weather often lead to much lower numbers. He has submitted some of his findings to Halifax Regional Municipality’s clerk’s office, making the material part of the public record.
The bike lane debate
The project comes as Nova Scotia continues expanding its cycling network, a topic that has sparked debate among residents. Gautreau believes municipalities could obtain more reliable information on bike lane usage by deploying cameras at various locations and collecting data year-round.
Not all cyclists share the same perspective. Dartmouth rider Darryl, who uses two wheels for all his commutes daily, told CTV News Atlantic that while dedicated cycling infrastructure has improved safety in some areas, certain designs can create new challenges, particularly around intersections and route transitions.
Even so, he said the addition of bike lanes has made parts of his commute safer and welcomed continued efforts to accommodate cyclists on municipal roads.
Gautreau says he intends to keep recording traffic outside his home and hopes the growing collection of footage can contribute to conversations about the future of cycling infrastructure in Halifax. With bike lane debates raging across the country, it’s great to see some riders grabbing the bull by the, erm … bullhorns and trying to do their part to keep cyclists safe.
There was a time a few years ago when a guy took a speed gun to a controversial spot in Toronto’s High Park. All kinds of cyclists were getting tickets for going over the 20 km/h speed limit. Sure, the law is the law (and there have been plenty of ideas about how to strike a compromise in an area used by far more people than just cyclists), but the frustrating part was that some motorists appeared to be speeding too.
So he took matters into his own hands. And boy, were the results wild.
Anyway, what Gautreau has done is provide something that can be hard to argue with: data. The next time someone claims a bike lane isn’t being used, there will be numbers to point to instead of assumptions. When you’re feeling powerless, sometimes the best thing you can do is start counting.