Third time’s a charm for paved shoulders bill?

One Ontario member of provincial parliament is hoping the third time really is a charm for paved highway shoulders.

In May 2013, the Ontario MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka, Norm Miller, reintroduced his private member’s bill to require all provincial highway re-pavings and re-buildings to include a metre of paved shoulder on each side of the road to accommodate cyclists. It recently passed second reading. The bill would also amend the Highway Traffic Act to allow cyclists to ride on the shoulders. Currently, the act designates bicycles as vehicles requiring them to ride on the road.

The bill now goes to committee to be examined and possibly amended before it can come to a third reading.

This isn’t the first time Kelly has brought the bill forward. He has been beating the paved shoulders drum since 2010 when he first brought up the idea. His first bill was put forward in 2011 and also made it through a second reading but died before becoming law. His second bill also fell apart when the Provincial Legislature was prorogued in October 2012.

“Certainly, from five years ago when I first introduced the private member’s bill, I’ve seen a change in the government’s mindset to do with paving shoulders,” Miller told Metroland. “The ministry is starting to pave shoulders, including in Parry Sound-Muskoka.”

There are about 15 to 20 cyclists killed on Ontario roads each year, although most are not killed on provincial highways.

Based on data from 2010, it would cost about $33,000 per kilometre to pave shoulders on the road.