Whitehorse contemplates bike path expansion

The city of Whitehorse is beginning to suffer from traffic congestion. The city council is currently evaluating a $400,000 plan to expand the bike path network to help roads flow more cleanly.

The Hillcrest Community Association is behind the plan to connect the expanding suburbs to the city core. The paths would be an ideal way to avoid traffic during warmer months, and many Yukon cyclists continue to ride in the winter months, using fat bikes.

The association has asked Whitehorse city council to contribute a quarter of the funds, while the rest has been requested from the Highways and Public Works and Community Development Fund.

According to a report by the CBC, city engineer Wayne Tuck suggested funding might be made available through an amendment to the budget, or from gas tax revenues.

Dan Curtis, mayor of Whitehorse, has said that managing the growth of the city means finding ways to encourage people to walk, cycle or take public transit to help avoid traffic congestion.