Michael Allen's Aug. 27 letter to Saskatoon City Council

To the Mayor and Council:

My name is Michael Allen, I am excited to be participating in the Science Trek Program for grade 8 at Montgomery School. I have challenged myself to car pool, use public transit or cycle to school. There are obvious environmental, fitness and social advantages to these forms of transportation.

I live in Brevoort Park, 11.7 kilometres from Montgomery School. The scheduled bus ride takes over an hour and a half each way.

I am looking forward to the new South Bridge opening because it will allow me to avoid the busy down town traffic on my bike. I will be able to cycle to school in 45 minutes using less busy roads.

It has become clear recently that the opening of the bridge to vehicle traffic will be delayed because of delays in the construction of connecting roadways. I understand the bridge itself will be ready to use by the original deadline (even though cars will not be able to get to it)

I am wondering if there is any possibility that the pedestrian portion of the bridge might be open and useable prior to the (now delayed) official opening of the traffic portion of the bridge? the safety of pedestrians and cyclists is extremely.

Opening the pedestrian/cyclist section of the bridge as soon as it is complete and safe would send a positive message about our City's commitment to environmental issues and the importance of physical activity.

Thank you for considering my request,

Respectfully,

Michael Allen

A 13-year-old Saskatoon boy who bicycles 24 kilometres to school and back every day says he's disappointed the city can't make his journey a little less arduous.

Michael Allen lives on the city's east side, but has enrolled a special science program that isn't available at his neighbourhood school. To get to his "Science Trek" school — Montgomery School in the west end — he has to ride across the city for about an hour, or 12 kilometres, each way.

Changes to bus routes that went into effect in July made cycling the fastest way to get to class, his family says.

Still, he's not crazy about the daily two hours. What Allen wants to do is cross a new bridge — the South Circle Bridge — in order to shave 15 minutes off his commute time.

He has written to the mayor and council asking them to open the bridge to non-vehicular traffic. But the city says cars will be the priority when the new bridge opens in November.

Pedestrians and cyclists must wait another year, something Allen says is disappointing.

"Because it's not just me," he said. "There's university students on the west side who will use it. There's new Canadian families who don't necessarily have a vehicle. So yeah, I'd kind of like it to open pretty soon."

Allen says he'll keep biking, even with the long ride. He adds that he hopes one day, bikes will be a priority for his city.

Michael Allen, 13, says he wants to bike to school because it's faster than the bus and good for the environment. Michael Allen, 13, says he wants to bike to school because it's faster than the bus and good for the environment. (CBC)