Nelson Bike Route Grant Application FRAUD?

In My opinion this grant application is designed to extract the maximum amount available, from the  $500,000 available, why didn't they go for the full amount?

What number is correct, or is it all a guess?

The first newspaper story shows $670,000 with $180,000 from the city.

I have seen $650,000, the application I have shows $608,000.  At the public meeting
the city planner upon my questioning about costs stated there was a 40% contingency built in.

The grant suggests 20% contingency maximum, so why is he telling me 40%?





                             
UPDATE:  City council meeting June 2  High St. one way is not going ahead to be reviewed at a future date.

A major part of the application costs, is the application amount adjusted?

I have asked the city councilor on the project if there are any quotes supporting their costs.

For example over $37,000 for signage and painting on Third St., about 1 km.

Over $38,000 for signage and painting on High St. about 1.2 km and already identified as a bicycle route with 7 bicycle route signs, see below.

     All the above signs have been in place for years, this is already an identified bicycle route, how can they estimate $38,000 for signage and painting costs?  I ask, they won't answer.

 LETTERS OF SUPPORT from:



Len McCharles City of Nelson Fire Chief          city employee, not arms length

Jody Koehle, City of Nelson Transit Supervisor  city employee, not arms length


Kady Hunter,  Interior Health

Ryan Oakley  Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

Anna Lamb Yorski   West Kootenay Cycling Coalition  disbanded in 2018

the letter head and address from her personal residence who does this really represent?

Montana Burgess  West Kootenay Eco Society - these people would take every public cent for everything they could





If you don't know Nelson take a tour of these streets move along to each and imagine new STOP signs where there never were any!  Particularly NELSON AVE. where the study says experienced riders will continue to ride here.  And Third St. now a bicycle thoroughfare one block over with stop signs for all the uphill vehicles   At each intersection look uphill, all that uphill traffic will now be expected to come to a stop all winter or start uphill, how many bicycles vs vehicle stops?  What does this do for GHG and carbon reduction?

Did the out of town planner visit Nelson?  It appears they think the city is flat.

The inset photos taken March 10th, winter lasts a long time in Nelson, no one is riding bicycles.


Will Third St become snow plow priority for bicycles? winter sand? unlikely, nobody rides in winter unless they have no choice, but thousands of vehicle stops and starts will now occurr from all the months of Fairview vehicle traffic stopping to look for bicycles that will never appear.

                             Above $10,000 for a sea can somewhere in town(where?) to park bicycles.

 $20,000 for whatever reno in the parkade for bicycle parking.

14 small curb extensions at $12,000 each?  Ramps for wheelchairs etc., off sidewalks.

The above picture one block down Nelson ave. has sidewalk ramps on both sides, putting $12,000 est./corner on Third one block away makes little sense, how about 5 block up of the 11 blocks of Fairview, that makes more sense.
$12,000 per corner?  Seems inflated to me.

The most dangerous place to ride a bicycle in Nelson, the big orange bridge.
How about spending money where it has some benefit?

 The mayor had it correct, when he said this at a council meeting  ":is this chasing grant Money?"

The grant application shows contingency at 20%,  (eligibility no greater than 20%)
The city planner told me at a public meeting they had a 40% contingency built in.


The grant allows 70%,  this city doesn't know costs, this was all made up quickly chasing grant money.   My estimate if the city gets the $480,000, they won't spend a dime, they will have a lot of money left over.   I asked the councilor does the city give money back if unused, no answer.



In my opinion the grant application is a fraud. 

No matter how much money is spent, the bicycle route into the city from Fairview won't change.  Their own study says experienced riders will continue to use Nelson Ave.  no stop signs, 4 lanes wide, but two travel lanes with turn slots.  This is being repaved this year by the Ministry of Transportation responsible for this street through the city, add bicycle lane(s).




WHAT TO BELIEVE??

The MOT is reviewing the notoriously scary bridge cycling route and the city wants to learn what they have planned before it decides on Nelson Avenue.

I understand they are repaving it this year, perfect time to make it the bicycle route negating any money spent on Third St.

It used to be 4 lanes, now two, certainly room for bicycles, take a look click here.

Nobody knows what they are doing, the grant money deadline is LOOMING and the city CAO at the June 1st council meeting stated its looking like  the grant money will become available.


The mayor states in the newspaper

At the council meeting, Mayor John Dooley commented that the process seemed backwards: usually council will approve a project before applying for a grant.

“Is this project grant-driven or community-driven?” he asked.

 City planner in the same article agreed stating

City planner Sebastien Arcand agreed that it is driven by the grant deadline, but if the application is successful he said it will still be up to council to get public input and formally approve the plan or not.

I have serious concerns whether the public would ever have any input!!!



Councilor Woodward shows 5% of Nelsonites bicycle to work, the Nelson Bicycle Coalition
letter of support says over 30%!!!!!!!!!!

The grant app shows eligible  project costs $$606,443.  City is asking for  $400,000 grant.

Project cost in one news item $670,000, another $650,000, grant estimate $606,000.
Contingency in grant app shows 20%, city planner tells me 40%, with engineering at $68000 one would think the estimates could be accurate not out by almost 50%?

So many numbers, so much confusion, nothing makes sense but will they get the money?

Nelson ave. once four lanes, being repaved this year as I understand is the obvious safe, ideal bicycle route, no stop signs, avoiding all the stops signs on Third St. intefering with Fairview hill traffic on Behnsen/Davies/Kokanne or Fell st.

Refer to my picture map above showing how they will turn STOP signs so uphill traffic will all
stop for bicycles, will plowing and sanding happen with priority, will bicycles even appear?
They expect all vehicle traffic to now stop in case a bicycle comes by.

My dash cam video from March 10th, on Third St. see map above.