If all goes according to plan, the number of commuters in Windsor who walk, bike or take the bus will more than double over the next 20 years.
The city has adopted an active transportation master plan calling for wider sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes and a bike sharing program.
Active transit initiatives could add $6-million in spending to the city's budget, with part of that cost coming in the form of a adding an active transportation coordinator to the 2020 budget.
Consultant Brian Patterson is excited to see the plan meet those expectations.
"It'll take lot of investment and priorities and tough decisions to make that target a reality, but I think it's one of the more bold targets that are out there," he says.
Patterson says the addition of a coordinator will be a key to the plan's success.
"It's one thing to have a list of projects and a budget to implement projects, but you need the horse power to actually implement that," he says. "Having somebody who is dedicated full time to that portfolio is really critical to make sure this moves forward."
Lori Newton is the Executive Director of Bike Windsor Essex.
She's pleased council agreed to put an emphasis on enforcement, an item that wasn't directly addressed in the report.
"That is what keeps people safer. If you are hit by a car going 30 kilometres an hour versus 50 kilometres an hour, it's a life or death change. So, absolutely, I think we heard from council tonight that there is an interest," she says.
The consultant says — if realized -— Windsor's transformation could be one of the more drastic he's seen working across Canada.