Time for DIY Bike Lanes?There's been some talk about ramping up the number of bike lanes being put in this year. It now appears that the city will almost certainly miss its goal, despite the valiant efforts of Councillor Heaps and the Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee. The CBC reports:
Just 90 kilometres of lanes have been built so far, with only 15 kilometres added in the past two years.
"It's so much better, and cyclists will tell you that," says Martin Ries, an avid cyclist and bike activist who has worked for years with the Toronto Cycling Committee. "Whenever they get into the bike lane they breathe a sign of relief. Myself included."
Martin mentions a lack of political will that is keeping bike lanes from being placed in wards. This is almost certainly true despite the protestations of the complications due to lane widths, merchants wanting to protect parking and so on. No one said the councillors' jobs were easy, but they can get lots of things done when they are in power.
The evidence is out there that local councillors can really help to push forward bike lanes. The Cosburn bike lane and the new Christie bike lane, for example, were pushed by bike lane positive councillors.
Comments
Anonymous (not verified)
advisory committee?
Sat, 10/20/2007 - 12:03How does the lack of bike lanes have anything to do with the cycling advisory committee. they just met for the very first time last week, were given a primer on the bike plan (of all things) and then told that their next meeting would not happen but instead be conveniently deterred until after the public capital budget hearing? seriously, I have no idea how you can possibly associate anything - good or bad - with the CAC, most of whom didn't even speak during the first meeting last monday?!?!
Cosburn was a product of the cycling community's very hard work to push for the bike lane despite the councillor's objections.
Also the link to the 'toronto star' goes to a cbc online piece from May 2006.
Darren_S
...or else
Sat, 10/20/2007 - 13:31The chair of the committee, Councillor Heaps, put a lot on the line when he promised 27 kms of bike lanes installed this year or "else". Something he repeated at September's Bells on Bloor, yet staff were already saying in July it would not happen.
It would be unfair to stick this to the members of TCAC but very fair to take Heaps to task to find out what "else" means. Another empty promise something which has become the norm for cyclists.
Brent Marshall (not verified)
Bike Positive Councillors -- Right!
Sat, 10/20/2007 - 15:46The Cosburn lanes were fought for by the cycling community, and I think at least one councillor outside of the ward. Not sure if that really counts.
If the city seriously wants to put in bike lanes into this city I can think of a dozen places inside Case Ootes ward that are being intentionally blocked by his anti-cycling agenda.
My number one location for a bike lane:
Contraflow from Broadview down Chester Hill Rd, and Left down Cambridge Ave connecting up with the Bloor-Danforth Viaduct.
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=43.67886,-79.358561&spn=0.011049,0.02...
To think, we almost has Ootes voted out last election. I'm looking forward to the next one for this reason.