The Globe and Mail reports that a feasibility study is close to being complete regarding a city-spanning bicycle lane from Victoria Park Avenue to Kipling Avenue, passing through Greektown, the Annex and Bloor West Village, among other neighbourhoods. plus other ideas like a bike lane on Avenue Road and University. That is to say, east/west/north/south.
I will get back to you when the paint is dry and we can go for a spin on it. Glad they are looking into it.
Comments
hamish (not verified)
it's fairly good news, really!
Sun, 05/24/2009 - 17:00This study is a long time coming around, and it goes somewhat beyond the 16-year-old one of the Route Selection Study that focussed on Bloor for the first east-west bike lanes in the old City of Toronto. (On the shelf, Urban Affairs).
One option is doing a Montreal deMaissoneuve-style bikeway of two bike lanes in one curb/car lane all along the Bloor/Danforth - and at least it's being thought about.
Regrettably there seems to be a difficulty in posting the report online, though I should look again.
It goes up to the PWIC on June 3 though without recommendations for anything specific.
As some evidence of good faith, maybe we should insist upon two important segments - a larger length of west-end Bloor running from Dundas St. W./Roncesvalles over to Ossington. Those rail underpasses are especially nasty/brutal to go under, and we need a link to Harbord.
In the east, along with some needed repairs/fixes to the Viaduct biking, we should also insist that the bike lanes be pushed well past Sherbourne St. to link up to UofT through that wheel-breaker mess of Yorkville.
And while yes, some study is required, this really is a no-brainer for some of us to do, and it's cheap paint eh?
AnnieD
Shaw, not Ossington
Sun, 05/24/2009 - 22:51Shaw is a much better connection to Harbord than Ossington.
Ben
Shaw is fine, but Grace has a
Mon, 05/25/2009 - 12:28Shaw is fine, but Grace has a bike lane that goes down to harbord. The next street over (Crawford maybe) has a contraflow bike lane going northbound.
Seymore Bikes
Make the Lane
Wed, 05/27/2009 - 23:02If 75% of Bloor actually gets the Bike Lanes installed, what about the parts that don't?
It would be interesting to see if a "take the lane' practice between drivers and cyclists could be creatted; since Bloor is the true corridor between both sides of the city - here's hoping we can make it happen, 'we' being drivers and cyclists, working together.
I understand the legality of taking a lane, but I am suggesting that we aspire to reach a harmony between cyclists & drivers.
PedalPowerPat
Utopia?
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 03:11"I understand the legality of taking a lane, but I am suggesting that we aspire to reach a harmony between cyclists & drivers."
Sounds nice, until reality strikes and you are sitting in a hospital while the guy that hit you is sitting in lazyboy at home.
Not trying to be negative but realistic.
Cars kill, bikes dont. (not to mention the wonderful exhaust tokes they give me, free drugs!)
Fear of death/injury > harmony.
As for the article, I like most cyclists relish the chance for a larger cycling environment. Bring on the lanes! We just now need tougher enforcement for all the lane-car-parkers (even the cops partake in this obnoxious routine.)
Ben
cops
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 09:33When they are stopped for a doughnut, parking in the bike lane is an abuse of their power. I think that the police generally turn a blind eye to this, but it's wrong. E.g. Serpico.
If they are responding to an emergency, I have no problem with them parking in the bike lane. Go for it.
Veloteq Rider (not verified)
I think turning a "blind eye"
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 12:47I think turning a "blind eye" for our men in blue that risk their life to make our streets safer would be in order. When they pop in to get their "coffee" they are only in their for a couple of minutes and really don't bother too many cyclists.
Random cyclist (not verified)
Next we'd allow them to turn
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 13:06Next we'd allow them to turn on their sirens and lights to get to the donut shop faster, lol.
Don't turn a blind eye to cops who park in bike lanes, they don't ticket anyone who does. Even if they believe it's the job for parking authorities, the police should be setting a safe example.
Take a picture of the vehicle if you can, take it into a police station and ask for someone to do something.
Veloteq Rider (not verified)
If cyclists start getting
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 13:31If cyclists start getting picky with the police, what do you think their natural reaction would be if they learned it was from a cyclist? They would start getting picky back and ticketing for sidewalk riding and a host of other minor infractions..."an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" Ghandi.
Choose your battles....
Ben
agreed
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 14:14You're right that if they got called on it that they'd likely up their assholery.
To park in a bike lane while not responding to an emergency is creating a (relatively minor, sure) public health hazzard. They'd passively be doing the opposite of their job.
However, if called on it, they could indulge in further abuse of their power. E.g. this happened to Derek Chadbourne:
http://www.torontocranks.com/?p=887
Random cyclist (not verified)
Ghandi wouldn't back down
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 14:52The meek will get ignored and their lanes will be seen as parking spaces if allowed. I think the police would usually respect someone standing up for their safety rights in a calm manner, their superiors understand the need for good public relations as well.
PedalPowerPat
Uh...
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 14:57"They would start getting picky back and ticketing for sidewalk riding and a host of other minor infractions..." -Veloteq Rider
You say this like its a bad thing.
Doughnuts and coffee aren't a good reason to endanger the public as well it disintegrates what little respect for the police we had previously.
Seymore Bikes
Chewy
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 15:06OK so we start chewing out Police for parking in Bike Lanes?
I think there is an assumption of innocence that needs to be overlooked before we start down this path.
I'll leave it alone, but if you feel you must challenge the Police for where they leave their cruiser, you'll need to have just cause - and a Bike Bell (LOL).
Bike Lanes Kill... (not verified)
Bike Lanes Kill Tourism
Wed, 07/01/2009 - 23:15There should not be bike lanes on Bloor-Danforth because this street is congested already. Congestion will only cause more pollution.
Where are the tourists supposed to park? Do we want the small businesses to go under?
lOCk
Parking is available at the
Thu, 07/02/2009 - 09:48Parking is available at the following stations:
http://www3.ttc.ca/Riding_the_TTC/Parking/index.jsp
They can take the subway
tks
Seymore Bikes
Chicken Litte kills Bike Lanes
Thu, 07/02/2009 - 11:24The thing that "kills" me is the lack of understanding that people have about the Bloor-Danforth bike lanes. Instead of examining the subject, people rush to the 'Chicken Little' judgment of "The sky is falling!, The sky is falling!"
Take the time to understand the subject before offering your two cents, otherwise they are non-cents.
Have you studied the proposed plan?
Do you know the facts about bicycle shopping?
Do you know the effect that slower traffic has on shopping?
Do you know that nearly all of the parking space along Danforth would be maintained with the addition of Bike Lanes?
Darren_S
What about gas?
Thu, 07/02/2009 - 05:13The economy is a mess yet the price of gas keeps going up. What will happen to your businesses when the gas starts to climb in price? At what price will drivers give up on you $1.50, $1.75L...?
lOCk
How's business in the EU
Thu, 07/02/2009 - 09:54How's business in the EU making out? I hear their gas prices are more expensive?
chronologic
Bloor / Danforth is directly on the subway line
Thu, 07/02/2009 - 09:45I have no sympathy for people who claim that bike lanes on Bloor would kill small business because there would be nowhere to park.
Bloor St, unlike most streets in Toronto, is DIRECTLY ON A SUBWAY LINE. That means that 99.9% of small businesses located therein are within a 5 minute walk of a subway stop. Does parking for cars really factor in here? I can understand if bike lanes were being proposed for streets with little or no access to public transit, but come on. I'm sure that if you canvassed small businesses on Bloor and asked shoppers how they commuted, most would say public transit and a small minority would say car. This is for the greater good, people! I'm not concerned with the inconvenience presented to a select few. I'm moreso concerned with the general well-being of the majority.
BIKE LANES ON BLOOR NOW!
anthony
Funny, I avoid the area
Thu, 07/02/2009 - 11:37Funny thing is that I avoid the area because it's so bike un-friendly. I wouldn't take my kids on their bikes there. Queen Street W. is more bike friendly only because the traffic is so much slower that even if we did get hit, we'd most likely ride away.
While the area may lose a few people who insist on driving, it stands to gain much more by making the street nicer for cyclists.
But an opportunity is never lost. There will always be someone else who will pick up an opportunity that someone else passes over.