The trials and tribulations of getting to the nitty gritty of bike lane politics

I feel like I should explain (while also being a bit pugilistic, fighting the good fight). Being a volunteer blogger I have to rely on the goodwill of others who have gathered information for me, or who are actively involved in the issue and are willing to share with me what's going on. I think it's better to get the information out there while couching it in terms like "likely" and "maybe" rather than keep it locked up. Last Friday's post about Councillor Wong-Tam is a case in point.

That blog post presented information on how Councillor Wong-Tam had sent a memo calling for a "trial" on Sherbourne separated bike lanes to City cycling manager Dan Egan without a public announcement. Cycling advocates didn't know that she was planning to do so, and there didn't seem to be any public record of her planning to do so except for a passing reference in the Dandyhorse Magazine about "bike spotting" from across Canada.

I had said that she "likely" hadn't consulted with Councillor McConnell, with whom she shares Sherbourne. Via Twitter Wong-Tam stated how I was wrong and that McConnell and her had talked about the "issue" and that McConnell "understood". I was unconvinced since Wong-Tam didn't say specifically that she had told McConnell that she was going to call for a trial. Maybe she did, but it certainly seemed like she didn't given the available evidence to me last Friday. I probably could have avoided some hard feelings by doing the journalistic thing of getting Councillor Wong-Tam's quote beforehand - note to self. Though in the end I still added Wong-Tam's responses to the post to build onto the conversation. Though I'd hope that she'd be a bit clearer than what can be typed into 140 characters so we have a clearer idea of just where she stands.

It is not true, however, that I am simply just pulling this out of my ass. Real residents, living in the wards of these councillors, and who just happen to ride bikes and want to do so safely have been writing Councillors Wong-Tam, McConnell, Vaughan and so on, to ensure that cyclists aren't forgotten in this whole thing. These councillors may be our "allies" but they also have their own ideas about cycling and sometimes may be less progressive on cycling issues than they are on the broader "city-building" issues.

For the increasing number of cyclists in Toronto who look at cities like New York, Montreal, San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver, etc, who are implementing fully separated, protected bike lanes, we can only be envious as our own mixture of politics has meant that we have to fight tooth and nail for just a basic network of separated bike lanes (let alone bland, painted line bike lanes) in a city with one of the highest bicycle modal share in North America. Cycling may be increasingly popular in Toronto but our bike politics is falling behind.

As an example of copies of emails I get of advocates doing the legwork trying to find out where councillors stand, Ward 28 resident and Bike Union member Vincent de Tourdonnet has been in contact with Thomas Davidson, CA of Councillor McConnell. (I got his permission to print this email exchange.)

Note that Davidson is clear that in their understanding the cycle track "treatment will not be temporary."

From: Vincent de Tourdonnet
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2012 12:30 PM
To: Thomas Davidson
Cc: Andrea M Garcia
Subject: Re: Important question regarding the Sherbourne Bike lanes

Okay thanks Tom, look forward to hearing about the progress, we appreciate your help with Pam on this important issue.

Best,

Vincent de Tourdonnet & Co. Ward 28 C.U. & TICA

On Fri, Mar 2, 2012 at 12:15 PM, Thomas Davidson tdavids2@toronto.ca wrote:
Hi again,

I hope by today, otherwise during Council the first two days of next week! I'll talk to you soon.

Best,

Tom

Tom Davidson
Constituency Assistant to
Councillor Pam McConnell
Ward 28- Toronto Centre-Rosedale
416-338-5157

Vincent de Tourdonnet -----@gmail.com 3/2/2012 12:02 pm

Hi Tom, I hope you are well.

Did Pam have her conversation with Kristyn Wong-Tam about the attempt to downgrade the Sherbourne lanes to a pilot project? Any updates?

Thanks,

Vincent de Tourdonnet
for Ward 28 Cyclist's Union
And the Toronto Island Community Association

On Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 10:28 AM, Thomas Davidson tdavids2@toronto.ca wrote:
Hi Vincent,
Pam asked me to tell you she will meet with Councillor Wong-Tam about her concerns and we'll speak to you after that. She wants to see the bike lane program fully implemented. We do know that the 'cycle track' condition is being implemented only up to Gerrard (the area undergoing road resurfacing), with another type of curb north of there. However, it is our understanding that this treatment will not be temporary.
Best,
Tom
Tom Davidson
Constituency Assistant to
Councillor Pam McConnell
Ward 28- Toronto Centre-Rosedale
416-338-5157

Vincent de Tourdonnet -------@gmail.com 2/24/2012 4:02 pm

Dear Councillor McConnell and Tom Davidson,

Councillor McConnell, you may remember me from the recent public consultancy on the separated Sherbourne bike lanes, I thanked you for your solid support. (right after some fellow who had a garage on lower Sherbourne had button-holded you?)

I also asked you: "We may need a vocal champion for this project, are you willing to be that?" And you replied with an enthusiastic "Yes!"

Whether or not you recall that conversation, we could really use your voice right now. I'm writing on behalf of the Ward 28 Bike Union group, as well the cycling committee of the Toronto Islands Community Association. (We had a TICA meeting with you and Tom last year, thanks again)

The attached blog posting claims that your colleague Krystyn Wong-Tam does not support permanent installation of the Sherbourne street bicycle lanes north of Gerrard and only supports a reversible pilot project for this lengthy section of Sherbourne Street..

See http://www.ibiketo.ca/blog/councillor-wong-tam-trying-stall-sherbourne-s...

Given the easterly side of Sherbourne is in Ward 28 we are wondering, did Councillor Wong Tam consult with you prior to taking this public position?

If not we are requesting your confirmation that you do not support the installation of physically separated bicycle lanes on Sherbourne as a pilot project, but as a permanent one. And anything else you can do to assure that this project moves forward with certaintly, would be greatly appreciated.

We look forward to hearing from you

Vincent de Tourdonnet
Toronto Island Community Association Cycling Committee
Ward 28 of the Toronto Cyclist's Union.

And a letter from the Toronto Island Community Association opposing a temporary installation of the Sherbourne separated bike lanes (reprinted with permission):

From: Baye Hunter --------@rogers.com
Date: March 3, 2012 6:08:03 PM EST
To: "councillor_wongtam@toronto.ca" councillor_wongtam@toronto.ca
Cc: "councillor_mcconnell@toronto.ca" councillor_mcconnell@toronto.ca
Subject: Sherbourne Bike Lanes
Reply-To: Baye Hunter -----@rogers.com

Dear Ms Wong-Tam,

I am writing to you on behalf of the Cycling Committee of the Toronto Island Community Association. We are opposed to a temporary installation of all or any part of the Sherbourne Street bicycle lanes. Please find attached and in the body of this email, the letter outlining our position. BH

Toronto Island Community Association
102 Withrow Avenue, Toronto, Ontario
M5J 1X9
phone: 416-203-6163 fax: 416-203-6168
trust@torontoisland.org

3 March, 2012

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam
Toronto City Hall
100 Queen Street West, Suite A5
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2

Re: Installation of Sherbourne Street bicycle lanes.

I am writing to you on behalf of the Cycling Committee of the Toronto Island Community Association (TICA), which represents the residents of Toronto Island. The Toronto Island community has the highest percentage of year round cycling commuters in the City of Toronto –over 30% of the population.

We are reiterating our support for the separation of the Sherbourne Street bicycle lanes.

TICA’s cycling committee wants to provide the following comments:
1. We are opposed to a temporary installation of all or any part of the Sherbourne Street bicycle lanes. The lanes should be installed as permanent and needed cycling infrastructure.
2. The proposed separated bicycle lanes do not provide sufficient separation and we request that a greater effort be made to keep cars out of the proposed separated lanes. We request consideration be given to the installation of bollards at intersections and driveway entrances and that there be a more significant curb separating the lanes from traffic.
3. We request that approval be given at this time to the extension of the Sherbourne Street bicycle lanes north from Bloor to Elm Avenue and that the lanes north of Bloor be physically separated at the time of the proposed reconstruction of Sherbourne Street north of Bloor and the costs be put into the city’s capital budget if necessary.

Our community is very grateful for the strong support our councilor, Pam McConnell, has given to this proposal and look forward to the installation of the Sherbourne Street separated bicycle lanes.

Yours truly,

Baye Hunter
Cycling Committee, Toronto Island Community Association
cc: Pam McConnell, councillor_mcconnell@toronto.ca
Councillor_wongtam@toronto.ca
pwic@toronto.ca