City to look at clearing snow from cycling paths

Good news for next winter. The city is looking at clearing bike lanes and paths next winter. More cyclists have been asking for it, and more cyclists are simply riding through the winter on our streets. With the media coverage cyclists got last winter, I think that the city has started to notice, and is willing to try to do more for cyclists for next winter.

From City to look at clearing snow from cycling paths (Inside Toronto, May 13)

BY DAVID NICKLE
May 13, 2008 03:12 PM

Snowplows could be hitting the trails next winter to keep paths clear for cyclists year round, after Toronto's parks and environment committee voted to explore the possibility of extending snow clearing to the parks system itself.

The committee voted Tuesday, May 13 to ask city staff to report on the feasibility of clearing snow from bike trails in city parks at the same time as snow is cleared from streets and sidewalks.

"We're asking both transportation and parks managers to look at clearing paths in parks so that when you're coming from a road to a park and back to a road, you should be able to do that year round on your bike," said committee chair Paula Fletcher (Ward 30, Toronto-Danforth).

The request comes a week after the city's public works and infrastructure committee voted to push ahead with a plan to clear snow from on-street bicycle lanes at the request of the Toronto cycling committee.

Fletcher said the park element would be an enhancement to that request. She said it was unlikely the city would be able to clear all of its off-road bicycle trails but would choose the most practical and best-used trails.

"It wouldn't be all of the trails," Fletcher said. "But there are larger recreational tracks through parks that could be cleared to allow people to cycle in the winter. The major one is the Martin Goodman Trail along the waterfront."

Fletcher said the committee will have a report from staff on which trails might be cleared, and an estimate of cost, within three months.