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Cycling: Segregated Bike Lanes on Eglinton

ElCentro

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Below is an email I received today from Cycle Toronto...I didn't realize we were this close to decision time about segregated bike lanes on Eglinton. Any thoughts? Anyone know if these would be segregated through the narrower section of the road as well?
April 7, 2013


Action Alert: Write members of Public Works & Infrastructure Committee in support of protected bike lanes on Eglinton!

This is an historic moment for cyclists in Toronto. On Wednesday April 9th, the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee will be voting (agenda item 2014.PW30.7) on whether to accept staff recommendations in the Eglinton Connects report for a new Eglinton Avenue streetscape. These recommendations include protected bicycle lanes in both directions! That will mean almost 20 km of new bikeway!

We've worked hard to build support for protected bike lanes on Eglinton over the past 2 years and need your help to seize this opportunity. We need the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee to know that Toronto wants bike lanes on Eglinton. Read more about the project here and then tell the committee you support the recommendations.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fundamentally rebuild a major artery crossing the entire city into a safe, cyclist- and pedestrian-friendly environment. We’ve already heard strong support from schools, community groups, business improvement areas (2), school trustees (2) and others. Make sure the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee knows you support it too!
Action Requested

Write members of Public Works and Infrastructure Committee and request that they support the streetscape recommendations, including creating a complete street, wider sidewalks, protected bicycle lanes, great trees, street furniture and patio space.

Members of Public Works and Infrastructure Committee:

“Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong†<councillor_minnan-wong@toronto.ca>, “Councillor Mark Grimes†<councillor_grimes@toronto.ca>, “Councillor John Parker†<councillor_parker@toronto.ca>, “Councillor Mike Layton†<councillor_layton@toronto.ca>, “Councillor Janet Davis†<councillor_davis@toronto.ca>, “Councillor Michelle Berardinetti†<councillor_berardinetti@toronto.ca>, "PWIC" <pwic@toronto.ca>

Remember to cc info@cycleto.ca. Include PW30.7 in your subject line.

Creativity matters. Include your personal story. And consider including your mailing address; it carries more weight. Please write by Tuesday April 8 at 4:30 pm.


Cycle Toronto’s on-going advocacy efforts aren't possible without you. Join our more than 2,300 members, renew your membership or make a donation to support our work!



Ride safely,


Jared Kolb

Executive Director
jared.kolb@cycleto.ca
 
Here's the info for the project Eglinton Connects:
http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=0f8e86664ea71410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

Yes, there will be bike lanes on the narrow part where the LRT will be underground, if this study is implemented.

I think it looks great. They're planning on big trees along the road, which should look much better than some of the small skinny trees that don't give much shade.

They also want to have the surface ROW have grass on it, which should look pretty nice if it happens.
 
This is great (by Toronto standards), and I'm glad we're slowly progressing, however, I've got a few issues with the design:

1. The lanes are not separated for the full 20 km. Only to about the eastern LRT portal. You'll notice how the design changes east of that point to typical on-road bike lanes (although they have them coloured blue). I talked to one of the Eglinton Connects staff, and she said because the eastern part (surface LRT) roadway is being reconstructed by Metrolinx, that the design is already set by them (as it was since the original EA). I don't know what it would take for them to change the design at this point, but they definitely have enough room to make even larger separated lanes.

2. The average lane width is 1.2 metres, which in my opinion is too narrow, and makes it difficult for bikes to pass in a separated lane. There will be some space around the lane (ie sidewalk) for bikes to pass, but it might get dodgy with pedestrians on the busy central Eglinton section. Dutch and Danish standards usually call for at least 2 metres for new lanes.

3. Intersection design is still substandard, especially when there are so many good designs around the world we could learn from. I'm sure most people have seen the below video by this point. It might mean sacrificing a few left/right-turn lanes, but similar designs would work on Eglinton.

Despite these issues. The design is an improvement, and I'm glad to see the grassed ROWs. Hopefully this will start a progression to better and better designs.

[video=vimeo;86721046]http://vimeo.com/86721046[/video]
 
Another point that the Eglinton Connects staff told me was that even though the plan may be approved, it's won't necessarily be funded or budgeted for. She said Metrolinx agreed to build the road to the new design where they're rebuilding it (i.e around stations), but the city would have to do everything else.
 
That you could ride from Scarborough to Etobicoke, or any distance in between safely in separated bike lanes on Eglinton would be an incredible improvement to cycling in the city. That's the way bike lanes should be built, but unfortunately the current plan seems to only include the central portion for the separated part. It seems like the higher-speed suburban part would merit separated bike lanes even more. Also, the city should bury overhead wires along Eglinton to reap the full benefit of the public realm improvements like mature trees.
 
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It's a decent path, but there should nonetheless be bike lanes on Eglinton so people can bike to the businesses and amenities along that stretch of Eglinton and not have to make detours in their trips through the area.
 
This is great (by Toronto standards), and I'm glad we're slowly progressing, however, I've got a few issues with the design:

1. The lanes are not separated for the full 20 km. Only to about the eastern LRT portal. You'll notice how the design changes east of that point to typical on-road bike lanes (although they have them coloured blue). I talked to one of the Eglinton Connects staff, and she said because the eastern part (surface LRT) roadway is being reconstructed by Metrolinx, that the design is already set by them (as it was since the original EA). I don't know what it would take for them to change the design at this point, but they definitely have enough room to make even larger separated lanes.

2. The average lane width is 1.2 metres, which in my opinion is too narrow, and makes it difficult for bikes to pass in a separated lane. There will be some space around the lane (ie sidewalk) for bikes to pass, but it might get dodgy with pedestrians on the busy central Eglinton section. Dutch and Danish standards usually call for at least 2 metres for new lanes.

3. Intersection design is still substandard, especially when there are so many good designs around the world we could learn from. I'm sure most people have seen the below video by this point. It might mean sacrificing a few left/right-turn lanes, but similar designs would work on Eglinton.

Despite these issues. The design is an improvement, and I'm glad to see the grassed ROWs. Hopefully this will start a progression to better and better designs.

These are my top three concerns with the project as well.

I think that the new (MTO) Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18 does not set high enough standards, particularly for the widths of single-direction separated facilities and intersection design.

The recommended width for single-direction cycle tracks is 2.0m, with 1.5m minimum. 2.0m is generally considered the minimum width for overtaking (1 metre operating space per cyclist), so I would have made the requirement 2.5m recommended, 2.0m minimum.

And the Eglinton bike lanes don't even meet this low standard! 1.2 metres is an absurd width for a major cycling corridor, that's narrower than even the narrowest on-street bike lanes in the city (1.5m)!
 
These are my top three concerns with the project as well.

I think that the new (MTO) Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18 does not set high enough standards, particularly for the widths of single-direction separated facilities and intersection design.

The recommended width for single-direction cycle tracks is 2.0m, with 1.5m minimum. 2.0m is generally considered the minimum width for overtaking (1 metre operating space per cyclist), so I would have made the requirement 2.5m recommended, 2.0m minimum.

And the Eglinton bike lanes don't even meet this low standard! 1.2 metres is an absurd width for a major cycling corridor, that's narrower than even the narrowest on-street bike lanes in the city (1.5m)!

If the road is too narrow for larger lanes id rather have smaller lanes than no lanes.
 
Yeah having bike lanes is a huge improvement over not having them, even if they aren't separated and are narrow, especially since it's a continuous lane across Eglinton.
 
They will have to take space from the sidewalk to make the bike lanes the proper width. I am not sure how wide the sidewalks are but it should be doable. Perhaps even take some space from the car lanes
 
I can understand the limitations that exist along the narrow part of Eglinton, but there's no excuse to not build a proper separated bike lane in the suburban areas, especially where the road is to be rebuilt and widened along the at-grade part of the LRT.
 
They will have to take space from the sidewalk to make the bike lanes the proper width. I am not sure how wide the sidewalks are but it should be doable. Perhaps even take some space from the car lanes

Traffic lanes in the suburbs are wider than in the inner city because of the higher speed limits. If the speed limits are reduced, like 50 km/h, maybe the traffic lanes could be narrower to fit in proper bicycle lanes.
 
my understanding is that the traffic lanes will be 3.5 meters wide, the same standard for most downtown streets. (St. Clair is actually 2.8 I think, but it is a special exemption needed to fit the streetcar ROW in)

Speed limit will probably be 60km/h.
 

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