Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes)

[the lemur]

btw, I thought the MGT was a multi-use trail. Anyone can use it other than motorized vehicles (and hence the max speed is 20 in most places). Runners and walkers have a second option in some places (a boardwalk).

In general I find it very myopic that cyclists talk about shared streets but when they have a path they can't share it with anyone (walkers, dogs, pedestrian crosswalks, the TTC, etc).

I thought there was a rule and/or signs indicating that pedestrians other than walkers should stay on one side of the trail? Around Ontario Place maybe?

If there's a high volume of runners and/or cyclists, the boardwalk is really the best option for walkers and dogs, but they seem to take over the MGT in the beaches, to the point that you're almost better off biking on the boardwalk.

 

[Napoleon]

If there's a high volume of runners and/or cyclists, the boardwalk is really the best option for walkers and dogs, but they seem to take over the MGT in the beaches, to the point that you're almost better off biking on the boardwalk.

That's exactly what I was thinking of. There's a beautiful boardwalk even closer to the water, yet it seems that every single walker would prefer to walk several across on the MGT and then get upset when cyclists ring their bells.

 

[the lemur]

That's exactly what I was thinking of. There's a beautiful boardwalk even closer to the water, yet it seems that every single walker would prefer to walk several across on the MGT and then get upset when cyclists ring their bells.

It's a bit like that on Queen's Quay sometimes. Which is weird because the paved pedestrian area looks more inviting for a stroll, whereas the MGT looks like a miniature road.

 

[ShonTron]

I'm a fan of the Seawall in Vancouver. Cyclists, rollerbladers and pedestrians are assigned separate lanes; in other places, rollerbladers and cyclists share the same path. In a few places in Stanley Park, the Seawall narrows and at those points, barricades pretty much force cyclists to dismount for those short sections. I've biked it twice; it seems to work okay.

Pedestrians should be directed to the boardwalk where applicable, and cyclists more explicitly banned from those sections. The paved MGT should really be for cyclists, joggers, bladers when the alternative walkway is available, but it's impossible to keep them off, so caution and some patience is necessary. The spandex crowd should take Lake Shore Blvd.

 

[salsa]

I hope the latest towing blitz applies!

Not at all. Look at any of the press conferences he did for his towing blitz or congestion plan. Find me one instance where our car-friendly mayor say anything about cyclists. Somehow it's perfectly acceptable for someone to park in a bike lane, but god forbid if the same vehicle happens to block a car lane.

 

[Mariner35]

Not at all. Look at any of the press conferences he did for his towing blitz or congestion plan. Find me one instance where our car-friendly mayor say anything about cyclists. Somehow it's perfectly acceptable for someone to park in a bike lane, but god forbid if the same vehicle happens to block a car lane.

He's been forwarding a lot of tweets to Traffic Services with regards to people parking in bike lanes today and yesterday

 

[UserNameToronto]

The Richmond and Adelaide bike lanes seem to be fully installed now. Green paint on about 30% of each lane through the core. There was a volume counter on Richmond between George and Sherbourne, but it has been removed at some point in the past week.

They are being used, but peak cycling season is behind us so I'm not sure we'll really know how popular they are until spring.

 

[Napoleon]

I'm wondering what the plan is for the Adelaide bike lanes which are a mess between York and Victoria. There's construction on the right side and then sharrows painted in the middle of the unused TTC track. Is this a temporary set up? Or is this right lane construction planned to be long term? It really is quite a mess!

 

[UserNameToronto]

I left for work a few minutes later than normal today. I was in a line of 8-10 cyclists on the Richmond lane headed west from Sherbourne to Yonge at 8:10am. Great to see people are starting to notice and use these lanes (the unseasonably warm weather must help).

 

[the lemur]

I left for work a few minutes later than normal today. I was in a line of 8-10 cyclists on the Richmond lane headed east from Sherbourne to Yonge at 8:10am. Great to see people are starting to notice and use these lanes (the unseasonably warm weather must help).

It really is like an expressway for bikes sometimes, based on my experience of it (leaving work, Simcoe to Bathurst). It would be great for everyone if the bottleneck just west of Spadina were eliminated, but that's construction in this city for you, I guess.

 

[Napoleon]

I left for work a few minutes later than normal today. I was in a line of 8-10 cyclists on the Richmond lane headed east from Sherbourne to Yonge at 8:10am. Great to see people are starting to notice and use these lanes (the unseasonably warm weather must help).

I think you mean headed West on Richmond. Actually 8-10 is a small number compared to what I've seen at, say, Spadina during rush hour. Currently the Richmond lanes are in much better shape than Adelaide. The Adelaide lanes have been waiting for some utility work to finish east of Bay. City staff have confirmed that they'll put in more lane infrastructure once that's done and that more flex-posts are on order. There still will be a bit of an awkward stretch where the bike lanes get shunted onto the now filled-in streetcar tracks to create a courier zone.

I think all over the city, delivery drivers, normal drivers, and cyclists would be very well served by having lay-by areas cut into sidewalks just for delivery vehicles.

 

[innsertnamehere]

the lanes have finally been painted on Adelaide between York and Yonge..

 

[UserNameToronto]

I think you mean headed West on Richmond.

Yes, west - I fixed my original post

I think the lanes at Spadina have been around longer than the eastern extension to Parliament. The west side will always have more traffic/density than the east, but I'm hopeful the east lanes will be well-used too.

 

[mdrejhon]

During the next road repaving, does anyone envision Richmond/Adelaide to get upgraded bike treatment?

-- Distinctive color paint, such as green paint
-- Full curb barrier to protect bike lane from vehicular traffic
-- Strongly painted paths across intersections and driveways (preferably in distinctive color like a green path clear across the intersection) for safety with turning traffic, forcing more drivers to take careful glances before crossing that thick green path;

Now that the hard part is done (lane now exist), they need to be enhanced over the next five years -- enhancements like these will not steal any further car lanes, yet would make it safer for both drivers and bicyclists.

I haven't resumed using BIXI yet instead of subway/streetcars (for destinations far away from Union station) whenever I commute by GO trains, but thanks to the existence of these bike lanes I'm considering reactivating Pay-Per-Use BIXI membership. (Granted, I hope Toronto switches BIXI to a GPS tracked dockless bike fleet such as SoBi, eventually). Fuller bike protection would be just what the doctor ordered.

 

[salsa]

During the next road repaving, does anyone envision Richmond/Adelaide to get upgraded bike treatment?

Richmond/Adelaide bike lanes are a pilot project. If council decides to make it permanent (which is almost 100% certain), there will be upgrades.

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=ae48a00f92dd5410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD