As part of the development of its 10-year Cycling Network Plan, the City of Toronto is asking for pubic input on its interactive draft map of proposed bike routes and areas of study. The map is a result of ongoing research and public input carried out through Phase 1 of the project, and begins to identify areas and roads of priority for the implementation and upgrade of new or existing bike lanes. The public is asked to provide feedback and suggestions to further develop the city's cycling strategy, either through their draft map, public consultations, or the Toronto Cycling App.

A screenshot of the interactive draft map, image courtesy of https://torontocyclingnetwork.metroquest.ca/

Approximately 54% of all Torontonians are cyclists in the city; roughly 25% bike primarily for recreation, while about 29% regularly bike for transportation purposes. The city's analysis takes into account cyclist's daily routes, as well as their preferences for the design of bike lanes and their comfort level of cycling in traffic, building off of the previous cycling initiatives implemented by the city since 2001.

The draft map kicks off the second phase of the Cycling Network Plan, but avoids prescribing detailed designs; it is simply intended to get the conversation started on Toronto's biking future by identifying proposed routes on "Quiet Streets", "Fast Busy Streets", and "Proposed Major Corridor Studies". Some major corridors have been identified as possible candidates to create city-wide connections, such as Yonge Street, Bloor Street, Danforth Avenue, Kingston Road, Midland Avenue, and Lake Shore Boulevard in Etobicoke, in which case a full traffic study would be initiated to determine their impact and involve all interested stakeholders.

To learn more about the extensive analysis and criteria used to the develop the map, you can visit the "Studying Toronto" section on the City's website.

A view of the new bike lanes on Queens Quay, image courtesy of Marcus Mitanis

The next steps in the process will involve public consultations in each of the City districts to further inform the 10-year plan. Once approved by City Council for implementation, public input will be sought from local residents and businesses on a project-by-project basis as part of the detailed design process prior to the installation of each new bike route. For now, the interactive draft map, available until July 31, can be used to have your say in the future of cycling in Toronto.