Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes)

[Northern Light]

the bike lanes could be a lot more aesthetically pleasing in Toronto in my opinion. would be nice if they didn't just throw up these really ugly reflectors and actually cared about how it makes the street look, not just function.

this looks horrible.

View attachment 576279

the ones along Adelaide / Richmond are infinitely better.View attachment 576281

Staff do care. You're looking at temporary or interim conditions, not the permanent build. These are done to deliver cycle tracks on roads that are not scheduled for road work currently; the permanent version, generally, will be done when the road comes up for major resurfacing or reconstruction.

Permanent designs in Toronto do, and will look better.

The barriers you highlight in your second photo were a City of Toronto innovation that allows water to flow underneath the barrier. Other cities call these 'the Toronto solution'

 

[duty free]

Staff do care. You're looking at temporary or interim conditions, not the permanent build. These are done to deliver cycle tracks on roads that are not scheduled for road work currently; the permanent version, generally, will be done when the road comes up for major resurfacing or reconstruction.

Permanent designs in Toronto do, and will look better.

The barriers you highlight in your second photo were a City of Toronto innovation that allows water to flow underneath the barrier. Other cities call these 'the Toronto solution'

Thanks for the insight. The Toronto solution barriers are great, both aesthetically and functionally. So why aren’t they on Bloor yet? It’s been like this for years.

 

[Northern Light]

Thanks for the insight.

You're welcome.

The Toronto solution barriers are great, both aesthetically and functionally. So why aren’t they on Bloor yet? It’s been like this for years.

I can't speak to Bloor specifically (I haven't asked); but in general, cost aside, the mini-jerseys require a bit more room around them than the flexiposts. Also there may be issues around waste pick-up.

In the case of the central portion of Bloor, most of it is due to get upgraded in the next few years. (Spadina to Avenue Road is being done now), currently (holds breath and crosses fingers) LOL, Bloor from Avenue to Parliament should see an upgrade in 2027.

In the west, Lansdowne to the rail corridor (just west of St. Helens) is pencilled in for 2028.

 

[robmausser]

Thanks for the insight. The Toronto solution barriers are great, both aesthetically and functionally. So why aren’t they on Bloor yet? It’s been like this for years.

The city would get screamed at by penny pinching tax payers if they do any work that requires the street to be ripped up more than once.

So any permanent bike lane work needs to be done in conjunction with road resurfacing, utilities repair etc.

So they have to basically wait until the perfect storm of a situation where all of it can be done at once, which is not only hard to coordinate, but also can be years before work needs to be done on other things.

 

[robmausser]

The contact info of the project manager, Daniel Dyce, is at at the bottom of the link I posted, give him a call or send him an email asking about that.

Its certainly plausible it could be retained, I just don't see any specific evidence that its planned.

But sometimes things like that do stick around. The very first leg of the East Don Trail going north from the forks, was built, as a dirt/gravel road, for emergency erosion control works.

It was never removed. It just dead-ended, and wasn't paved or made an official trail. But it is now being integrated into the East Don Trail, something like 20 years later.

So heres the response I got about this work in the Burke Brook Ravine:

Thank you for your interest in Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s (TRCA) Burke Brook Ravine Project behind the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.


This project, led by TRCA, was undertaken to repair and upgrade stormwater infrastructure owned by the hospital that is contributing to erosion. As a result, the work is being funded through a partnership with the hospital.


Following these emergency works, TRCA has been working with the City who is reviewing opportunities to provide a formal trail connection through this section as part of future initiatives in this area. The granular material used for this construction access is not acceptable for use on pedestrian trails nor appropriate to leave in place based on potential City initiative timelines through Toronto Water, and Parks Forestry and Restoration. Therefore, this granular material will be removed as part of TRCA’s restoration from these emergency works; however, the overall grading and planting strategy was completed, in consultation with the City, to minimize future efforts and costs required by the City for possible trail construction initiatives in the future.

So it sounds like hopefully, eventually there will be a trail in there, and they are doing what they can to facilite the work in the future, but nothing has been officially planned.

 

[Northern Light]

So heres the response I got about this work in the Burke Brook Ravine:

So it sounds like hopefully, eventually there will be a trail in there, and they are doing what they can to facilite the work in the future, but nothing has been officially planned.

Excellent! Thanks for taking the time to inquire and to relay the info!

 

[DSCToronto]

Staff do care. You're looking at temporary or interim conditions, not the permanent build. These are done to deliver cycle tracks on roads that are not scheduled for road work currently; the permanent version, generally, will be done when the road comes up for major resurfacing or reconstruction.

Permanent designs in Toronto do, and will look better.

The barriers you highlight in your second photo were a City of Toronto innovation that allows water to flow underneath the barrier. Other cities call these 'the Toronto solution'

The Esplanade is a good example. It started as painted lines, then it moved to the low barriers and flexi-posts and (in September) when they finish the Water project going on now the bike lane will be raised from road surface.

 

[turbanplanner]

I sat for ~15 mins at bloor and old mill. Despite seeing hundreds of cars on a peak cycling day I saw a total of 3 bikes. I'm considering setting up a camera during rush hour to see totals for a given day

 

[Northern Light]

I sat for ~15 mins at bloor and old mill. Despite seeing hundreds of cars on a peak cycling day I saw a total of 3 bikes. I'm considering setting up a camera during rush hour to see totals for a given day

To what purpose?

The facility has just barely been installed, you were expecting 400 people to ditch their cars or TTC and take up a bike in the course of a few weeks?

 

[reinventingthewheel]

The Esplanade is a good example. It started as painted lines, then it moved to the low barriers and flexi-posts and (in September) when they finish the Water project going on now the bike lane will be raised from road surface.

I have seen work in bits and pieces. I haven’t travelled the whole length of the park in a while but I’ve never noticed more than a few guys working on it.

Anyone know if this work is keeping up with its schedule? Is the raised cycle track really expected in September?

 

[DSCToronto]

I have seen work in bits and pieces. I haven’t travelled the whole length of the park in a while but I’ve never noticed more than a few guys working on it.

Anyone know if this work is keeping up with its schedule? Is the raised cycle track really expected in September?

The Toronto Water work on The Esplanade has finished (mostly) from Berkeley to Frederick so only the couple of blocks from Frederick to Lower Jarvis to do (plus George St S). (This part is NOT going west of lower Jarvis). The water parts of the project are all supposed to be finished by 26 August and they seem to be on schedule. It's the same contractor (Rabcon) for the next phase - bike track and street re-paving so no reason to think it is not going to be worked on in September (and October?)/ The work IN David Crombie Park is scheduled for 2025. Not sure exactly when they will add the bike track WEST of Lower Jarvis but think it is NOT raised so it can be done fast.

 

[Amare]

I cant believe the day has come where I would actually agree with Stephen Holyday on anything, but alas here we are. Trust me, i'm in shock myself.

I'm in full agreement that there should be no bike lanes on Kipling from Six Points to Lake Shore. That plan makes absolutely no sense whatsoever as the corridor is a heavily used industrial corridor filled with transport trucks and in all my years going through that particular stretch (i've probably done so over 5000 times in the past 10 years), I can literally count on my fingers the number of times i've seen a bike use that corridor.

It doesnt make any sense and all it's going to do is lead to even more significant congestion on Kipling (particularily the stretch between Evans and Queensway, and from North Queen to Norseman). If the city actually studied the traffic patterns here they would see that the significant adverse impacts here: buses are already delayed by heavy traffic along the aforementioned stretches i mentioned, and transport trucks are just going to be slowed down even further leading to costlier trips. All for what, the 5 people per day who will bike along this corridor?

Islington would be the option that would make far greater sense, but it looks like the city is just interested in putting lines on a map and calling it a day for the sake of boosting bike lane numbers in the city.

 

[Northern Light]

I cant believe the day has come where I would actually agree with Stephen Holyday on anything, but alas here we are. Trust me, i'm in shock myself.

I'm in full agreement that there should be no bike lanes on Kipling from Six Points to Lake Shore. That plan makes absolutely no sense whatsoever as the corridor is a heavily used industrial corridor filled with transport trucks and in all my years going through that particular stretch (i've probably done so over 5000 times in the past 10 years), I can literally count on my fingers the number of times i've seen a bike use that corridor.

What if it doesn't involve cutting a travel lane (for vehicles) ? What if the centre turn lane comes out (left hand turn lanes at lights remain).....but you get a 3M trail down one of the boulevards? Just asking.

All for what, the 5 people per day who will bike along this corridor?

In fairness, maybe the low number is because of how inhospitable/unsafe the current conditions are........

I'm not going to suggest it will instantly become a cycling mecca...........

Islington would be the option that would make far greater sense, but it looks like the city is just interested in putting lines on a map and calling it a day for the sake of boosting bike lane numbers in the city.

I don't think that's a fair characterization of staff's thought process.

 

[junctionist]

Toronto often has low public realm design standards that are almost laughable. Here, a utilitarian mini-highway barrier is seen as the aesthetically pleasing "final" design option.

I've seen permanent concrete planters with shrubs and perennials in other cities as the separator for separated bike lanes. I've seen a strip of trees as the separator. Here's a somewhat basic design from Vancouver that's nicer than anything we have (short of perhaps the flagship Martin Goodman Trail along Queens Quay). Here's another example.

The benefits to lush landscaped designs are multi-fold. They make cycling more relaxing and pleasant. They're aesthetically pleasing and calming, which can make even car-driving conservatives happy (especially if they're beautifying their neighbourhood and increasing their property values). As the trees mature, they'll add shade which will make cycling even more comfortable and pleasant as well.

 

[Amare]

What if it doesn't involve cutting a travel lane (for vehicles) ? What if the centre turn lane comes out (left hand turn lanes at lights remain).....but you get a 3M trail down one of the boulevards? Just asking.

I see that as an issue in and of itself in this particular case, as it would create pinch points along some key intersections (ie: Kipling and North Queen) which is already a congested mess ever since the city added traffic signals at Kipling and Judson. Remove those centre lanes and traffic on Kipling will be backed up all the way through to Norseman to the north, and backed up through to the Gardiner from the south. Simply put in my eyes, they are asking for trouble and it's going to create more problems than it will solve.

In fairness, maybe the low number is because of how inhospitable/unsafe the current conditions are........

I'm not going to suggest it will instantly become a cycling mecca...........

I'm a pretty frequent bike rider myself and use Bike Share, and heck i'd never consider using Kipling even if it had separated bike lanes. Where exactly are they expecting the trips to go and come from? I highly doubt workers in a 2 km radius of Kipling are going to use it to get to/from the industrial confines of Etobicoke. Nor do I see commuters using it to get to/from Kipling Station, and I dont see people taking a leisurely stroll along Kipling either. So the question becomes what's their end game with having bike lanes here?

I don't think that's a fair characterization of staff's thought process.

I'd be genuinely curious what their thought process would be for the Kipling Ave bike lanes because frankly I cant find a reason to justify the existence of it. It's akin to proposing bike lanes on North Queen St and saying it would be of benefit to anyone.