Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes headed downtown)

[Towered]

Albeit at a glacial pace; we are moving a bit closer to filling in the Humber Gap in the Bike Trail system.

A report went to the TRCA Board of Directors meeting on November 20th seeking approval to proceed with an Environmental Assessment for the project.

Report link here:

https://pub-trca.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=6590

Tentative schedule is start work early in 2021 and complete the EA by November of next year.

View attachment 284459

Good to see - that current jog that cyclists are forced to endure is ridiculous.

 

[Northern Light]

** Cross Post from the North York Streetscape thread **

Its back!

Transform Yonge - Downtown North York; is the subject of a new report headed to the Dec 1st meeting of Infrastructure and Environment Ctte.

Staff have barely budged; most of the project still reads as going from six lanes to four, and adding cycle tracks along with wider sidewalks.

The only material adjustments are:

Keeping Yonge at six lanes btw Finch and Bishop.

Also agree to further expand (lengthen) the ring roads before narrowing Yonge.

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2020.IE18.1

The attached communications are weird; they are not about this project but about the Downtown Yonge project.

 

[hbf92]

I wish they'd put a multi-purpose trail (through a road diet) along Stephen Dr in that gap in the lower Humber Trail. Or in a fantasy world, a low-impact boardwalk through the marsh.

 

[Northern Light]

I wish they'd put a multi-purpose trail (through a road diet) along Stephen Dr in that gap in the lower Humber Trail. Or in a fantasy world, a low-impact boardwalk through the marsh.

A trail connection of some type will be made in that area.

The high-level options are being discussed; but any move to do it is likely a few years away.

 

[W. K. Lis]

A trail connection of some type will be made in that area.

The high-level options are being discussed; but any move to do it is likely a few years away.

With Toronto, make that "decades" away.

 

[SFO-YYZ]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1329996987840811008

Can be easily avoided with concrete barriers or curbs around intersections. All boils down to bad design.

Also, I'm wondering if it's really a good idea to be putting bike lanes on major thoroughfares like Bloor? Is there another lesser used east-west corridor nearby? I noticed that in downtown Vancouver, they tend to build separated bike lanes on adjacent side streets, to minimize friction with drivers/transit on major commercial streets like Granville or Robson. Also, a much more pleasant travel experience for cyclists with less traffic and noise.

 

[vic]

Can be easily avoided with concrete barriers or curbs around intersections. All boils down to bad design.

Also, I'm wondering if it's really a good idea to be putting bike lanes on major thoroughfares like Bloor? Is there another lesser used east-west corridor nearby? I noticed that in downtown Vancouver, they tend to build separated bike lanes on adjacent side streets, to minimize friction with drivers/transit on major commercial streets like Granville or Robson. Also, a much more pleasant travel experience for cyclists with less traffic and noise.

Vancouver has the benefit of having a grid where even the side streets connect and go for a long distance. There aren't many east-west streets that actually go places across downtown-ish Toronto. You end up with these weird zig-zaggy convoluted routes with bad crossings of major roads. Bloor St. is also where people actually want to get to.

 

[reteequa]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1332006702313594886

 

[reteequa]

motion passed

 

[urbanflight]

Public health chief, city staff back plan to put bike lanes on north Yonge Street

A controversial plan to transform a section of Yonge Street is getting positive reviews from Toronto’s top doctor.

The plan would see a stretch of Yonge in North York reduced from six lanes to four to make way for new bike lanes. The separated lanes would be installed on both side of a three kilometre stretch of the thoroughfare from Sheppard Avenue to Finch Avenue.

The $60 million ‘Tranform Yonge’ plan would also make the stretch more pedestrian-friendly. The plan could see an addition of safer pedestrian crossings, as well as a widening of sidewalks along the stretch.

The staff report will be before next weeks infrastructure and environment committee and as part of the report, a glowing endorsement from Dr. Eileen de Villa. The city’s chief medical officer says the plan will result in more social interaction and encourage active living.

Other items on the council agenda today include a request to look into possibly changing the ratio of full-time to part-time paramedics.

In a report going before council, it says by changing the ratio, more paramedics would have paid sick days to decrease the likelihood of them working in other positions, potentially exposing them to greater risk.

This comes as the union representing Toronto paramedics came out yesterday saying its members are exhausted. overwhelmed, and at a breaking point due to the workload of the COVID-19 pandemic.

City council will also debate a motion to call on the province to withdraw its amendment to the municipal elections act as it relates to ranked ballot elections.

Toronto had recently voted to go ahead with consultations to look into the use of ranked ballots for the 2026 municipal election.

 

[H4F33Z]

Sad news: The Brimley bike lanes will be removed immediately, as confirmed by the councillors.

 

[allengeorge]

Sad news: The Brimley bike lanes will be removed immediately, as confirmed by the councillors.

Rationale?

 

[Andy_in_Toronto]

How can two city councillors decide on their own to remove such an important north / south connection for cycling?

 

[jelbana]

How can two city councillors decide on their own to remove such an important north / south connection for cycling?

The importance of voting in the right politicians...

 

[urbanflight]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1333574656180285443