General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)

[salsa]

The number of East-West cycling routes through the city is expanding significantly!

Going to love to see all this expansion paired with Eglinton Connects in a few years time!

Much like our transit plans, there are a bunch of new east-west routes but not a lot of north-south.

 

[the lemur]

Much like our transit plans, there are a bunch of new east-west routes but not a lot of north-south.

That's true ... where do you think the next north-south route should be?

 

[innsertnamehere]

Yonge, easy. Biggest missing link in north south cycling is in the direct downtown.

 

[salsa]

That's true ... where do you think the next north-south route should be?

Definitely Yonge St, as innsert said. They could also do University Ave, upgrade St George/Beverly to a cycle track, add contra-flow lanes on one way streets such as Palmerston (just like they did with Shaw St).

There's also a lot that needs to be done outside the downtown core. While Eglinton and Bloor/Danforth are slated to get bike lanes in a few years, there are hardly any cycling routes that connect these two streets. For one, I would like to see a cycle track along Laird-->Millwood Rd-->Donlands Ave. Because of the Don Valley, the Leaside Bridge is the only access between Midtown and East York, but as a cycling route it's very unsafe given the heavy traffic. Some sections even have sidewalks or crosswalks on only one side of the street. Something needs to be done about this.

 

[LNahid2000]

Because of the Don Valley, the Leaside Bridge is the only access between Midtown and East York, but as a cycling route it's very unsafe given the heavy traffic.

The bridge actually has a bike lane, and you can use small streets south of it, but I agree that it can feel unsafe north of Overlea. Once you get to Southvale, you can use Sutherland instead of Laird to avoid all the traffic though.

 

[salsa]

The bridge actually has a bike lane, and you can use small streets south of it, but I agree that it can feel unsafe north of Overlea. Once you get to Southvale, you can use Sutherland instead of Laird to avoid all the traffic though.

I do avoid Laird, but going south eventually I'm forced onto the road which gets pretty bad. It's true that there are bike lanes on the Leaside bridge but given the speed of the traffic, they should be wider and have some separation.

 

[WislaHD]

I do avoid Laird, but going south eventually I'm forced onto the road which gets pretty bad. It's true that there are bike lanes on the Leaside bridge but given the speed of the traffic, they should be wider and have some separation.

I have absolutely no idea why the bike lanes on Laird/Leaside Bridge and on Bayview are not separated from the traffic.

If you ever want to make cycling accessible to the entire population, you need separation. A little painted white line next to highway-like traffic is absurd. Especially on Bayview where your sight lines are compromised.

 

[ShonTron]

I'd like to see many more contra-flow lanes. Palmerston is a good choice, since it's two-way between College and Bloor - allowing northbound cyclists to continue straight north at Bloor (as is often done, illegally) is a great idea; so is connecting it to Queen/Tecumseh.

Augusta Avenue and Brunswick Street would another ideal north-south route. An Augusta/Bellevue route is planned for 2016, but there are more opportunities for contra-flow lanes to navigate the one-way mazes meant to keep cars out of neighbourhoods. I'd also like to see Vancouver-style barriers that allow bikes to pass, instead of one-way streets altogether.

 

[salsa]

Come to the public drop-in event today to see the preferred design of the Bloor Street bike lanes.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016. 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.​

Location: Trinity-St.Paul's Centre - Gym

427 Bloor Street West​

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Aerial maps: West of Spadina | East of Spadina

 

[WislaHD]

I hope they are protected more frequently than shown.

 

[P23]

Much like our transit plans, there are a bunch of new east-west routes but not a lot of north-south.

The issue is not so much on the streets themselves, there are many quiet residential streets one can take N/S. The issue is when you come across one of the arterials and there isn't any easy way to cross and continue. Signals are more costly than paint so I'm guessing this is why there hasn't been much progress.

 

[Napoleon]

The issue is not so much on the streets themselves, there are many quiet residential streets one can take N/S. The issue is when you come across one of the arterials and there isn't any easy way to cross and continue. Signals are more costly than paint so I'm guessing this is why there hasn't been much progress.

This is particularly an issue at Shaw and College. Very heavy cycling traffic (as well as pedestrian crossings right there). Would definitely benefit from a light to allow bikes/peds to cross.

 

[ShonTron]

This is particularly an issue at Shaw and College. Very heavy cycling traffic (as well as pedestrian crossings right there). Would definitely benefit from a light to allow bikes/peds to cross.

Yes. There's a pedestrian crossover on the west side of the street, but this needs to be converted to traffic signals.

Quiet north-south streets aren't that great because of all the navigation one has to do with the one-way road system. Also, the traffic lights are often positioned at the intersection of a major street, and one-way street that changes direction at the major street. It allows cars to make left turns easier. We should be using those intersections to allow bikes through at existing lights, with contraflow lanes. Bloor and Brunswick is one example, Dundas and Huron is another.

 

[muller877]

Toronto Bike Share expansion!

http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2016/03/02/toronto-bike-share-aims-to-move-down-the-road.html

Why the heck are they trying to expand in Mississauga before they actually roll out in Toronto? Focus people focus!

 

[LNahid2000]

Why the heck are they trying to expand in Mississauga before they actually roll out in Toronto? Focus people focus!

Right now, the network stops at Ossington Avenue in the west, Parliament Street to the east, and Bloor Street to the north. The parking authority is also planning an expansion within the city in the next couple of months.

Moving outside Toronto would come after that with bike stations placed at transportation hubs and shopping hubs throughout the GTHA, said Marie Casista a vice-president of the Toronto Parking Authority.