Admiral Beez
Superstar
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General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)
- Thread starter rp07
- Start date
Juan_Lennon416
Senior Member
You're never going to get 100% of course, but there is strong business and BIA support. Andrew was posting as if we haven't heard from them, but they have spoken in favour and have been included in the many consultations
W. K. Lis
Superstar
In Markham, they are proposing that sidewalks be used for ad hoc bike lanes. See link and the video at this link.
The situation is that in the suburbs pedestrian use of sidewalks, especially on busy streets, is sparse. The sidewalks could be used where the roads have high speed limits of 50 km/h or higher.
In some cases, widening the sidewalk maybe an option.
The situation is that in the suburbs pedestrian use of sidewalks, especially on busy streets, is sparse. The sidewalks could be used where the roads have high speed limits of 50 km/h or higher.
In some cases, widening the sidewalk maybe an option.
ADRM
Senior Member
Very well might've been; they were teaming up, seemingly competing to see who could present a less fact-based, more pig-headed approach to the debate.
ADRM
Senior Member
Okay, one by one, quite easily:
> There are mountains of data from cities around the world to refute the assertion that protected bike lanes are safer than so-called "regular" bike lanes, which is unsurprising because the latter is literally just paint on a road. The argument, raised at committee today, that data from cities other than Toronto need not apply is narrow-minded and provincial at best. I think you have to try pretty hard to (randomly, and confusingly) hate on bike lanes to actually accept that physical separation from cars that may hit cyclists provides more safety than the lack thereof; employing even the simplest form of logic would demand one conclude otherwise.
> It's not surprising that there isn't extensive data from Toronto surrounding the safety of protected bike lanes because there are very few of them in the city and those that are haven't been around for very long and/or are poorly designed, and because cycling safety in general is ludicrously under-funded in Toronto, compared against other cities.
> The fact that there are "constantly cars and trucks parked in them" is further justification for better designed bike lanes that offer more protection, not the opposite.
> Same goes for the similarly odd assertion that the existence of three accidents today is evidence against the need for protected bike lanes. And, of course, there are no intersections in Toronto (with the exception of Queen's Quay) that have protected bike infrastructure.
> There are numerous studies from other cities that concluded that inserting protected bike lanes increased the revenue of businesses along the stretch of implementation. That shouldn't be surprising, of course, because one cyclist takes up far less space (and moves in and out far more easily) than a parked car does. Furthermore, only 10% of trips to businesses along the stretch of Bloor covered are currently taken by car). And, even more, there are numerous Green P parking lots along this stretch that are perpetually under capacity.
> Finally, are the Bloor lanes just a bad idea from Councillors Cressy and Layton? Of course not. Wrong again. First, Bloor bike lanes have been on the docket in one form or another for literally three decades, and the record will show that Joe Cressy was a 1-year-old boy thirty years ago. That's awfully young to start a campaign for protected bike lanes. This pilot project has support from literally every single business improvement association along this stretch of Bloor, a litany of advocacy groups, numerous business owners, and of course thousands of citizens who drive, bike, and walk along this stretch of Bloor, including this one.
Well, that was easy, if blood boiling to rehash after struggling through today's committee hearing.
Anyone other members of the Flat Earth Society want to take a shot?
Juan_Lennon416
Senior Member
But what is the traffic like going through the area?
bilked
Senior Member
So tired of suburbanite councillors deciding how people downtown ought to get around. When is the council vote on putting road tolls on the Bridal Path?
LNahid2000
Senior Member
Perfectly good subway line? I far prefer getting exercise to being on an uncomfortable standing room only subway car during rush hour (and having to pay for the privilege). I can bike faster than the subway during rush hour anyway. By the way, why aren't the all the people driving motorized vehicles on Bloor using the perfectly good subway line anyway?
LNahid2000
Senior Member
Bike traffic, car traffic, or pedestrian traffic? Car traffic isn't the only type of traffic.
Juan_Lennon416
Senior Member
The one in Scarborough was an impaired driver. And the victim was crossing the road mid-block according to CP24
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Juan_Lennon416
Senior Member
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
Seeing how congested the Harbord bike lanes are every day, I completely expect the Bloor lanes to be swamped from Day 1. Might even beat Queens Quay to be the most used bike lanes in the city.
Queen's Quay just keeps getting busier. I can't even imagine what it's going to be like when summer gets here. (Note to self: avoid Queen's Quay in the summer). A perfect example of build it and they will come.
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
Queens Quay carried 600 cyclists at peak point per hour in October. That may be up to 1,000 by now, based on now much it's grown the past few months. In either case, the bike lanes on Queens Quay now move more people than the car lanes.
I would not be surprised if we see 1,000 bikes per hour on the Bloor bike lanes, since there are so many more destinations along Bloor. The street moves 1500 cars per hour (at Bathurst), so these lanes may very well double the moving capacity of the street.
I would not be surprised if we see 1,000 bikes per hour on the Bloor bike lanes, since there are so many more destinations along Bloor. The street moves 1500 cars per hour (at Bathurst), so these lanes may very well double the moving capacity of the street.