What you are stating here is an opinion, not facts.
This is not correct.
The statement was about congestion in Toronto writ large, and therefore the problem about which some drivers are understandably plaintive.
The majority of congestion as experienced by the majority of drivers occurs on highways, followed, typically, by select roads which serve as entry/exit points from same (see York and Spadina and Harbour in downtown).
There are no cycle tracks on University south of Adelaide, or York south of University, nor on Spadina, while Habour has a multi-use path above curb level.
None of the highways have cycle tracks.
Ergo, the conclusion inferred is that removing all bike lanes would benefit a relatively small portion of any congestion experienced by the typical Toronto commuter on any given day.
I don't see how one could possibly draw any other conclusion. We could attempt the math on exactly what percentage of commuters might benefit and by exactly how much; but that it would be few and very little isn't really in doubt.
Removing bike lanes from individual streets will reduce congestion on those streets; at least in theory.
Plausibly; but that certainly isn't a fact. It would depend on what condition you returned those curb lanes to. In most cases, they were on-street parking 22 hours per day, M-F and 24 hours per day on weekends.
In which case, at best, the impact would be a marginal one for two hours per day, on weekdays, in one direction at a time only.
Typically, when cycle tracks are put in, travel time impacts are mitigated by adding and lengthening left turn lanes. In some cases, removing the bike lanes may necessitate shortening or removing said turn lanes, partially offsetting any gain.
Of course, the City could also choose to do any number of things w/the space were the cycle tracks removed............and could impose any number of changes or restrictions which would eliminate any benefit.
Also, every bike lane study that I have reviewed shows increased times in traffic & assumes a reduction in the amount of cars/trucks on those routes.
Generally, this is true; but conversely, removing the cycle tracks would generally make an assumption of an increased number of cars using that stretch of road, which would again offset, at least partially, any benefit drivers might gain from removing said lanes.
Your comment about overall congestion city wide is silly. Of course if one were to remove bike lanes on Yonge St., it would not have an impact to traffic on Kennedy Rd., but it will have an impact on Yonge St.
It wasn't silly. What most drivers care about is their daily commute, if most drivers aren't on Yonge north of Bloor each day, they couldn't care one whit about how well it does or does not move.
If the desire is to move traffic more quickly on the Gardiner, the 401 or Spadina/York, different investments in both roads and transit are required.
Lastly, there is some debate about whether the majority of people want or don't want bike lanes. I have no idea, but there are clearly a lot of people on both sides of the issue who are passionate in their opinions. If we assume it's 50/50 approve/disapprove of bike lanes (I have no idea what the real figure is), then Premier Ford will gain as many supporters as he will lose. The big issue that people on here are missing is that regardless of votes, this issue/dispute is a huge campaign money generator.
This is potentially more accurate. However, its a lousy basis for making public policy.
