vic
Senior Member
Don't forget, Pharmacy HAD a bike lane for a while until The Car Strikes Back.... http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/10/pharmacy_bike_lane_bites_the_dust/
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General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)
- Thread starter rp07
- Start date
Don't forget, Pharmacy HAD a bike lane for a while until The Car Strikes Back.... http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/10/pharmacy_bike_lane_bites_the_dust/
the lemur
Senior Member
I don't mind having to go up to Elm Ridge so much, but I wonder if the part of the trail allowance on either side of Marlee could ever be used again.
LNahid2000
Senior Member
I never really bother with this trail because there aren't proper crossings at Oriole Pkwy, Avenue Rd, Eglinton, and Bathurst. Might as well just use Chaplin.
Zach6668
Active Member
Traffic lights were recently added at the Avenue crossing.
Eglinton crossing is fully grade separated.
They added a cut to the island at Oriole which allows a 2-stage crossing (like at Pottery Rd where the Don trail crosses it)
Only Bathurst hasn't had improvements that I'm aware of.
Chaplin has a thousand 4-way stops, so depending on how liberal you are with those, you could find it faster, but I'm not sure it is with all the traffic. Really depends.
LNahid2000
Senior Member
I'm glad it's been improved since I last used it...it has been a couple of years and having to either cross mid-block or go to the nearest light at each major intersection annoyed me.
Zach6668
Active Member
Yeah, for sure. There was a full study commissioned somewhere that called for even more extensive work at the crossings, but getting even these few things is a big help.
Eglinton was always grade separated (the trail runs well under Eglinton's grade) - I assume that was just an oversight by you.
Bathurst is definitely the biggest issue left to resolve now, plus a connection over the Allen at some point in the future.
hawc
Senior Member
Finally given up driving and decided to start cycling to work. Feels great! Here's my route, it's awesome because it feels like it's 80% bike path. But I have two transitions on to the road which I find are a bit awkward. Would love some input on whether there's a better route for these little sections circled in purple.
1) The first is the transition from Parliament or Cherry across Lakeshore to the Martin Goodman trail.
2) The second is the transition off the Martin Goodman trail again across the Lakeshore at the Prince's gates up into Liberty Village.
Both feel a bit sketchy with a lot of busy car traffic. Is there a better way across that anyone could recommend for these two sections?
Overall though I'm so grateful for our bike paths and hope we keep getting more.
1) The first is the transition from Parliament or Cherry across Lakeshore to the Martin Goodman trail.
2) The second is the transition off the Martin Goodman trail again across the Lakeshore at the Prince's gates up into Liberty Village.
Both feel a bit sketchy with a lot of busy car traffic. Is there a better way across that anyone could recommend for these two sections?
Overall though I'm so grateful for our bike paths and hope we keep getting more.
Attachments
steveintoronto
Superstar
Much better! That Dutch one left me on edge just watching it. Cycling shouldn't have to be 'daredevil personified'. I still find it perturbing to watch the left hand side cycling though.
In my sojourns in the UK, I got used to cycling on the left, but I never changed my brake levers to the opposite side, for very good reason. That is far more deeply ingrained in the reflex response mechanism. You never know what you'll do in a split-second emergency.
On that topic, as much as I could adapt to 'being on the wrong side of the road' I still had massive attacks of anxiety when a car was coming the other way....with a passenger and no driver! Many of those split-second impressions are crucial to getting safety right or wrong.
I try and stick to rail-trails as much as possible nowadays, at least for distance.
The intersection at Cherry sucks. There's no way around it at the moment.
The intersection at Remembrance and Lake Shore was recently upgraded to have cycling lights so it's way better than it used to be. Obey the signals, and you'll be fine
And congratulations on an excellent decision.
The intersection at Remembrance and Lake Shore was recently upgraded to have cycling lights so it's way better than it used to be. Obey the signals, and you'll be fine
And congratulations on an excellent decision.
the lemur
Senior Member
1) Stay on Mill, cross Parliament and the parkette to the Esplanade to Sherbourne - the bike tracks go down to Lake Shore now.
2) Use the Remembrance/Lake Shore intersection as described by PinkLucy, but cut through the Ex to the GO station and use the elevators and underpass to get to Atlantic.
Or, if you're cutting through the Ex anyway and you really hate the Remembrance intersection, stay on the trail and go over the pedestrian/cycling bridges into the Ex and go to the GO station.
And yeah, re Mill St -- my bad, I didn't see you were coming/going north there
And yeah, re Mill St -- my bad, I didn't see you were coming/going north there
hawc
Senior Member
Flint
New Member
Jumping on the advice bandwagon, I'm planing to start leaving my car at work and bike to and from home periodically.
I live in East York and Google maps has me taking the following route:
1. Lower Don River Trail to the Martin Goodman Trail
2. Martin Goodman Trail to Humber River Trail
3. Humber River Trail to The Queensway
4. The Queensway to Kipling
It's a bit of a journey I know but I'm willing to give it a shot.
What I'm most worried about is the stretch along The Queensway. I don't feel like I'll be safe riding on that road. I'm thinking just to cut through the side streets to avoid it.
Anyone familiar with the area that could provide me with some advice?
I live in East York and Google maps has me taking the following route:
1. Lower Don River Trail to the Martin Goodman Trail
2. Martin Goodman Trail to Humber River Trail
3. Humber River Trail to The Queensway
4. The Queensway to Kipling
It's a bit of a journey I know but I'm willing to give it a shot.
What I'm most worried about is the stretch along The Queensway. I don't feel like I'll be safe riding on that road. I'm thinking just to cut through the side streets to avoid it.
Anyone familiar with the area that could provide me with some advice?
hawc
Senior Member
Wow that's quite a commute! East York to Etobicoke.
Couple comments:
The Lower Don River Trail is a little tight. Feels more like a walking path then a proper bike trail. And really, really bumpy with roots breaking through the pavement. But I think they're going to repave it this summer. Might be better just to find a quiet road to get down to the MG trail
Queensway is really sketchy for cycling. I'd try and and stay on the much quieter Lakeshore for as long as possible if you could once you hit the end of the MG trail at the Humber river.
Hope that helps.
Couple comments:
The Lower Don River Trail is a little tight. Feels more like a walking path then a proper bike trail. And really, really bumpy with roots breaking through the pavement. But I think they're going to repave it this summer. Might be better just to find a quiet road to get down to the MG trail
Queensway is really sketchy for cycling. I'd try and and stay on the much quieter Lakeshore for as long as possible if you could once you hit the end of the MG trail at the Humber river.
Hope that helps.
ShonTron
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Try Lake Shore - Hillside - New Toronto - Kipling. It'd cut a kilometre from staying on the Waterfront route through Mimico and New Toronto, but be less sketchy than Queensway.