College Street, one of Toronto’s most important east / west arteries, is set for a much-needed boost to the city’s cycling network. Starting the week of March 6, the City of Toronto announced that work will commence on upgrading the existing bike lanes on College between Bay Street and Manning Avenue into “cycle tracks”, which are lanes for bicycles that are adjacent to the road but separated from vehicle traffic. This area is infused with commuters traveling to work in the financial district and hospital row, students and faculty accessing The University of Toronto, OCADU, and Toronto Metropolitan University, and downtown residents going about their daily social activities. Traveling along College Street is very popular with cyclists, especially e-bike food delivery riders, as it is connected to many densely populated neighborhoods chock-full of a lively restaurant culture.
Work will take place primarily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Friday, with work after hours and on weekends on an as-needed basis. The work will continue for the next two months into May, ready for the anticipated influx of spring and summer riders throughout the area.
The cycle tracks on the section between Manning Avenue and Spadina Avenue will be elevated, while the tracks built between Spadina Avenue and Bay Street will be at ground level.
In a recent interview with CBC News, Councillor Dianne Saxe (Ward 11, University-Rosedale) says the project is a long-time coming that will pay off for both businesses and residents down the road.
"I know that there's a huge unmet desire for people to cycle," Saxe said in an interview. Councillor Saxe is also a well-known urban cyclist. "People won't cycle unless it's safe, and we need separated bike lanes to make it safe."
CBC NEWS TORONTO profiled the much anticipated changes to the fabric of the College streetscape, on its nightly newscast. You can view the complete feature, starting at timecode 18:50 . Spot a cameo of Zygg’s Subscription Ebikes stylish Model “A” at timecode 20:14!
Find more information on the construction work and its progress at The City of Toronto site.