On April 7th, Toronto City Council approved the Cycling Network Plan, first quarter 2022, which extends two ActiveTO cycling network expansion projects from 2021 (on Lower Bayview Avenue and Yonge Street), with a promise to add 10 km of new bikeway and 5 km of bikeway upgrades. This includes new bikeways on Sheppard Ave East, Steeles Avenue, The Queensway, Sentinel Road, Douro-Wellington, Bartlett-Havelock-Gladstone, Willowdale Avenue and more, encompassing expansion into Wards 3, 6,7,9,10,11,12,13,14,18,23 - many of which are under-represented with respect proper cycling infrastructure.
Cycle Toronto also posted a comprehensive summary, with maps, photos and timelines on their website.
Credit: CycleTO
Prior to the much anticipated City Council vote, the Infrastructure and Environment Committee heard hours of testimony from citizens, businesses, advocates, & city-works (like emergency services) before passing their approvals and recommendations on to City Council.
The most impassioned debate was regarding the Midtown /Yonge Street (Davisville to Bloor) Pilot Project. Toronto Star Columnist Shawn Micallef (an avid cyclist, and ebiker) warned the City to not allow ActiveTO to wilt or be phased out:
“One [pandemic] program, CaféTO, transformed parts of the cityscape more than most civic initiatives over the last two decades have, but another did too: ActiveTO. The closing of major streets to traffic on weekends to give people in this ever more crowded city of apartment dwellers more recreation space, people with no backyards of their own, was also heaving with humanity.”
Credit: CycleTO
The Midtown /Yonge Pilot Project is especially important in keeping Bike Delivery Riders safe and able to do their work efficiently. This benefits the whole community. It is estimated that 40% of those using the Midtown / Yonge Street new bike-lanes are Bike Delivery people, many of whom are dedicated Zygg E-bike Subscribers.
It was reported that there have been no negative impacts on response times for residents and businesses in Midtown. In fact, that area has better than average response times than comparable areas of the city, since the lanes were installed in the summer of 2021. Check out the Do Bike Lanes Increase EMS Response Times? video with Councillor Mike Layton and EMS personnel.
Micallef’s plea for naysayers who raise issues of access to be patient :
“The more permanent CaféTO / ActiveTO becomes, the more some of the design details can be worked out, like making sure ample rights of way are kept open for sidewalk accessibility as well as for cyclists, especially where streetcar tracks are present, and ensuring the patios themselves are accessible.”
In line with these improvements, @TO_Cycling - the City of Toronto’s Cycling & Pedestrian Projects Unit - revealed additional safety design features added to the Midtown / Yonge lanes to assist pedestrian, drivers and cyclist alike, right after the Cycling Network Plan Vote:
This is good news for everyone as the City moves into the warmer months.
For the latest complete streets initiatives and improvements rolling out in the GTA later this year,
follow @TO_Cycling , @CycleToronto, @BellsOnYonge , @BellsOnBloor , @BellsOnDanforth , along with #ActiveTO & #BikeTO . Happy and Safe Cycling!