[christiesplits]

Great column by Edward Keenan on cycling in the city.

Sustainability and physical fitness and unclogging traffic are all good reasons for us, collectively, to want the city to promote cycling — to build bike lanes and the Bike Share network and such. But they aren’t the things you’d want to emphasize to actually promote it. Because they aren’t the main reason many of us average, selfish slobs will actually do it.

As someone who has been converted in middle age into a sometimes-cycling commuter, here’s why: as the various means of commuting go, it is a relative joy. Often an absolute joy.

Edward Keenan: Fed up with your commute? This way of getting to work is an absolute joy

The rapid expansion of Bike Share may be a public policy victory — but it’s one that’s based on the simple truth that cycling is fun.

www.thestar.com

 

[Northern Light]

Looks like parking wins over bike lanes once again:

In My Opinion: Need for protected cycle tracks on Jones Avenue must be made clear to local councillor – Beach Metro Community News

The Jones Avenue bike lane looking north between Queen Street East and Dundas Street East is seen in this photo. Photo by Alan Shackleton. By LANRICK

beachmetro.com

"Options for enhanced bike lanes on Jones Avenue from Dundas to Queen were brought forward by city staff in 2023 when plans were made to repave this busy section of Jones.

Option 1 detailed how to make cycling safer using the existing lanes. Option 2 proposed a separated cycle lane from drivers by moving it next to the sidewalk. An online survey conducted by the city showed support for Option 2.

When starting the actual technical design, City staff realized they had miscalculated the loss of parking associated with Option 2 which would actually require the loss of 60 per cent of current parking spaces.

Jones Avenue is a busy street with parking serving nearby businesses. People are shopping, they are parking in the neighbourhood or waiting on the street for public transit. Permit parking is pretty well full. The loss of 60 per cent of available parking spots was going to be untenable.

In that spirit, a way forward has been found to make safety enhancements to the bike lanes on Jones Avenue between Dundas and Queen Streets without incurring substantial loss of parking spots.

City staff will now suggest proceeding with Option 1, in which the existing bike lanes will be reinstalled with safety improvements. That includes raised bike/bus platform stops at Jones Avenue north of Queen and Jones Avenue south of Dundas that will prevent buses from having to enter the bikeway."

I can confirm the above as correct.

Now, I think its important to note that this is an Op-Ed Cycling activist Lanrick Bennett Jr. followed by a reply from Cllr. Fletcher.

Lanrick wrote:

This too is correct.

****

If the Councillor would support market-rates for permit parking, the demand would decline by at least 20%, and if access to carsharing were dramatically improved, by at least another 10%......

Of course, the Councillor has not seen fit to support these solutions......

 

[TwoWheelPoli]

Looks like parking wins over bike lanes once again:

In My Opinion: Need for protected cycle tracks on Jones Avenue must be made clear to local councillor – Beach Metro Community News

The Jones Avenue bike lane looking north between Queen Street East and Dundas Street East is seen in this photo. Photo by Alan Shackleton. By LANRICK

beachmetro.com

"Options for enhanced bike lanes on Jones Avenue from Dundas to Queen were brought forward by city staff in 2023 when plans were made to repave this busy section of Jones.

Option 1 detailed how to make cycling safer using the existing lanes. Option 2 proposed a separated cycle lane from drivers by moving it next to the sidewalk. An online survey conducted by the city showed support for Option 2.

When starting the actual technical design, City staff realized they had miscalculated the loss of parking associated with Option 2 which would actually require the loss of 60 per cent of current parking spaces.

Jones Avenue is a busy street with parking serving nearby businesses. People are shopping, they are parking in the neighbourhood or waiting on the street for public transit. Permit parking is pretty well full. The loss of 60 per cent of available parking spots was going to be untenable.

In that spirit, a way forward has been found to make safety enhancements to the bike lanes on Jones Avenue between Dundas and Queen Streets without incurring substantial loss of parking spots.

City staff will now suggest proceeding with Option 1, in which the existing bike lanes will be reinstalled with safety improvements. That includes raised bike/bus platform stops at Jones Avenue north of Queen and Jones Avenue south of Dundas that will prevent buses from having to enter the bikeway."

Very disappointed. It's high time for Paula Fletcher to retire and allow some new blood to represent Toronto Danforth.

 

[myself]

I can confirm the above as correct.

Now, I think its important to note that this is an Op-Ed Cycling activist Lanrick Bennett Jr. followed by a reply from Cllr. Fletcher.

Lanrick wrote:

View attachment 656614

This too is correct.

****

If the Councillor would support market-rates for permit parking, the demand would decline by at least 20%, and if access to carsharing were dramatically improved, by at least another 10%......

Of course, the Councillor has not seen fit to support these solutions......

And our new chair of Infra & Enviro Committee . An abomination of a decision by the mayor to appoint Fletcher to that position.

 

[tallcoleman]

Thought folks might find this interesting - I took up to date street imagery of the bike lanes threatened by Bill 212: https://bikespacetoblog.wordpress.c...t-risk-and-using-it-to-help-fix-bike-parking/

One thing that struck me the most is that there's still a huge amount of development going on at Bloor and Kipling with a cluster of curb-protected bike lanes already installed. There are great TTC and GO connections in the area, but if the province removes the Bloor W lanes, then a bunch of those future residents will still likely feel like they need a car.

 

[TwoWheelPoli]

A promising sign from Olivia Chow and Doug Ford regarding the bike lanes on Bloor, Yonge, and University per this CP24 article, though we will still need to see the details on which road segments would see traffic lanes added back in.

Chow, Ford strike collaborative tone on future of Toronto bike lanes

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow appear to have found middle ground on the future of bike lanes in the city as the province looks to rip up 19 kilometres of cycling infrastructure on three major roads.

www.cp24.com

 

[Northern Light]

A promising sign from Olivia Chow and Doug Ford regarding the bike lanes on Bloor, Yonge, and University per this CP24 article, though we will still need to see the details on which road segments would see traffic lanes added back in.

Chow, Ford strike collaborative tone on future of Toronto bike lanes

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow appear to have found middle ground on the future of bike lanes in the city as the province looks to rip up 19 kilometres of cycling infrastructure on three major roads.

www.cp24.com

Discussions are indeed ongoing............

In the meantime, the normal pre-summer Cycling Infra update (which includes new/enhanced infra) will be on the July agenda of I&E don't expect anything miraculous there......and because its late, most of it won't be deliverable this year, but instead next.

That said......something fairly substantial is likely to show up in October.

A whack of consultation will also be starting up again shortly.

 

[Frankietls]

Discussions are indeed ongoing............

In the meantime, the normal pre-summer Cycling Infra update (which includes new/enhanced infra) will be on the July agenda of I&E don't expect anything miraculous there......and because it late, most of it won't be deliverable this year, but instead next.

That said......something fairly substantial is likely to show up in October.

A whack of consultation will also be starting up again shortly.

is there any news about the West Rail Path extension ? The city website still mention a start day for its construction in 2025.

 

[Northern Light]

is there any news about the West Rail Path extension ? The city website still mention a start day for its construction in 2025.

Supposed to go ahead this year............but Mx hasn't got past this (Market Sounding)

Metrolinx - Abstract - RFI-2024-DIKW-145 - Rfi (market Sounding) For West End Toronto Rail Path

www.metrolinx.merx.com

I would hope they would skip the RFQ, but they need to put an RFP and at this point, its unlikely any such process could close before August, which would mean an October start, maybe?

 

[TwoWheelPoli]

Discussions are indeed ongoing............

In the meantime, the normal pre-summer Cycling Infra update (which includes new/enhanced infra) will be on the July agenda of I&E don't expect anything miraculous there......and because its late, most of it won't be deliverable this year, but instead next.

That said......something fairly substantial is likely to show up in October.

A whack of consultation will also be starting up again shortly.

Curious to find out which consultations are coming down the pipe, NL.

Meanwhile, I just found out this morning about the Alton Towers Neighbourhood Connections project in Scarborough which calls for bike lanes on Ingleton Boulevard. The public drop-in is happening on Wednesday, June 11 with comments due on Wednesday, June 25.

Alton Towers Neighbourhood Connections

Attend the public drop-in event on Wednesday, June 11 and complete a survey by Wednesday, June 25. The City of Toronto is inviting residents to learn more and provide feedback on proposed changes to Ingleton Boulevard. Ingleton is part of the Alton Towers Neighbourhood Connections project, which...

www.toronto.ca

 

[Midtown Hank]

Does the city plan to reopen the northbound car lane between Bayview Ave. north from Lawren Harris Sq. to River once the Lower Don Trail is complete or is the one way southbound only on Bayview permanent?

 

[DSCToronto]

Does the city plan to reopen the northbound car lane between Bayview Ave. north from Lawren Harris Sq. to River once the Lower Don Trail is complete or is the one way southbound only on Bayview permanent?

I think the on-street bike track on Bayview is seen as 'permanent' - or as permanent as anything is around here!

 

[Andy_in_Toronto]

An update on the University Avenue / Queen's Park cycle track upgrades (east side). I inquired with the city about the construction timeline and they've responded. This section is under the most threat of this populistic provincial government. Therefore, let’s read the following statement carefully:

The short version is: there's no firm start date yet, but they expect to have a timeline in a few weeks and plan to start construction this summer.

All official updates will eventually be posted here, under the "University Avenue Upgrades" section: https://www.toronto.ca/services-pay...ing-infrastructure/cycling-upgrades-renewals/

Frankly, I'm concerned about the vagueness of the response. We've seen important projects suffer from indefinite delays before.

What do you all think? Does "expected this summer" give you confidence, or should we be pushing for a more concrete commitment now? @Northern Light is welcome to add his valuable knowledge and background information.

 

[bearcat]

An update on the University Avenue / Queen's Park cycle track upgrades (east side). I inquired with the city about the construction timeline and they've responded. This section is under the most threat of this populistic provincial government. Therefore, let’s read the following statement carefully:

The short version is: there's no firm start date yet, but they expect to have a timeline in a few weeks and plan to start construction this summer.

All official updates will eventually be posted here, under the "University Avenue Upgrades" section: https://www.toronto.ca/services-pay...ing-infrastructure/cycling-upgrades-renewals/

Frankly, I'm concerned about the vagueness of the response. We've seen important projects suffer from indefinite delays before.

What do you all think? Does "expected this summer" give you confidence, or should we be pushing for a more concrete commitment now? @Northern Light is welcome to add his valuable knowledge and background information.

I would be genuinely surprised if this goes ahead......

 

[Northern Light]

An update on the University Avenue / Queen's Park cycle track upgrades (east side). I inquired with the city about the construction timeline and they've responded. This section is under the most threat of this populistic provincial government. Therefore, let’s read the following statement carefully:

The short version is: there's no firm start date yet, but they expect to have a timeline in a few weeks and plan to start construction this summer.

All official updates will eventually be posted here, under the "University Avenue Upgrades" section: https://www.toronto.ca/services-pay...ing-infrastructure/cycling-upgrades-renewals/

Frankly, I'm concerned about the vagueness of the response. We've seen important projects suffer from indefinite delays before.

What do you all think? Does "expected this summer" give you confidence, or should we be pushing for a more concrete commitment now? @Northern Light is welcome to add his valuable knowledge and background information.

I believe this will come forward this year, for implementation in mid to late summer or fall.

However, the design has been modified vs what we achieved in the SB direction. Having said that, there will still be a cycle track and it will still be materially better than the one we have now. Just not quite as good as it could have been.

I would be genuinely surprised if this goes ahead......

I am hopeful that you will be surprised.