[salsa]

I was planning on taking Cherry street to and taking Lake Shore on the way back. I noticed that there's a bike path on lakeshore that links up with the Martin Goodman trail notth of cherry street... Its hard going off of Google maps lol

My personal preference is to always avoid Lake Shore east of Cherry St and cycle through the Portlands instead. It's not a direct route but what I don't like about the Lake Shore alternative is:

1. The Cherry & Lake Shore intersection is an ugly confusing mess. It's such a dumb intersection that it's not even friendly to drivers let alone cyclists. However this is avoidable if you go through the Portlands.
2. Next you have to cross another bad intersection: Don Roadway, which is basically a DVP offramp. Like with the previous intersection, it takes a long time to get a green light.
3. At Lake Shore & Leslie there is a lot of traffic and construction going on. I've experienced some detours or crosswalk closures before.
4. After you get through all that, at some point you will have to cross Lake Shore again to get to the south side (either at Leslie or Coxwell).
5. There are several driveways and parking lot entrances crossing the bike path to watch out for.

Overall the route is extremely unpretty, especially where it goes next to the Gardiner between Logan and Cherry. I assume that your bike ride is purely recreational, so it wouldn't hurt to take a much more pleasant route and do some extra sightseeing. Trust me, you won't miss anything special by avoiding Lake Shore.

 

[TrickyRicky]

On the less technical side, the bike-route between points 3 and 5 on Salsa's map I find very peaceful. The flowering plants and shrubs, wild or semi-planted can be quite pretty, and attract all kinds of birds, butterflies and other wild-life.

 

[Colvis]

Yes; going east if you continue along Queen's Quay and follow the Martin Goodman further east than Parliament Street you will soon reach Cherry Street - you cycle (south) across the lift bridge. There is a sidewalk/bike track on west side of Cherry that moves to east side of Cherry at Commissioners Street (just before T & T). Follow this past Cherry Beach round to Unwin Street and then to Leslie. Go north on Leslie separated bike lane past the new Leslie Street TTC Barns to join up with Lake Shore track and go further east. On your return trip you can cycle on the north side of Lake Shore to the Don Roadway (cross Lakeshore by a - narrow - tunnel just west of Coxwell or cross at Leslie and just west of the Don Roadway you get onto the Don River trail. Go south-west for a short while, it will bring you back to the area of the Cherry Street lift bridge but you will be on north side of Lake Shore (or you can go slightly north where the track branches at Lake Shore to Cherry street, cross Cherry, ride on bike track on north side of rail berm to Parliament, cross Parliament and Queen's Quay and rejoin the Martin Goodman Trail there.
It's a long ride but quite safe - have fun!

Thanks, this really helped me out. You really cleared up the east portion of the ride for me.. I'm used to cycling on mountain bike trails and country rodes, so this will be a different experience for me. Less roads the better, I want tgis to be a nice easy ride

 

[Colvis]

My personal preference is to always avoid Lake Shore east of Cherry St and cycle through the Portlands instead. It's not a direct route but what I don't like about the Lake Shore alternative is:

1. The Cherry & Lake Shore intersection is an ugly confusing mess. It's such a dumb intersection that it's not even friendly to drivers let alone cyclists. However this is avoidable if you go through the Portlands.
2. Next you have to cross another bad intersection: Don Roadway, which is basically a DVP offramp. Like with the previous intersection, it takes a long time to get a green light.
3. At Lake Shore & Leslie there is a lot of traffic and construction going on. I've experienced some detours or crosswalk closures before.
4. After you get through all that, at some point you will have to cross Lakeshore again to get to the south side (either at Leslie or Coxwell).
5. There are several driveways and parking lot entrances crossing the bike path to watch out for.

Overall the route is extremely unpretty, especially where it goes next to the Gardiner between Logan and Cherry. I assume that your bike ride is purely recreational, so it wouldn't hurt to take a much more pleasant route and do some extra sightseeing. Trust me, you won't miss anything special by avoiding Lakeshore.

View attachment 52374

Thanks, I just looked it up on street view and its quite treacherous. I'm going to try and bike to the beaches, do a loop around the lower portion then come home.

I was also thinking of going North on the don valley trail beside the DVP, then loop around to Sherbourne, then Lake Shore back home.. Am I missing anything cool on the DVP trail?

 

[salsa]

I'm going to try and bike to the beaches, do a loop around the lower portion then come home.

I was also thinking of going North on the don valley trail beside the DVP, then loop around to Sherbourne, then lakeshore back home.. Am I missing anything cool on the DVP trail?

It's unclear to me what route you are describing.

 

[Colvis]

It's unclear to me what route you are describing.

From the north side of The lakeshore trail. After You get across the Gardiner/DVP ramp hellhole you were talking about, you can turn right and head northwards onto the lower don valley trail.

 

[W. K. Lis]

If you have any extra time, take a tour through Tommy Thompson Park, at the foot of Leslie Street.

 

[PL1]

From the north side of The lakeshore trail. After You get across the Gardiner/DVP ramp hellhole you were talking about, you can turn right and head northwards onto the lower don valley trail.

The Don Valley trails (DVT) are nice, though a bit rough and narrow at the south end (south of Gerrard or so). There is no obvious or easy way to get to Sherbourne from the DVT that I can think of though. You could turn left (west) at Pottery road and then head right (north) up Bayview -- it's uphill about 1 km -- then turn left at Nesbitt, the first lights at the 2/3 point of the hill, just before the CP bridge. You can weave south and west there through Rosedale (etc) to Sherbourne.

If you ride them next year May/June, I'd urge you to watch out for nesting red-wing blackbirds... they like to swoop down and attack unsuspecting runners and cyclists!

 

[the lemur]

The Don Valley trails (DVT) are nice, though a bit rough and narrow at the south end (south of Gerrard or so). There is no obvious or easy way to get to Sherbourne from the DVT that I can think of though. You could turn left (west) at Pottery road and then head right (north) up Bayview -- it's uphill about 1 km -- then turn left at Nesbitt, the first lights at the 2/3 point of the hill, just before the CP bridge. You can weave south and west there through Rosedale (etc) to Sherbourne.

My inclination in terms of going from the Lower Don Trail to loop around to (southbound) Sherbourne would be:

1. Head north to the trailhead at Pottery Rd & Bayview
2. Head south along Bayview (makeshift bike lane on hard shoulder) to Brickworks and rejoin the Belt Line trail heading east near the Bloor/Bayview ramps

then

3a. go up Milkmen's Lane (if you feel up for a climb), then head south on Glen Rd or South Dr to Elm Ave, west to Sherbourne

or

3b. take the Park Drive Reservation trail (leaving Milkmen's Lane on your left) up to Roxborough & Mt Pleasant, east on Roxborough and Highland to Glen Rd, south to Elm as in 3a.

or (for a bigger loop)

3c. head north on the Belt Line just west of the Brickworks, all the way up to Moore (or the Heath St pedestrian bridge), then south on Welland and MacLennan, east on Edgar to Glen, etc.

 

[Napoleon]

My personal preference is to always avoid Lakeshore east of Cherry St and cycle through the Portlands instead. It's not a direct route but what I don't like about the Lakeshore alternative is:

That sounds like quite a nice route you outlined there. Certainly nicer than the way I've gone to the Leslie Street Spit before.

I was also thinking of going North on the don valley trail beside the DVP, then loop around to Sherbourne, then lakeshore back home.. Am I missing anything cool on the DVP trail?

Personally I don't think the Don Valley trail is an interesting or nice trail until you're up past Pottery Road. It's in terrible condition as well. Sherbourne is also not a pleasant street to bike on. The bike lane is purely a pragmatic one.

If you want an extra loop and you're over in the beaches, do Tommy Thompson Park. It's quite pretty and gives you a very interesting view of Toronto.

 

[Colvis]

Well I just cycled the whole thing pretty much. Took waterfront trail from port credit all the way to Scarborough beaches... You guys werr right, too many clueless pedestrians blocking the pathway in the east end haha.

Cherry street was nothing special.. I didn't get to go to Tommy Thompson parl as it says closed to the public on weekdays... I cycled back on Queen, then to bay street, then took the Martin Goodman trail back home... I find there's nothing really interesting past the DVP although the beaches are nice. Shame I couldn't have brought somebody else. . Overall a good ride. Not busy, even Queen street! Downtown cycling is a very different experience.. Total distance : 104 km

 

[ehlow]

Well I just cycled the whole thing pretty much. Took waterfront trail from port credit all the way to Scarborough beaches... You guys werr right, too many clueless pedestrians blocking the pathway in the east end haha.

Cherry street was nothing special.. I didn't get to go to Tommy Thompson parl as it says closed to the public on weekdays... I cycled back on Queen, then to bay street, then took the Martin Goodman trail back home... I find there's nothing really interesting past the DVP although the beaches are nice. Shame I couldn't have brought somebody else. . Overall a good ride. Not busy, even Queen street! Downtown cycling is a very different experience.. Total distance : 104 km

Cherry beach on the south end of that street is nice.

Lots of great views near the T&T grocery there too.

 

[salsa]

WT attempts to explain how to use Queens Quay in this new video.

 

[MetroMan]

WT attempts to explain how to use Queens Quay in this new video.

The fact that they have to explain it, means that they've failed in making it intuitive.

One example is the over complicating of pedestrian crossings. Why have the crosswalk button on the far side of the bike lane? It's way too narrow of a space for people to wait putting them dangerously close to the streetcar ROW in front of them and bikes behind. There isn't enough of room for people which they had to emphasize in the video telling additional people to wait before the bike lane. Putting the crosswalk button before the bike lane would allow for plenty of room for everybody to wait safely without asking people to essentially jay walk across the bike lane when it's green for bikes.

Bike signals should be placed on small posts next to where they should stop, not up ahead next to all the other traffic lights with a clutter of added written signs making the distinction.

Waterfront TO observed that there was confusion on Queens Quay but failed to realize that the confusion is due to too much signage. They went ahead and added more signs in an attempt to rectify the problem. I can't wait to see how this will do.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Instructional videos on how to use streets! Why am I on this planet?