August 2009, Edition #156
Welcome to Cyclometer, a monthly newsletter to keep cyclists informed about cycling issues and programs in the City of Toronto.
CONTENTS:
- New Bike Lanes Approved
- Annette Bike Lane Installed
- West Toronto Railpath Update
- Bicycle Station Update
- Bike Racks on Buses Update
- Kids CAN-BIKE Camp a Go!
- It won’t help a bit if it doesn’t fit!
- Bike Train to Montreal
1. New Bike Lanes Approved
City Council approved 14.2 kilometres of new bike lanes this August. Highlights include bike lanes on Bloor Street West (Mill Road to Beamish Drive), Tretheway Drive (Jane Street to Black Creek Drive), and several contra-flow bike lanes in the downtown west end.
Here is the full list of approved bike lane projects for 2009:
2009 Bike Lane projects
| Name
From-To |
Length (km) |
Approved |
Installed |
| Bike lanes |
Jarvis St
Bloor St E - Queen St E |
2.0 |
* |
|
Bellamy Rd N
Porchester Dr - Brimorton Dr |
2.9 |
Yes |
|
Bloor St W
Mill Rd - Beamish Dr |
3.4 |
Yes |
|
Brock Ave
25 m north of Seaforth Ave - Florence St |
0.5 |
Yes |
|
Crescent Town Rd
Dawes Rd - Victoria Park Ave |
0.7 |
Yes |
|
Lansdowne Ave
Rideau Ave - Dundas St W |
0.1 |
Yes |
|
Moore Ave
Welland Ave - Bayview Ave |
0.7 |
Yes |
|
Rathburn Rd
Kipling Ave - Islington Ave |
1 |
Yes |
|
Tretheway Dr
Jane St - Black Creek Dr |
1.7 |
Yes |
|
| Contra-flow bike lanes |
Argyle St
Northcote Ave - Lisgar St |
0.2 |
Yes |
|
Argyle St
Dovercourt Rd - Ossington Ave |
0.3 |
Yes |
|
Argyle St
Shaw St - Givins St |
0.1 |
Yes |
|
Bellwoods Ave
90 m north of Queen St W - Robinson St |
0.1 |
Yes |
|
Glen Cedar Rd
Dewbourne Ave - Eglinton Ave W |
0.3 |
Yes |
|
Fermanagh Ave
Roncesvalles Ave - Sorauren Ave |
0.4 |
Yes |
|
Florence St
Brock Ave - Sheridan Ave |
0.1 |
Yes |
|
Gladstone Ave
Waterloo Ave - Argyle St |
0.1 |
Yes |
|
Havelock St
Lindsey Ave - Dewson St |
0.1 |
Yes |
|
Lindsey Ave
Brock Ave - Dufferin St |
0.3 |
Yes |
|
Maitland St
Jarvis St - 100 m west of Homewood Ave |
0.1 |
Yes |
|
Shaw St
Dundas St W - Harbord St |
1 |
Yes |
|
Waterloo Ave
Dufferin St - Gladstone Ave |
0.1 |
Yes |
|
| Total |
16.2 |
|
|
* Jarvis Street Streetscape Improvements Class Environmental Assessment Study and Report, approved by City Council on May 25, 2009, subject to a 30-day public comment period.
2009 Sharrow and Bike Path Projects
| Sharrows |
| Name
From-To |
Length (km) |
Installed |
College St
Manning Ave - Lansdowne Ave |
2.3 |
|
King St W
Roncesvalles Ave - Fraser Ave |
1.8 |
|
E Liberty St
Liberty St - Strachan Ave |
0.6 |
|
Shaw St
Logie Pl - Dundas St W |
0.6 |
|
| Total |
5.3 |
|
| Bike paths |
West Toronto Railpath
Caribou Ave - Dundas St W |
2.1 |
|
| Bluffers Park |
0.9 |
|
| Total |
3 |
|
A number of bike path upgrades are also planned for 2009 (for example in Trinity Bellwoods Park), and Waterfront Toronto has upgraded the Martin Goodman Trail near Ontario Place (Strachan Ave to Ontario Dr). 16.1 km of new signed routes are also planned for the downtown West End (PDF). Sections of these signed routes include contra-flows or sharrows (listed above).
2. Annette Bike Lane Installed
The installation of the Annette bicycle lane (extending from Jane Street east to Lansdowne Avenue on Dupont Street) was completed in July. This installation adds 3.5 km to the City's Bikeway Network, for a total of 108.5 km of bike lanes.
Also, the construction of Lower Simcoe Street from Front Street West to Bremner Boulevard has included new bike lanes in both directions.
3. West Toronto Railpath Update
Construction of the West Toronto Railpath is mostly complete. The route extends along the eastern border of Parkdale-High Park from Cariboo Avenue a block north of Dupont Street south to Dundas Street West, totalling 2.1 km of paved paths in linear parkland.
It features a series of sculptures that reference the industrial heritage of the area, benches, and bicycle parking at the Bloor GO Train stop as well as numerous access points and a large sign painted on the westbound side of the railroad trestle bridges over Bloor and Dupont streets that says ‘West Toronto Railpath’.
Various wayfinding and regulatory signage will be installed this month.
The official opening will be announced soon.
4. Bicycle Station Update
Canada’s first Bicycle Station at 20 York Street continues to provide much needed secure bicycle parking to Toronto’s downtown core. With new bike lanes on Lower Simcoe street, the Bicycle Station is just a hop, skip and a pedal from Harbourfront Centre and the Martin Goodman Trail.
If you are in the area, come check it out! We are implementing new services every week. This week was the launch of Free Air Day. If you have a flat or are just low on air, you are welcome to come use our stand-up pump for free.
The station includes a change room, a mechanic stand and a variety of tools for customer use, as well as a vending machine with emergency bike necessities such as tubes, tire levers, patch kits, and of course, refreshing beverages. The station is located off York Street in the West York Teamway of Union Station south of Front Street. Enter where Station Street meets York and walk south.
While you’re here you can pick up a free Toronto Cycling Map, a copy of Momentum magazine and other informative cycling material. The station’s 180 bicycle parking spots and close proximity to TTC, Go Trains, and Via Rail make it a good place to park your bike overnight or during the day.
Hours for August are 8am to 4pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we operate on reduced hours, so please call ahead if you would like to come in and we will be more than happy to accommodate you. If you are interested in more information including prices and registration visit the website or call 416-338-3666.
5. Bike Racks on Buses Update
Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has 115 out of 167 bus routes now equipped with bike racks as of 2 August.
The TTC’s Rack It and Rocket program puts bike racks on buses so that cyclists can take their bikes with them - currently on over 60% of the routes. The bike racks can hold up to two bikes. The racks are easy to load and unload, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You pay your regular fare but your bike rides for free.
TTC’s web page lists all the bike rack routes and how to use them (includes video): www3.ttc.ca/Riding_the_TTC/Bicycles.jsp
The Rack It and Rocket bike rack route map: www3.ttc.ca/images/fixedImages/Bike_Rack_Route_Map.pdf
6. Kids CAN-BIKE Camp a Go!
We are happy to announce that the Kids CAN-BIKE Camps will run at Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre and Elmbank Community Centre for two weeks in August. We’ve reorganized the camps so that 80 kids from high-priority neighbourhoods will each receive a week of bicycle safety training, along with a free bike, helmet and lock. We are extremely lucky to have the tremendous support of our sponsors and agencies, who have been very flexible, accommodating, and understanding! Our thanks to Ontario ACTIVE2010, Canadian Tire Jumpstart, Norco Performance Bikes, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Dr Tom Pashby Sports Safety Fund, and many more supporters who help make the camps a success!
7. It won’t help a bit if it doesn’t fit!
Your helmet may not protect you from injuries if you don’t know how to adjust it properly. Know your 2-4-1 helmet salute. See our website with lots of models.
Helmet Safety Tips from CAN-BIKE:
- The straps should lie flat against the face
- The side buckles should meet just below the ear, making a “V” shape under each lobe
- The chin strap must be fastened snugly
- Create a snug fit - most helmets have foam pads to adjust for fit
- Discard helmet after one impact
8. Bike Train Celebrates Summer
The 2009 Bike train season is well underway, with the Toronto-Niagara service running on select weekends, the recent pilot Bike Train to North Bay, and upcoming Bike Train announcements for trains to Montreal/Toronto, Eastern Ontario and Southwestern Ontario. Take the train, bring your bike to cycle Ontario this summer. For schedules and information, visit www.biketrain.ca.
Ahead in the Bike Lane:
Cycling Freedom for Women
15, 22 August; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Palmerston Library (560 Palmerston Ave.)
Kids CAN-BIKE
15, 16 August; 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Rennie Park (1 Rennie Terr.)
Adult Learn to Ride 1
19 August; 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Trinity Bellwoods Park (790 Queen St. W.)
Kids CAN-BIKE
22, 29 August, 5 September; 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Centennial Recreation Centre (1967 Ellesmere Rd.)
Adult Learn to Ride 1
30 August; 9 a.m. – 12 noon
Centennial Recreation Centre (1967 Ellesmere Rd.)
Adult Learn to Ride 2
30 August; 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Trinity Bellwoods Park (790 Queen St. W.)
For more information visit www.toronto.ca/cycling
To register, call 416-338-4386 or visit www.toronto.ca/parks/torontofun.
The City has a vision for cycling in Toronto and wants you involved in making it happen. Cyclometer is a subscription service of the City of Toronto.
The first issue of Cyclometer went out on November 24, 1989.
Please take the time to forward this issue of Cyclometer to a fellow cyclist who may be interested.
To change your e-mail address or edit your subscription, please unsubscribe and subscribe again with the new information.
