Issue #158 October 2009
Welcome to Cyclometer, a monthly newsletter to keep cyclists informed about cycling issues and programs in the City of Toronto.
Contents:
New Bike Lanes Installed
Four new bike lanes were installed during September and early October:
- The Queensway (East of High Street to Windermere Avenue, 1.7 km)
- Crescent Town (Dawes Road to Victoria Park Avenue, 0.7 km)
- Lower Simcoe Street (Front Street West to Queens Quay West, 0.6 km)
- Yonge Street (Front Street West to Queens Quay West, 0.6 km).
The new bike lanes on Yonge Street and Lower Simcoe (along with a new tunnel on Lower Simcoe) are part of the Yonge and Lower Simcoe Pedestrian Promenade Plans to re-connect downtown to the waterfront.
With these new installations there are now 112.1 km of bike lanes in the City of Toronto – with more on their way!
Keep track of Bikeway Network projects.
Bloor Street Sharrows
As many cyclists have noticed, the City has begun installing sharrows on Bloor Street East, from Church Street to Yonge Street. The full installation on this section is expected to be completed this fall. Sharrows will be installed further west on Bloor (from Yonge Street to Avenue Road) in spring 2010 as part of the on-going road reconstruction work associated with the Bloor Street Transformation Project.
See description of sharrow pavement markings.
Get Involved!
Through the Cyclometer, we strive to keep you informed of upcoming cycling-related public consultations in the City of Toronto. You can now also get involved in public consultations by tracking meetings and project updates on the Public Consultations web page.
Offroad Trails Updates
Reminder - Community Trail Building Day
The Natural Environment Trails Program (NETP) will be hosting a community trail building day on Saturday October 17th in Crothers Woods from 10:00am - 4:00pm. We will be meeting at the Loblaws trailhead at 11 Redway Rd. All interested members of the community are invited to help work on several sustainable trail projects currently underway in the area. NETP and the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) will provide all the tools, gloves and training required so no experience is necessary.
Please come prepared for outdoor work (long pants, sturdy footwear, hat, sunscreen, water etc).
TORBA Trailbuilding Day Report - September 19th
A big thank you to the Toronto Off-Road Bicycle Association (TORBA) who joined staff from NETP, IMBA Canada and Sustainable Trails on September 19th to reroute a heavily eroded section of trail in Crothers Woods just north of Pottery Rd. Thanks to the volunteers who carried in a large amount of rock to the site allowing the new section of trail to be built using sustainable trail building techniques while still offering some of the technical challenges of the old trail.
Trailbuilding in Crothers Woods – General Update
Trail work is still underway in Crothers Woods as outlined in the Crothers Woods Trail Management Strategy. We appreciate all park users’ patience while we continue to complete several new trails, re-align/remove unsustainable trails, rock armour eroding slopes and restore degraded forest understory. All trail work is expected to be completed by the end of October. The NETP is continuing to make improvements to the trail system in Crothers Woods while balancing the need for environmental protection and providing safe and sustainable multi-use trails for park users.
Natural Environment Trails Program
trails@toronto.ca
(416) 338-DIRT (3478)
Bike Racks on Buses Update
Several new bus routes have been equipped with bike racks. This brings the total to 144 routes (85% of existing bus routes).
Bicycles are allowed on TTC vehicles during weekday non-peak hours, from 10:00 to 3:30 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., and anytime on Saturday and Sunday at the discretion of vehicle operators.
By the end of 2012, all TTC buses will be equipped with bike racks. The racks hold two bikes each, and can be used at any time.
E-bikes Permanently Allowed on Ontario Roads
As of October 3, following a three-year pilot project, electric bikes are legal road vehicles. An e-bike can be pedalled like a regular bicycle, and has an electric motor that provides a power-assist to the rider (at speeds not exceeding 32 km/h). Traditional open-frame bicycles with electric assist and heavier scooter-style e-bikes are both permitted
E-bikes can be operated on all Ontario roads, with the exception of 400-series highways and any other roads closed to regular bicycles. It is up to individual municipalities to regulate the use of e-bikes on sidewalks, trails, paths and other areas and passageways under municipal jurisdiction.
The laws for operating e-bikes on public roads are the same as for bicycles, with two major exceptions: you need to be 16 or older to ride an e-bike, and you must wear an approved bicycle or motorcycle helmet. Also, additional equipment requirements apply to e-bikes, including the following:
- must weigh 120 kg or less
- no modifications that enable exceeding power-assisted speed of 32 km/h are allowed
- must have two independent braking systems and stopping distance of 9 m or less
- must have wheels at least 350 mm in diameter and 35 mm wide
Bike Station Halloween Open House 30 October
Following the success of the 2 October event, there will be another Bicycle Station Open House on Friday 30 October to celebrate Halloween (and secure bicycle parking), all day from 7am to 7pm.
For all those who missed our first open house on October 2nd, this will be your chance to get some free candy while learning about Canada’s first bicycle station. The Bicycle Station will be open throughout the fall and winter.
In consideration of reduced ridership the Bicycle Station will not be enforcing our forty-eight hour rule from November to March. This rule states that bikes are not to be left for longer than forty-eight hours, not including weekends and holidays. Since this rule will not be enforced you can leave your bicycle in the station when the weather is bad. This is one more way the Bicycle Station is ensuring secure parking for Toronto cyclists year round.
If you have any questions or comments please call us at 416-338-3666 or come visit us on 30 October.
The station is located at 20 York Street in the West York Teamway of Union Station south of Front Street. Enter where Station Street meets York and walk south through the pedestrian tunnel. Hours are 7am to 7pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and 7am to 12pm on Thursday.
Ahead in the Bike Lane:
- ZM Turkey Cross Bike Race at Cedarvale Park, 11 October
- End of Season Training Workshop, 16 October, 349 Carlaw Ave, Ste 102
- Toronto Interntaional Cyclocross Races, 17-18 October, Centennial Park
- Crothers Woods Trailbuilding Day, 17 October, 11 Redway Rd. 10am – 4pm
(416) 338-DIRT
- Cyclists Union Bike Camp, 17 October all day, 215 Spadina Ave
- Cyclists Union Fundraiser: 28 October, Roundhouse, 255 Bremner Blvd ($25 - $150)
- Bicycle Station Open House, 30 October, at 20 York St, 7am – 7pm
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.
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