Why Upgrade Bicycle Lanes?
The
2009 Cycling Study found that many people want to cycle in Toronto, but do not feel safe riding their bicycles when they have to mix with motor vehicle Traffic. Helping more people get there by bicycle will improve Toronto's roads for all road users.
There are a lot of good reasons to encourage more bicycle use. Using a bicycle to travel up to 10 km in Toronto's core is often faster than driving, and faster than many transit routes. Cycling for transportation is less expensive than driving, leads to improved public health and air quality.
Background
At its July 2011 meeting Toronto Council voted to approve a plan to build designs that would create a separation between bicycles and motor vehicle traffic in Toronto's downtown core.
Read the Bikeways Staff Report from June 2011
See the Agenda Item History from City Council's July 2011 Meeting
Design Considerations
When designing bicycle lane upgrades, City staff from a number of different departments are working together to address the many design considerations. These include:
Public Consultation
Public Consultation meetings will schedule, to gather local knowledge from residents about the streets where bicycle lane improvements are being installed. Visit the project pages for information about individual projects, and public consultation meetings.
2010 ThinkBike Design Charette
In 2010 Toronto City staff from various City departments including Transportation Services, City Planning, Transportation Planning and Traffic Operations met with visiting European traffic planning experts, to discuss Toronto's downtown traffic, and ways to improve cycling conditions. Learn more
