99-03-30

To: City of Toronto Councillors

From:Working Group on the 199 Operating Budget, Toronto Cycling Committee

Re: 1999 City Operating Budget and Support for Cycling as a SafeTransportation Mode

In 1998, the Coroner's Report on cycling was released. The report was a comment on the safety of cycling in the City, as well as a reflection on the well being and health of living in the City. The Coroner's Report contained many well thought-out recommendations that now need the support of each Councillor for implementation through the City's 1999 Operating Budget. As cyclists and as taxpayers, we are asking you for your support now to improve the cycling infrastructure in this City. We need your support to see our City return to the image that 'Toronto' is a people friendly, safe and liveable City to be in.

The Committee needs Council support of the staff's current submission for the operating budget that provides limited staff and monetary resources to start addressing issues that are out there, including:

The Coroner's Report and its recommendations

(9 recommendations that the City could implement.)

Improvement of cycling facilities on the road.

(Bike Lanes, Bike Routes, Signage, Intersections)

Improve safety of cycling and pedestrians

(Road/Trail Safety Ambassadors, CanBike)

Studies needed to bring cycling issues as a transportation mode into the new

City Official Plan.

(Cycling Network Plan, Intersection design, Bike facilities design)

As part of amalgamation, spreading out proven programs from the old City into the suburbs of the new City.

(Post & Ring parking, Gutter program, Commuting to work and rapid transit facilities)

Promote Cycling in the City

Expanding the attractiveness of the City as a tourist and a cycling destination for GTA, province, and global visitors, taking advantage of natural corridors developed by hydro and rail lines.

(Effect on local businesses)

In addition to the staff's plans, there are other needs that we would ask for your support. With amalgamation, it is necessary to expand the Committee's budget to take into account its new responsibilities for all of the new Toronto, and unlike many other areas of the City's budget, there are no funds currently dedicated to cycling in the old cities' budget, other than the former City of Toronto. While the list of needs is long, we would ask that funds and resources be included in the 1999 Operating Budget for the following 4 important initiatives:

1. Road / Trail Safety Ambassadors Program expanded to include the other communities of the new City. $60,000

(Administration within a larger area, trainer development, and awareness promotion)

2. Road Users' awareness education on how to use road infrastructure properly. $30,000

(Cycling on Bike Lanes, Road behaviour, Not riding on sidewalks, Conflict reduction among road users, Facility use education - 3 Dot Program, Post and Ring parking)

3. Development of local community cycling advisory groups and fostering growth to existing groups.

$4,000

(Awareness promotion, encourage and facilitate development of new advisory groups, interface to local needs, issues, and local organizations and interest groups)

4. Cycling directional signage on-road and in the park systems. $30,000

(Direction, Destination, Distance to help cyclists and tourist get to Bike

Paths in the park / ravine systems, Bike Lane and Bike Route signage system, Local attraction directions, Local neighbourhood and interesting retail business)

As we had mentioned, there are also other opportunities that we cyclists would like to see support when funds are available. These include:

1. Outreach promotion of cycling in Toronto $15,000

(Promotion of use of bicycle as a transportation mode, appeal to tourism, Co-ordination of cycling facilities and programs within the GTA)

2. Quick Hit List - improving cycling facilities on select road sections

with paint and minor asphalt improvements. $50,000

(Coroner's Report recommendation implementation, Bike Lanes)

3. Hot Cycling Spot Improvements $30,000

(Safety, reduced health costs - using police records to identify intersections with high cycling collision incidences and plan improvements)

4. Expansion of Post and Ring bicycle parking into North York while maintaining a normal program in other parts of the City $10,000

(Support the North York Cycling & Pedestrian Committee's initiative in identifying 116 retail locations where bike parking would increase their patronage. 65 locations on Bathurst St. and 51 locations on Avenue Rd.)

5. E-mail and documentation archiving and retrieval capabilities for the Cycling Committee $5,000

(Reduction in operating cost of the committee, Improved staff response from committee members and the public)

Increasing the use of bicycles in the City would have several economic spin-offs and benefit the local businesses. More cyclists will help alleviate congestion on the road and ease the lack of parking in the core sections of the City, and transit use would also benefit through intermodal

commutes to work (bike / rapid transit). Cyclists tend to increase the patronage at labour intensive local retail businesses, including bike shops, convenience stores, coffee shops, restaurants. Cycling tourists increase the demand for lodgings, photo supplies, souvenir shops, and entertainment attractions.

We would also like to suggest to Council that there are other ways that the operating costs of the City could be reduced by expanding the use of bicycles with the staff. Usually, this reduces car purchasing costs and operating costs, and in this time of restricted budgets, we think Council should always be open to ways that costs may be cut without cutting services. Research indicates that 8 to 15 people can be fully outfitted with bicycles for the cost of 1 car. The same research indicates that operating costs can be reduced from 19 cents per km for cars to 1.6 cents per km., that is a 12 time reduction. What are the opportunities?

1. More police on bicycles.

2. Parking enforcement officers on bicycles.

3. Building bylaw inspectors on bicycles.

4. Increased use by Park employees of bicycles and trailers.

Increasing bicycle parking at recreation centres would increase the use of these centres. In 1999, CanBike courses are being planned at Earl Bales Park and Thistletown.

Summary:

In 1995, the former City of Toronto was judged to be the best place to cycle in North America. In 1999, the new City was judged to the 5th best city, behind Montreal and others.

Why?

Amalgamation dropped Toronto in the rating. The pace-setting cycling infrastructure of the old City of Toronto was mixed with that of the other communities where the cycling infrastructure and support for cycling is not as well developed.

Also, the percentage of residents using cycling as a transportation mode also dropped significantly as cycling participation is not as well developed yet in the suburbs as in the old City of Toronto.

Also, other cities undertook massive cycling infrastructure programs in 1997 and 1998. These programs are similar in size to the one that is proposed by the Toronto Cycling Committee to Council - the Hydro / Rail Corridor Bike Trail Project - that could provide a cycling network of over 200 km of new trails joining together all communities of this City.

What does it take for Toronto to regain its rightful place as the best city in North America for cycling and one of the best in the world? Your support in the 1999 Operating Budget of the initiatives outlined in our submission would be a good beginning.

Thank you for considering our submission