Today, Toronto City Council approved connecting and expanding Toronto’s cycling network and renewing the network to continue making cycling safer and more convenient for everyone.
The approved Cycling Network Plan update includes a prioritized short-term plan (currently 2019 to 2021), as well as a longer-term plan (beyond 2022). The approach is consistent with cycling planning in other cities and will help improve coordination of the overall cycling network with neighbourhood planning, improve accountability with an aim to deliver routes and safety enhancements on time, and continue to grow the network. One important highlight from the Cycling Network Plan is the identification of existing, planned, and proposed major city-wide cycling routes, which make up the backbone of the overall cycling network.
The 2019 Cycling Infrastructure Installation report identifies immediate action for staff to take including approval to install nearly 15 lane kilometres (km) of new or improved bike lanes/cycle tracks, including 12 lane km of new and improved cycling routes in suburban areas – parts of Scarborough, Etobicoke and North York. Important and immediate safety upgrades will also be made to help renew existing routes.
Other cycling statistics include:
• From 2016 to 2018, more than 100 lane km of existing cycling routes were upgraded or enhanced to improve safety, and approximately 60 lane km of new cycling routes were installed.
• Approximately 120 lane km of new cycling routes are planned over three years (2019 to 2021).
• In some Toronto neighbourhoods, more than 20 per cent of people hop on their bikes.
• More than 55 per cent of Toronto’s population and employment is now within close proximity (250m downtown and 500m outside of downtown) of a cycling route.
• Existing, planned, and proposed major city-wide cycling routes will ultimately form a grid of 800 km of cycling routes throughout the city.
More information on Toronto’s Cycling Network plan and cycling in Toronto is available at http://www.toronto.ca/cycling.
The Cycling Network Plan update report is at https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-134913.pdf.
The 2019 Cycling Infrastructure Installation report is at https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-134711.pdf.
Quotes:
“More people are riding bicycles in our city than ever before and we are responding by responsibly and rationally investing in and expanding Toronto’s cycling infrastructure. We are meeting this unprecedented demand by delivering more bike routes that are safe and protected, and will better connect people to the places they want to go.”
– Toronto Mayor John Tory
“Planning and delivering new and upgraded cycling routes that serve all Toronto residents is an important way we are expanding and growing our transportation network. To be truly committed to the future of cycling in our city, we must make cycling a safe and viable option for everyone.”
– Councillor James Pasternak (Ward 6 York Centre), Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
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