City council approves 10-year bike plan for Toronto
Posted June 9, 2016 9:28 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto city council has given a resounding ‘yes’ to a plan to could double the number of bike lands in the city.
Councillors voted 38-2 in favour of a 10-year plan which could see as many as eight major streets reconfigured to accommodate bike lanes separated from street traffic.
However, in a compromise councillors voted to shelve Danforth Avenue as part of the extended bike lane network after some expressed concern over how the new cycling network will impact driving and parking. The Danforth route could be re-examined in the fall of 2017 once results of the a pilot project are reviewed.
Last month, council approved a pilot project that will see bike lanes installed on Bloor Street between Shaw and Avenue Road.
The proposal would add 525 kilometres to the current cycling infrastructure but it comes with a $16-million a year price tag. A small price to pay, according to councillor Paula Fletcher, who says Toronto is already behind most major world cities when it comes to cycling networks.
Council also voted 25-15 in favour of a motion put forth by deputy mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong. He called for “seasonal” bike lanes which would be removed in the winter months on less traveled bike routes.
