Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes)

[UntitledCyclist]

The Logan/Carlaw thing, while nowhere near my stomping grounds is infuriating and seems to represent both a trend and a big problem with how we get things done in this city.

Staff went through all the hoops, all the steps: studies, meetings, surveys. The large majority of respondents supported the counterflow options on both streets. Great! Right?

But wait, what about the residents on those blocks! They are moving down into ever smaller subsets of people – and of course the ones who live right there might be the least likely to support the lanes. That's NIMBYism at its core.

Yet the language in the report doesn't even mention what numbers of residents opposed. "Many" is a meaningless weasel word. To me it reads like a decision made for political or ideological reasons. (Imagine parking being an ideology, but here we are!)

Like other transport infrastructure, bike lanes are not only or even mainly about the people who live right next to them. It's about making it safe for all users to move around efficiently.

I dearly want to email Fletcher about this scandalous approach to city building.

 

[Coolibop]

Quick update on the new Pickering waterfront trail boardwalk...

Rode across this morning in the wet. The surface is textured enough that a bit of precipitation shouldn't cause too much of an issue...

In terms of the ride quality, the seams between the concrete blocks weren’t quite what I was hoping for—they're a bit like older sidewalks, not as smooth as, say, the Highland Creek Trail heading up to U of T Scarborough. Not sure if they used the same vendor, but the panels look pretty similar.

 

[Northern Light]

To me it reads like a decision made for political or ideological reasons. (Imagine parking being an ideology, but here we are!)

It is political decision, this IS Councillor Fletcher's doing. Her ideology, despite what she says publicly has always been anti-bike, transit indifferent at best, and very pro-car.

I dearly want to email Fletcher about this scandalous approach to city building

Please do, and while you're at it..........write to Progress Toronto and tell them we need to oust her........because she's anything but progressive.

 

[Northern Light]

Rode across this morning in the wet. The surface is textured enough that a bit of precipitation shouldn't cause too much of an issue...

In terms of the ride quality, the seams between the concrete blocks weren’t quite what I was hoping for—they're a bit like older sidewalks, not as smooth as, say, the Highland Creek Trail heading up to U of T Scarborough. Not sure if they used the same vendor, but the panels look pretty similar.

View attachment 663541

Ugh. Doesn't look great for cycling................nor does it look great at all.

White is such an impractical colour........... but that aside, the benches look metal, are they? Metal super heats in the sun and super cools in winter. That's very uncomfortable, and I would have strongly recommended wood composite slats.

The guard rails are down right ugly, and give off a cheap, industrial vibe. You either want something transparent/visually open that lets you see the water when seated............or you want a railing system itself that looks formal and attractive. Total fail.

 

[txlseries4]

It is political decision, this IS Councillor Fletcher's doing. Her ideology, despite what she says publicly has always been anti-bike, transit indifferent at best, and very pro-car.

I don't really understand this position, or her choice to "vote" against cycling infrastructure, because I hear from people in her ward that she cycles a lot, and when people hold small street parties, they joke about being on the lookout for councillor Fletcher rocking up on her bicycle. It's a bizarre contrast

Please do, and while you're at it..........write to Progress Toronto and tell them we need to oust her........because she's anything but progressive.

I don't know, will they even care? I noticed they didn't say peep back in the fall when Ford was raging about the bike lanes and Bill 212 was introduced. Very disappointing from that org

 

[Northern Light]

I don't really understand this position, or her choice to "vote" against cycling infrastructure, because I hear from people in her ward that she cycles a lot, and when people hold small street parties, they joke about being on the lookout for councillor Fletcher rocking up on her bicycle. It's a bizarre contrast

I think that is for show.

I don't know, will they even care? I noticed they didn't say peep back in the fall when Ford was raging about the bike lanes and Bill 212 was introduced. Very disappointing from that org

Gotta try. Shrugging one's shoulders and 'that sucks' is not a sufficient response. I can lean in.....but there needs to be a sense that her re election is anything but a shoe-in......

 

[bearcat]

The Logan/Carlaw thing, while nowhere near my stomping grounds is infuriating and seems to represent both a trend and a big problem with how we get things done in this city.

Staff went through all the hoops, all the steps: studies, meetings, surveys. The large majority of respondents supported the counterflow options on both streets. Great! Right?

But wait, what about the residents on those blocks! They are moving down into ever smaller subsets of people – and of course the ones who live right there might be the least likely to support the lanes. That's NIMBYism at its core.

Yet the language in the report doesn't even mention what numbers of residents opposed. "Many" is a meaningless weasel word. To me it reads like a decision made for political or ideological reasons. (Imagine parking being an ideology, but here we are!)

Like other transport infrastructure, bike lanes are not only or even mainly about the people who live right next to them. It's about making it safe for all users to move around efficiently.

I dearly want to email Fletcher about this scandalous approach to city building.

I still don't understand what the residents could even be complaining about, there was a compromise option presented where NOT A SINGLE on street parking spot is lost.

Like I get the issue on Jones, yes parking spaces would have been lost with a better design. Yes people may have been upset. I think losing the parking spaces would have been worth it, but I guess that could be a matter of opinion.

But in this case I CANNOT understand the reason for opposition!!!!

 

[bearcat]

The spring cycling report (yes spring) is now public on the agenda for next week's I&E meeting.

As I noted above........... Logan/Carlaw is deferred.

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-256881.pdf

From the above:

View attachment 663526

The earliest this can now come back is the October report to I&E for implementation in 2026. But don't hold your breath.

***

On to good news, the upgrades to Peter/Blue Jays Way are there:

View attachment 663527
View attachment 663528

Coming to Davenport:

View attachment 663529
View attachment 663530

Map:

View attachment 663532

I knew this would be a small report, with most items coming forward in October........but this is smaller than I had understood was coming.

Logan/Carlaw is obviously one of the projects that did not come forward. Councillor Fletcher strikes again.

For Peter/Blue Jays Way I am very happy they are designing a loading area for Bisha Hotel and doing the whole segment Queen to Front as a cycle track with physical separation! I live right next door so I will document this. I was worried about cars stopping in front of the hotel blocking just a painted bike lane, but looks like this will not be an issue.

 

[myself]

I think that is for show.



Gotta try. Shrugging one's shoulders and 'that sucks' is not a sufficient response. I can lean in.....but there needs to be a sense that her re election is anything but a shoe-in......

Also Fletcher maintains the guise by initially voting "yes" to improved cycling facilities and infrastructure when it's at a very high level/conceptual stage, but then when it comes down to voting on the implementation she works behind the scenes to "defer" it so she doesn't have to vote "no" and show us who she really is.

 

[Coolibop]

Ugh. Doesn't look great for cycling................nor does it look great at all.

I’ll add... this is still not the finished product—markings are yet to be placed. There will also be art installations incorporated into the project, including laser-cut steel panels that will replace sections of the guardrails. To your point, I did not like the metal look and I'm skeptical about these panels... But I’ll reserve full judgment until it’s complete. Here’s an example of the 20 art pieces to come:

Re: benches
Yes, the benches are metal, but they don’t tend to get overly hot or cold, assuming they’re like the ones already in place—which have remained comfortable in the summer. It could be the (thick coats of) paint or the specific type of metal used, but whatever the reason, it hasn't posed a problem. It could be that it rarely gets hot down there... Typically a full 10 degrees C cooler (incl humidex) on sweltering hot days - especially with southerly winds. The city also repaints many of the structures down there each year, which helps maintain them.

Here's a pic of the old benches for comparison:

What concerns me most is the potential for conflict between active and non-active users during the few high-traffic weekends in the summer. That said, it may have been unavoidable given the space constraints. Still, it’s clearly an improvement over what was there before (versus old boardwalk).

 

[Erich Nelson]

Construction starting on the west don river trail north of the CN rail by Don Mills road. This was listed as new bikeway planned for 2024. There is already a trail here so I think it is to replace the staircase with a switchback

 

[bearcat]

View attachment 663753
Construction starting on the west don river trail north of the CN rail by Don Mills road. This was listed as new bikeway planned for 2024. There is already a trail here so I think it is to replace the staircase with a switchback

Sorry, I am confused where this is. What would be the nearest street intersection?

 

[TwoWheelPoli]

Sorry, I am confused where this is. What would be the nearest street intersection?

Don Mills south of Gateway.

 

[DSCToronto]

Not sure if anyone posted this update from City website. I will believe it opens when I can walk/bike on it.

 

[UntitledCyclist]

Not sure if anyone posted this update from City website. I will believe it opens when I can walk/bike on it.

View attachment 664078

I went down the trail south of Pottery Road which is now open until just north of Riverdale Park, but of course there are no exits here so you have to turn back and return to Pottery. It won't be a useful route for cyclists until this work is done, or at least the Riverdale bridge portion is reopened.

I am so tired of excuses the city cites for this years-delayed project. As if they didn't know the soil was poor, or the work area was narrow or they would be next to Metrolinx tracks. I'm sure Metrolinx is a pain in the ass to work with, but who is not planning for that in this city?

On the bright side, I saw some nice new seating and art to the side of the trail below Pottery Road, still fenced off, but maybe it will open some day.