News   Mar 27, 2024
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Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes)

@DSC posted some new links to City constructions projects over in the Tory's Toronto thread.........

In perusing one for Wellesley Road Reconstruction, for a small segment from Sherbourne to Ontario, I found that the bike lanes here are being fully cycle-tracked with concrete barriers.

Not sure if that was known before, but since it was new to me, thought I'd share.

The section in question:

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The assorted notices would leave one to understand this work is either well underway or potentially complete by now, can anyone confirm this?
 
Improvements to the Bike lanes on Davenport got underway this past week. Improvements include conversion to Cycle Tracks:

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This project is most welcome, but one aspect of it reveals a really stupid City policy that needs to be changed. They’re doing this project in two phases, where phase 2 is the stretch from Dupont to Bedford, which they literally said will be done “at some point in the future but no sooner than 2023.”

The reasoning they gave is that there is condo construction on that portion, which is dumb because 1) there will also be condo construction in a number of places along the phase 1 section; 2) literally every site along both parts of the corridor that hasn’t already been redeveloped could be at some point; 3) one has no idea when any particular condo project will wrap; and 4) even if you did want to coordinate with a site, it should as a matter of practicebe done so in a way that provides a safe walking and biking route.
 
No, this was just an amendment to continue "exploring" the use of the hydro corridor.

Staff did audits and keep arguing that there isn't enough clearway between hydro towers or backyards to fit a 3.5m multi-use trail, which is absolute nonsense. I mean we are talking about a hydro corridor that is over 100m wide!


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I mean there are so many hydro corridor trails in the city that have much less ROW compared to this. Heck we were planning to run a damn train here. Good lord staff need to stop making excuses.
What makes this even worse is that they are talking about a "3.5m multi-use trail". If this was the Netherlands there would be an entirely separate "mixed-use" trail and a cycle track. What will this look like when more people cycle? Cyclists clashing with joggers and strollers? Why can't we just build something right in the first place? Same with the West Toronto Rail Path, "The Line", or any other trail. If these are "mixed use" then why don't we just call sidewalks "mixed use" and crowd them with both uses? If we want to utilize our trails for long distance cycling, it needs to be a painless experience. And a big part of that will be not having to dodge pedestrians.
 
I think {though he can speak for himself) that @Towered was just pleased at the appearance of political traction around this idea.



Staff are currently looking in some detail at the Warden Hydro Corridor for a Trail, it is nowhere near as wide.

I think in the case of Warden though however, the hydro lines are dead. Or at least one pair of them. So they could potentially remove the lines.

But, that always incurs more cost.
 
Pfft. I use a power boost of 10% except when I crank it up on a big hill or in a strong wind. My ebike is much heavier than my regular bike so it takes just as much exertion to ride. For many people with different abilities, injuries or just plain old getting older, that pedal assist can mean the difference between riding or not. I choose to keep riding.
 
There are ebikes and there are ebikes. Some are borderline motorcycles, others are just bicycles with a bit of a boost.
The author should make the distinction between pedal assist bikes and throttle bikes early on. Pedal assist bikes are ok. Throttle ones not so much imo. They accelerate too fast and should be regulated similar to gas powered motor bikes.
Last night I was running on the MGT and one of those e-vespas was coming toward me on the wrong side of the lane. When he saw me he took the curb instead of moving to the correct side of the road.
I'm also a cyclist. My philosophy these days is either you're a cyclist and obey the rules that vehicles would obey on the road or you're a pedestrian. This is mostly pointed towards those riders who will jump on the sidewalk when there's traffic or at a red light o beat the light. I'm not talking about left/right turns either.
 
Crossposting here to get some extra traction and more pressure on Metrolinx/City to build this connection.

Badgering Metrolinx to improve the pedestrian connection across the tracks at Old Cummer instead of fencing everything up. Email from Shelley Carroll's office and screencap from her spring newsletter:

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Crossposting here to get some extra traction and more pressure on Metrolinx/City to build this connection.

Badgering Metrolinx to improve the pedestrian connection across the tracks at Old Cummer instead of fencing everything up. Email from Shelley Carroll's office and screencap from her spring newsletter:

View attachment 424635View attachment 424636

This would be huge for the FHCT. I'd love an overpass over the 404 as well, but its unlikely to happen. I'd settle for having the trail go along McNicoll from Don Mills to Vic Park. Theres huge curbs along all those streets that could accommodate the trail.
 

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