General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)

[the lemur]

Maybe it has something to do with the giant signs that say "BICYCLE LANE CLOSED".

They're (unofficially?) open now and getting some use.

The numbers game is indeed pointless. You might as well point to the large empty expanses on the sidewalk and conclude that there aren't enough pedestrians to make it viable.

And then there's the conundrum embodied by many anti-bike trolls:

'Look! Almost no cyclists in the bike lane/track! Waste of money! Not enough cyclists to warrant separate infrastructure!'

*roads without cycling infrastructure get used by cyclists riding alongside cars*

'Aargh! Too many cyclists! Holding up traffic! They should be away from cars! Separated!'

 

[Towered]

Sooo...any more bike lanes in the works? For such an ambitious plan, it sure seems to fall off the radar a lot.

 

[UserNameToronto]

Sooo...any more bike lanes in the works? For such an ambitious plan, it sure seems to fall off the radar a lot.

I sure wish this wasn't posted April 1:

https://www.cycleto.ca/news/project-update-protected-bike-lanes-richmond-adelaide

 

[k10ery]

Recordings of the eyewitness accounts from the night Darcy Allan Sheppard was killed. I don't know if there's anything new, relative to what we saw in the security videos. But it's still a fascinating, horrible listen.

http://canadalandshow.com/podcast/michael-bryant-killed-my-son

 

[leopetr]

Is there a separate thread for infrastructure, or is everything cycling-related going in here? It might be a good idea to retitle this if this is the catch-all.

The current status of the Lower Don Trail improvements is somewhat disappointing:

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=f54bbe65c6595410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

The tender to construct the Lower Don Access Improvements project closed on December 12, 2014. Unfortunately, all bids exceeded the available budget, and the difficult decision was made by the project team and senior staff to postpone the construction work until after the Pan Am Games. Currently, we are considering re-tendering the project in phases - with hopes that the first phase may start construction this September. The second public meeting for this project will be scheduled when a contract has been awarded. If you are not on the project contact list, please email me to receive project updates.

The master plan for the improvements looks good with a lot of new connections to the trail (Dundas, Gerrard, Rosedale Valley, Bloor off-ramp, Brickworks, Pottery road) and a parallel separated route along Bayview. I do hope they don't start lopping pieces off now, though.

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/c...nnel=53f9dada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

 

[W. K. Lis]

Here's an idea to be considered:

[video=vimeo;127628966]https://vimeo.com/127628966[/video]

 

[junctionist]

When we restore granite block pavements on the Esplanade and Yonge Street where they existed in the 1900s, that would be a good idea. But it should be wider.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Went for a 22 km ride with my young daughter yesterday down the trails and then through the city and I found the bike lanes fine along Adelaide, though shame they don't go right to Sherbourne where the bike lane is one of the best. Overall, a great ride, with IMO patient drivers, probably because they saw a younger rider, or our holiday minds are less stressed. Not sure I'd do the same road routes usually, but the mess at Harbourfront forced us off the trail and to find a different west-east route home.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I do wish there was a Windows Phone app that helped navigate through the bike trails in Toronto. My navigation apps just tell me to take the roads.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Is there a trail today that comes down the Don Valley and then to the base of the Humber without going through the construction mess of Queens Quay? When I was a lad the Martin Goodman Trail took one from the dvp right to Ontario Place without needing to ride on the road.

 

[LNahid2000]

Is there a trail today that comes down the Don Valley and then to the base of the Humber without going through the construction mess of Queens Quay? When I was a lad the Martin Goodman Trail took one from the dvp right to Ontario Place without needing to ride on the road.

I don't remember the route between Queens Quay/Yonge and Queens Quay/Bathurst ever being traffic free for bikes. However, this is a large component of the Queens Quay Revitalization project. In 2 months, you'll be able to get between The Beaches and The Humber without having to ride in mixed traffic.

 

[CDL.TO]

Went for a 22 km ride with my young daughter yesterday down the trails and then through the city and I found the bike lanes fine along Adelaide, though shame they don't go right to Sherbourne where the bike lane is one of the best. Overall, a great ride, with IMO patient drivers, probably because they saw a younger rider, or our holiday minds are less stressed. Not sure I'd do the same road routes usually, but the mess at Harbourfront forced us off the trail and to find a different west-east route home.

That's great! I think it really is one of the most important measures of our cycling infrastructure is whether a good parent like yourself feels safe having their children ride their bike.

I do wish there was a Windows Phone app that helped navigate through the bike trails in Toronto. My navigation apps just tell me to take the roads.

Can you get Google Maps on the Windows Phone? It shows bike facilities.

Is there a trail today that comes down the Don Valley and then to the base of the Humber without going through the construction mess of Queens Quay? When I was a lad the Martin Goodman Trail took one from the dvp right to Ontario Place without needing to ride on the road.

I'm 95% sure that you've never been able to get from Ontario Place to the DVP without riding on the street. That's one of the reasons for all the construction on Queens Quay - to finally create that connection.

Back when I was a lad we had to ride on the street between Bathurst-ish and Yonge-ish.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I'm 95% sure that you've never been able to get from Ontario Place to the DVP without riding on the street. That's one of the reasons for all the construction on Queens Quay - to finally create that connection.

Back when I was a lad we had to ride on the street between Bathurst-ish and Yonge-ish.

I'll check Google Maps, thanks. I recall riding on the Martin Goodman Trail along the north side of Lakeshore to about River St., and then having to cross the road and continue onto the trail. It's been 20 odd years now, so I'm a bit foggy.

 

[PinkLucy]

You can ride on the south side of Lake Shore between Bathurst and Yonge where they had the bike detour during the construction. It's not terribly pleasant, however.

 

[UserNameToronto]

This just in:

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/c...nnel=ae48a00f92dd5410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

Richmond-Adelaide Cycle Tracks Proposed Extension East to Parliament Street

Staff to present proposal to Council this Summer 2015, for potential installation in the Fall

As a continuation of this pilot project, Transportation Services is proposing to extend the Richmond Street, and Adelaide Street cycle tracks eastward, from their current eastern limits to Parliament Street. A staff report describing in detail these proposals will be presented to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, and City Council this summer 2015. If approved, the extensions of the pilot project will be installed this year in the fall, after the Pan Am and Para Pan Am Games. Transportation Services proposes to maintain operation and continued evaluation of the pilot project until a City Council decision is made on the recommendations of the related ongoing Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study, targeted to be submitted to Council in the third quarter of 2016.