I have lived in the city's…

I have lived in the city's residential downtown neighborhoods for over 10 years. I've been a cyclist the whole time, using bike lanes to get to work, do groceries, see friends and family, attend events, and generally get around. The bike lanes on Bloor, College, Sherbourne, and Shaw streets have enabled me to travel more safely to and from all the places I need to go as a citizen of Toronto. Traversing Spadina and University avenues while travelling east or west can either be a treacherous, chaotic, and scary endeavor (on Dundas with no bike lanes) vs. efficient, safe, and non-intimidating (on College St, with bike lanes). They make a huge difference in the way traffic flows for cyclists and drivers, who are able to better know what to expect and act accordingly where bike lanes exist. Removing them will be a detriment to cyclists and drivers alike, putting peoples lives at risk. There are other solutions to explore in order to improve congestion in the city which would be less harmful and avoid endangering the lives of cyclists. Improving access to bike lanes, rather than removing them, will get more people on bikes and relieve some of the car traffic. It takes time and going back on all the improvements on bike access we've made so far is a step back in the wrong direction in terms of dealing with congestion and safety.