I am a 74 year old retired…

I am a 74 year old retired person. I live in downtown Toronto. I own and ride a bike and I own and drive a car. I am pro-bike but I am not anti-car. I ride my bike as much as possible for health reasons and for environmental reasons. It's not polluting like my car. And riding is much better for my health than driving my car. I use my car only when necessary.

Bike lanes in Toronto as a necessity. Over the years they have got better. But they need to be better still. And there needs to be more of them. It's much safer to separate bikes from cars. The two modes of transportation don't fit well together, hence the need for separate bike lanes. We have not yet reached the European standard of bike lanes like in The Netherlands or in Denmark, but we are heading in the right direction.

I am completely opposed to the regressive measures of Bill 60 with regards to bike lanes. "Prohibiting Vehicle Lane Reduction for New Bicycle Lanes", what a ridiculous idea! I drive a car. Toronto traffic is no fun, but I can get around. The most important part is to be patient as a driver, rather than being pushy, irritated and aggressive. The traffic does move. Gridlock is a rare and temporary experience. That's my experience.

So kill this ridiculous bill. Stop appealing to people's worse impulses and support the development and evolution of transportation systems to make them modern and effective. More bike lanes and better bike lanes are a necessary and fundamental part of that vision.

Moreover, Bill 60 leads to the following negative results:

It strips cities of local authority and decision-making, even when projects are supported by evidence and local residents.

It will worsen traffic congestion, not reduce it. The government’s ownexperts have consistently said that bike lanes are not a cause of gridlock.

It will make roads more dangerous. Protected bike lanes prevent serious injuries and deaths for people biking, walking, and driving.

It threatens other uses of road space that communities rely on, including transit priority, safe crossings, patios, curbside access, and school streets.

It undermines climate goals and public health by locking cities into car-dependent street designs.

Respectfully submitted.