Bike lanes are an integral…

Bike lanes are an integral part of a thoughtful, economically beneficial, equitable, and sustainable plan for our cities.

I am both a driver and a cyclist in Toronto, who uses the bike lane roads with both means. The “slow down” created by bike lanes is greatly embellished, if even existent, and inconsequential when you consider that it protects all of us and makes more enjoyable and livable neighbourhoods.

As a driver, I like knowing that I’m at less risk of an killing someone because they have a safe way to get around the city, one which may be their only means, while also having health and environmental benefits. One route I drive often had a bike lane installed then extended, there was no noticeable change in driving time. Bike lanes are not the problem, they are one part of a solution strategy.

Anecdotally, the biggest slowdowns I’ve been in have been caused by inattentive drivers who either have caused an accident or have poor habits that create domino effects in the chain of cars behind them.

1. Bike lanes create functional safety barriers between pedestrians and traffic, while provided alternative means for people to transit the area. Done right, they can even improve the aesthetic and desirability to live in an area.

2. Bike lanes are part of an accessible transit strategy for ALL citizens. Providing all constituents, not just those with the privilege of owning a car; a safe way to move through our cities should be sought by our governments not challenged.

Bike lanes provide life saving transit infrastructure whether you ride for employment (ie food delivery, commuting), general transportation, health, recreation, or athletic training. They also can save a driver the trauma of being responsible for the tragedy of taking a life or permanently disabling someone.

3. More lanes does not equal better traffic. Time and time again more roads and lanes has proving a failing way to effectively reduce congestion. Don’t be a failure, build cities that a livable, transit-able and safe for all constituents.

Effective and intelligent strategies will always consider the lives and needs of all constituents, and how a city that has a diverse transit system and infrastructure becomes a more desirable place to invest and live.

4. Stop wasting money. The most successful cities in reducing traffic are the ones with forward think plan that incorporates bikes, public transit, cycling and other modes. Taking out lanes is costly , a waste of my taxes, and motivated by politics rather than intelligence. Please, don’t be that person that gets a kid killed where a bike lane could have saved them because who wanted to appeal to some uninformed voters. Lead, do the right thing, and help build better province for all of us.

5. Municipalities should be allowed to create transit infrastructure that productively meets the needs of its local citizens without provincial interference or added cost. This supports the democratic system and structure we have in place, and allows local governments to establish plans that serve the targeted interests of their community.

From a person side, this is my life and the life of others you have a responsibility towards. We elect our governments to fulfill a responsibility to better the lives of all they serve. Focusing road infrastructure on one privileged class of persons (like myself) neglects the safety and needs of others while simultaneously ensuring that our cities cannot build transit plans and community design that follows the supporting evidence that car centric plans do not work.

Please, let our province it is municipalities build great cities that are safe, desired, livable and easily commutable, regardless of your access to a car.