I am writing to share my…

I am writing to share my concerns regarding potential provincial interference in municipal decisions about bike lane placement. As a young professional and parent, I rely on bike infrastructure daily to get around my city with my children and on my own. These lanes are essential for ensuring our safety, promoting health, and offering a cost-effective and efficient transportation option.

Bike lanes are not only crucial for cyclists but also for drivers. When I am driving, I would much rather have cyclists in a separated bike lane than sharing the roadway. This creates safer conditions for everyone and helps reduce conflicts between different modes of transportation.

Additionally, as a cyclist, I often need to use major routes to reach my destinations. Secondary streets alone are not always a practical option. Relying solely on secondary streets for bike lanes creates unnecessarily long and inefficient routes, and results in gaps in bike infrastructure. This forces cyclists to ride on roadways without bike lanes, which increases safety risks and discourages cycling as a viable transportation choice.

Municipalities are best positioned to plan bike lane networks that integrate seamlessly with their cities’ needs. Adding red tape to these decisions undermines the development of safe, continuous, and accessible bike infrastructure. Without these essential networks, residents like me may be forced to reconsider living in communities that do not prioritize diverse transportation options.

I urge the Ontario government to respect municipal autonomy in this matter and support the development of transportation systems that benefit everyone, including drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.