Re ERO 019-9266 I support…

Re ERO 019-9266

I support legislation that would prohibit the installation of bike lanes when lanes for motor vehicles are removed as a result.

I travel along Bloor Street daily. Very few bicycles travel along this route during the day while motorists use Bloor Street to get to and from work, shopping, schools and personal appointments. The majority of residents’ means of transportation is by car or bus. There is gridlock along the stretch of Bloor where it has been reduced to one lane of traffic in either way in Toronto. What normally would take me a 15 minute drive typically now takes 40 minutes and I see very few bicycles along the way. The reduction to a single lane has caused significant congestion and has been a source of constant frustration for motorists.

Furthermore Bloor Street is frequently used by the Emergency vehicles to access the residential streets south and north of it. Reducing lanes of traffic would make it dangerous and difficult for emergency vehicles to use Bloor Street. In addition I have witnessed motorists dangerously using the turning lane to pass vehicles in order to get to get ahead of traffic. In my opinion there has been an increased safety issue for cyclists, drivers, pedestrians and residents alike.

Recently a motion was passed to reduce traffic lanes to one lane each way in the Applewood neighbourhood of Ward 3 in Mississauga. The new bike lanes are part of the Bloor Street Integrated Road Project, which will reduce Bloor Street from four lanes to two lanes for motorized traffic. The plans also include a continuous two-way left turn lane, widened sidewalks on both sides of the road, in-boulevard cycle tracks and trees on both sides of the road. There was insufficient disclosure of data supporting this change, an absence of bike usage data and inadequate consultation with residents in the area. Unwillingness to share data from studies leads me to suspect a thorough study was not done.

The Councillor in Ward 3 has downplayed the overwhelming protest made by Applewood residents that do not want bike lanes and are not in favour of lane reductions on Bloor Street. A petition was signed by more than 3,300 Applewood residents opposing traffic lane reductions. The councillor said that bike lanes resulting in traffic lane reduction is what residents want, yet she is unwilling and unable to produce data and studies support this when asked. During a meeting at Mississauga city hall that I attended, the councillor actually cited a meeting with a handful of parents at a local elementary school expressing concerns over their children’s safety when they ride bicycles as her only anecdotal support for bike lanes at the expense of the reduction of traffic lanes.

I agree with the over 3,300 Applewood residents that have signed the petition and do not want bike lanes at the expense of traffic lane reductions on Bloor Street. It's crucial for Bloor Street to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction to accommodate the heavy vehicular flow, avoid prolonged travel times, and prevent a heightened risk of accidents. When designing infrastructure, it's essential that it reflects the needs and usage patterns of the community. It is imperative that there is a reassessment of bike lanes and traffic lane reduction on Bloor Street, considering the concerns about data accuracy and the broader implications for the community. Please stop the plan to reduce traffic lanes along Bloor Street in Mississauga.

I thank you for this opportunity to share the concerns of my neighbours in Ward 3.