I have many concerns about…

I have many concerns about the effects of this bill. I am both a driver and a regular commuter cyclist. There is no doubt that there are congestion problems in Toronto however reducing bike lanes is not a solution and will certainly have negative consequences.
The addition of bike lanes in my neighbourhood has had a clear effect of increasing the number of bike commuters over the years since installation. This is something that happens gradually as people change their habits, so it is not surprising that initially these lanes may appear underutilized. Every bike in the lane represents potentially one less car on the road, which should be the goal for legislators, to reduce congestion for those who need to use motor vehicles. As winters become milder, this is an increasingly viable year round option for people and needs to be considered as part of a transportation plan.

Removing bike lanes also makes roads less safe for all users. For some, this will force them back into a vehicle, worsening congestion, for others they will continue but face increased risk of serious collision with cars. The province pays for health care too- shouldn't this be a concern?

Bicycles use less space, cause less wear and tear on roadways and require less costly parking infrastructure. Many new developments in the city don't even have car parking spaces. The province pays for roads, why would they actively deter people from choosing transportation options that save them money?

This is to say nothing of the importance of the importance of supporting the use of emission-free/low emission transportation options as part of the larger picture of addressing the climate crisis. We need to create more opportunities for this, not take them away.

This bill is shortsighted, penny-wise and pound foolish. Address congestion by investing in public transit as a viable option, managing construction projects and proper road use, not by eliminating safe use of alternative methods of transportation that, in and of themselves, actually do reduce car congestion.