Comment
For the following reasons, I would like to propose this exception to the requirement for approval.
"Where a highway/road has or will have two or more lanes of traffic and an unprotected bike lane, or at least three lanes of traffic and a a protected bike lane, and it is not a major highway, the highway/road is exempt from all approval requirements under this act in regards to the bike lane."
The Ontario Onwards: Action Plan posted by the Ontario Government highlights such goals as 'reducing red tape' and 'undertaking a review to find ways to simplify the process (of Development and construction approvals)'.
The 'Reducing Gridlock' bill serves exclusively to create additional red tape for cities - the province has already delegated responsibility for city development to municipalities, it is counterproductive to the government's stated goals to create a system whereby cities must obtain approval for development.
The Ontario government has no special expertise about bike lanes, and no legitimate interest in limiting bike lanes except in relation to inter-city highways, and roads that lead on or off said highways.
Gridlock, generally, is caused by driving errors at intersections, and the cars on a road exceeding the throughput of the intersection.
Bicycle lanes serve to reduce the car load on a road, and provide a place for a vehicle that must stop (for example, if involved in a collision) to pull over to without blocking a traffic lane.
While some bicycle lanes require the removal of a traffic lane, many do not, and those that do often form key components of a 'bicycle lane network' - a series of bicycle lane that make it possible to safely travel from one area to another. The bike lanes that could be removed or denied under this act would cripple existing bicycle infrastructure by creating or leaving large gaps in bicycle networks.
While a second lane of traffic allows faster traffic to pass slow traffic, a third lane is often of significantly less benefit. A third lane of traffic necessitates more complicated intersections, dedicated turning cycles, and provides substantially less benefit than the first or second lanes.
Bicycles have significantly less environmental impact than cars do. The environment is a significant concern to many Ontarians.
Commuting via bicycle is a healthy activity. 30% of Ontarians are obese, and the overloading of Ontario's health services is a significant concern to many Ontarians.
The current Ontario administration has experienced significant scrutiny and backlash for its tendency to micro-manage municipal affairs. While the Ontario government is able to do so from a legal standpoint, acts like this are not popular with voters, because the public perception is that the Ontario government should leave city affairs to municipal administrations.
Supporting links
Submitted November 2, 2024 5:45 PM
Comment on
Bill 212 - Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 - Framework for bike lanes that require removal of a traffic lane.
ERO number
019-9266
Comment ID
111385
Commenting on behalf of
Comment status