I am hugely in support of…

I am hugely in support of removing the bike lanes on all major roadways. I hope it includes not just the downtown area but the GTA as a whole.

I currently live in the Bloor West Village area and the traffic is horrific since the bike lanes were put in. The bike lanes don’t have much volume and it has made a total mess to drive around here as the traffic is now backed up bumper to bumper through multiple intersections along Bloor St which then leads to backed up traffic along the a-joining roads leading to Bloor St. The congestion then backs up on side streets and putting lots of cars in areas were little kids are walking and playing therefore making it unsafe for them to play in front of their home.

A perfect example is the intersections of where Bloor meets Jane St and where Bloor meets the South Kingsway and where Bloor meets Armadale. These three intersections are one block from each other. The traffic lights change and no one is able to move. The bike lanes took away the second lane, everyone is pushing their way into one lane and it just doesn’t work. When both lanes were open for cars it was busy but if the left turn lane was backed up the ones going straight could do so in the second lane. Not now, everyone sits and waits and honks and get aggressive.

Also Because of the bike lanes on Bloor west of the South Kingsway (which by the way make no sense as they are very rarely anyone using them) the traffic moving East to turn on the South Kingsway heading down to the Gardiner is now backed up over the Humber bridge and many times as far as into the Kingsway area, every week day and sometimes on the weekends also. Terrible and totally not needed.

As a person who has mobility issues it made it next to impossible to get to my physio and doctor appointments. Sometimes all the parking was turned into bike lanes and there was no parking for a car until the next block or two. I could barely walk at that time. And if I had someone drive me the car or taxi would have to stop in the only lane which was the live lane of traffic which was the only lane for traffic and everyone would have to wait for me to get out, then get my walker out and then wait and watch me try to find a place where I could go through with my walker because with those cement barriers and reflective sticks where too close together and I could not step and or lift my walker over them. Then I was stressed and upset as I was holding up all the traffic as everyone watched and waited for me.

I have seen at least 4 times where on Bloor near High Park Firetrucks unable to get through traffic because there was not enough room to drive down the middle of the road even though everyone was pulled off to the right to let them through. The city has made the lanes so narrow they were not able to give the firetruck enough room.

These bike lanes are more of a blind spot when making right turns as they have you swinging out so far you can’t get an unobstructed view as to see if any bikes are coming. Also low bikes or mopeds “hide” along side of the parked cars they are not seen until you have actually started turning. I found it safer when you could look into your side mirror, check if a bike was coming or not and make your turn. They have gone crazy overboard with lines all over the place, reflective sticks, different colours painted and the constant curving of lines for you to follow rather then majority being straight with slight bends in them. Also you will be driving in a lane of traffic that without notice suddenly becomes a left or right turn lane only. I have noticed more and more bike signals at intersections these days…..but those who are using the lanes are ignoring them!!

Also, don’t think bike lanes should be used for motorized vehicles like electric bikes, electric scooters, mopeds, etc. Many times I have been driving along the road at the correct speed limits and these electric bikes fly right past me. They too need to be held to the laws of the road especially the speed limits!! I know its hard to police them but drivers are not the only reason accidents happen. Cyclists don’t obey the laws, go through red lights, wave themselves into multiple lanes of traffic trying to take a short cut to get across the street.

In the end, bike lanes, as they have been built are not good for Toronto. It is one of the main reasons the gridlock is out of control for our amazing city.

Lastly, if the city is so short of money, why have they taken away a huge source of revenue they were getting from all the Green P street parking fees??? And why, if they are so short of money have they spent a fortune on bike lanes and have delayed other projects that should have taken priority??

I really hope Doug Ford steps up and fixes the bike lane mess the city has made. Most people I speak to are not happy with them and that jas included some cyclists.

Good luck, I’m counting on you Doug. 🤞🏻