Comment
I strongly oppose this bill as this is an ill thought plan which will only worsen the problems it claims to address.
It is claimed that Bill will reduce Gridlock by removing bike lanes. It sounds like the legislators behind this draft bill have never heard of the concept of "induced demand". It is scientifically proven that adding more lanes only encourages more people to drive, which quickly leads to more cars on the road and then more traffic congestion, despite the lane widening. A never ending vicious circle. Here is a article for reference - https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-highways-induced-demand-explainer/
I don't understand why the bill only considers the rights of vehicle owners. What about the rights of pedestrians? Cyclists? Users of public transport? Making car a necessary need for commuting only increases economic burden on households who are forced to spend an unreasonable amount of their income on commuting expenses. A better public transport can not only save people's time but also money.
The bill talks about rider safety, but no one has ever died because they got hit by a bike. It's only car accidents that cause deaths. It's simple - encouraging more people to use bikes would reduce deaths on the roads, while having more cars on the road will increase accidents.
The city should be investing in public transport of which bike lanes are an important part. If at all the government insists on removing bike lanes, they should be replaced by dedicated bus lanes and not given away to private vehicles. Widening lanes of private cars will be a gross wastage of taxpayer money. It will not solve the core issue and only push the problems a few months into the future. Not to mention the environmental damage this will cause.
It shocking that in an era when most major cities are focusing on creating user centric, walkable cities, we are regressing backwards.
Please hire some educated Urban planners to come up with modern urban planning solutions rather than whoever is coming up with these archaic ideas.
Submitted November 3, 2024 9:12 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
112300
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Comment status