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Hi I live in Etobicoke and I'm very disappointed with this legislation as a young person (21yo) cars are extremely expensive, cost of a vehicle, insurance, fuel, maintenance. Because of this I rely on other transit to get myself around, walking, TTC, and sometimes biking. (I do drive for work btw)
The removal of bike lanes is only going to increase traffic and decrees safety for everyone including drivers and will most likely get people killed.
The new hurdles to get new bike lanes approved and built will only increase costs and add bureaucracy unnecessarily.
Toronto is not a perfect grid, side streets don't follow main roads at all. It's ridiculous to put bike lanes on side streets as a replacement for bike lanes on main roads. Bloor and Dundas (Dundas West Station) for example there's a big railway that only main roads cross. How am I gonna bike that with no bike lanes on main roads????
In downtown Toronto biking is the fastest way to get around. Why wouldn't you make the fastest mode of transit safe and by doing so reduce congestion by making biking more appealing and therefore reducing the number of vehicles on the roads.
On August 24th a 26yo female was struck on Burnhamthorpe Road close to where I live in Etobicoke, she died a week later in hospital, there are no bike lanes on Burnhamthorpe Road. I'm scared of that happening to me, now that the only protection bike lanes are going to be removed if this legislation passes.
Many new buildings downtown are being built with only a few car parking spots but tens or hundreds of bike parking spots because of the growing network of bike lanes. Why would you remove the bike lanes when they're embraced by the people that actually live and want to live in the city?
These bike lanes have taken many years of study and approval after approval to be built. Ripping them up because of a rushed 3 week study and bad vibes is incredibly irresponsible and just wrong.
Ripping out bike lanes that were just installed is an incredible waste of money that could be used to finish the Eglington crosstown, a project that would actually meaningfully reduce congestion. Not to mention the Ontario Line which when completed will bring relief to Line 1, Young st, DVP, Queen st ect..
My sister was yelled at by a driver last week, she was riding her bike home from work but had to use the sidewalk as there are no bike lanes. At an intersection a driver stopped way to late so she had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision, the driver yelled "RIDE ON THE ROAD" at her. Needles to say she was shaken up but that's what happens when you don't have bike lanes. Our hope of it being safe to ride our bikes in Etobicoke is now tarnished if this legislation goes through. :(
Please don't pass this terrible legislation.
Submitted November 4, 2024 2:52 AM
Comment on
Bill 212 - Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 - Framework for bike lanes that require removal of a traffic lane.
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019-9266
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112373
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