The proposed legislation and…

The proposed legislation and associated regulations are deeply flawed on multiple levels.
Most fundamentally, removal of existing bikelanes on Bloor St, Yonge St and University Avenue and halting of potential additional cycling infrastructure will, over time, worsen not improve congestion in Toronto. All available research indicates that increasing space available to cars simply induces more car journeys, rapidly undoing any immediate benefits that may be gained. At the same time, making alternative modes of transportation less attractive (less safe, more time consuming) must inevitably tend to encourage more people to use cars, ultimately worsening congestion. Ontario, like jurisdictions around the world, needs to come to terms with reality - the only way to reduce congestion is to enable, encourage and persuade more people to use modes of transportation other than cars, wherever feasible.
It is not obvious that removal of bike lanes would in fact result in additional vehicle lanes, unless this were to be combined with the removal of parking spaces and - specifically on Yonge St - removal of CafeTO patios - both of which would obviously have significant negative impacts on local businesses.
Removing bikelanes will have a negative impact on the safety of all road users, most obviously but not only cyclists. Street design of streets with bikelanes is also safer and more comfortable for the high volumes of pedestrian traffic that exist on these streets. They create a barrier between pedestrians and motor vehicles and narrow the road lanes that must be crossed by pedetrians, making for a safer crossing.
The proposal clearly works against goals to reduce carbon emissions, in promoting cars at the expense of cyclists and pedestrians.
The proposals fundamentally undermine local democracy. Decisions around the allocation of municipal road space do not have province-wide implications and the debates and design should be left to municipal councils.
Finally, spending our taxpayers' money on what appears to be a politically motivated stunt is fiscally irresponsible.
Resident, Yonge and St Clair, Toronto