A few weeks ago, I travelled…

A few weeks ago, I travelled to Toronto from my home 2 hours north, visiting Queen's Park to speak to MPPs about our healthcare system. I parked my car at a friend's house in Parkdale and used Toronto Bike Share to ride downtown to my hotel. During my 2 day stay, I made multiple trips by bicycle including on University Ave., Bloor St. W. and College St. to meetings, and to return to Parkdale. The trips I took were efficient and the cost to use the bike share economical. I enjoyed seeing Toronto streetlife and interacting with other people. There was one less car on the road for those trips as a result.

I routinely cycle for shorter trips where I live and use the bike share system and bike lanes when I travel to the 'City'. My experience has been consistently positive. The cycling infrastructure where I live, in other Ontario cities I have visited, and especially in Toronto, has improved significantly in the past decade as has the ridership.

My experience commuting by bicycle, has been that riders are very courteous and recognize that everyone else, like them, is trying to get somewhere safely and efficiently. Along University Ave., College St. and Bloor Street in the late afternoon on Monday Oct. 21, the bike lanes were busy as were the traffic lanes but everyone was moving. There were noticeably more electric bikes on the streets and, as it was the only option available on one occasion, I had the opportunity to try one while in Toronto. I enjoyed the trip.

Removing bike lanes, as is being proposed by Bill 212, is misguided in my opinion and not supported by evidence. Bike lanes do not cause congestion, cars do. Cycling is a transportation option that is affordable, good for personal and social health and reduces space demands and wear/maintenance costs on roads. Local businesses benefit from increased movement of people in proximity to where the money is spent. A personal motor vehicle is expensive to own and operate which many people cannot afford. Parking personal vehicles uses up valuable space which could be used for other purposes (such as housing) and is an opportunity cost. Bike lanes are safer for cyclists and help separate bicycles and pedestrians, which is better for all.

Traffic planning and road design needs to take into consideration many factors to ensure that people can move about efficiently. These decisions should be made by those with expertise and based on evidence. Bill 212, and in particular the addendum to arbitrarily identify Bloor St, College St. and University Ave for removal, is not based on evidence and will waste tax dollars unnecessarily.

Ensuring transportation planning decisions are based on factual information, and made by people with the knowledge and understanding of the multifactorial implications of how people move, is necessary if we are to get people where they need to go. The interactions between infrastructure design, societal health, our environment and our economy (People, Planet, Prosperity) need to be taken into consideration. These design decisions should be made by planning experts in consultation with local municipalities, and not politicians.

The provincial government should stay in its own lane, or perhaps trying riding the bike lane. Bill 212 will not reduce gridlock or save people time and is a distraction from addressing the real issues - sprawl, inadequate public transit and a societal dependence on an expensive, unhealthy mode of transport for daily activities. Cycling will not be for everyone however bike lanes are part of the solution to getting people safely where they need to go.