I think this proposal is a…

I think this proposal is a waste of money that won't actually solve gridlock. Gridlock is caused by poor driving not bike lanes or cyclists. Gridlock is caused when drivers drive into the intersection when there isn't space on the other side for them to fit. The light changes and suddenly they block the intersection. There's gridlock on three lane roads (HWY 7 in Markham) so increasing the number of lanes is not the solution. Driver education and reducing the number of cars downtown would be the solution the traffic and gridlock.

Removing additional lanes for years to be under construction also doesn't help reduce traffic or gridlock. Example being Yonge and Eglinton.

Removing bike lanes is also bad for all the university students who use them to get around. This would be the major population you are affecting because this is a huge part of the downtown population that needs multiple transit options because they can't afford cars. The buses get stuck in the same traffic as cars so many choose to cycle as an alternative. But to do that, many students would want to be in dedicated bike lanes because that provides separation and safety from the car traffic.

The province has separate responsibilities from the municipal government and I think this proposal encroaches on the city's territory. If the citizens of Toronto democratically elected a Mayor who supports these bike lanes, then the province shouldn't interfere. If the province focused on larger scale infrastructure, such a giving the northern Richmond Hill GO line dedicated track so it can run more than just commuter hours, then we can reduce congestion by reducing cars.

The transportation ministers talks about putting bike lanes "where they make sense" however I think they have never ridden a bike in the city before. Where it makes sense to add a bike lane is a place where people want to bike and it's too dangerous to. I don't think the lives of the people who have died while cycling in the city is worth the time taken away from drivers stuck in traffic, especially because when they are solely responsible for gridlock. We should be focused on the MOBILITY OF PEOPLE NOT CARS. You need to build bike lanes in places people want to go and they need to be maintained so that people want to use it. The reason people in Toronto don't bike in the winter is because the bike lanes are never plowed, therefore they don't bike because it is unsafe. If safe Infrastructure is provided, then people will use it. So I think the statistics the transportation ministers cites as a reason to remove the bike lanes is completely invalid because it doesn't take these matters into account.

In conclusion, this proposal doesn't actually reduce congestion or gridlock because gridlock is caused by poor driving and not cyclists. Removing them will result in more casualties of cyclists. I also don't believe the province should have control over municipal streets when the people of Toronto elected a local government that supports the bike lanes. This proposal is a waste of tax payer money that could be used better elsewhere.