Hello, I drive regularly (I…

Hello,

I drive regularly (I own a classic car and I own a daily driving car). I live in the city, have a family home just outside of the city, and driving is absolutely essential for me to go back and forth. Driving is also a fun hobby for me on the weekend with my classic car. But I am also a cyclist.

I am biking more and more with the new bike lanes in Toronto. I spend more locally in Toronto with the lanes, as a stressful drive can often be replaced by a leisurely bike ride. I am even making plans to winter-bike to get more out of the infrastructure and get more exercise. The new bike lanes are new: they take time to draw riders to use them--especially in a historically car-centric city like Toronto. We have never been a safe city to bike in, so many people have avoided it. More people need to bike and use public transportation, if this city is to free up transportation infrastructure. We need to encourage people to do this and give time for the new biking infrastructure to change habits. If the Premier himself needs to get to work faster, I would rather he use a police motorcade or helicopter than rip out and destroy this city's infrastructure progress and future success.

Speaking now as a driver in Toronto, more car lanes will not reduce gridlock. Too many driving laws are not enforced and the induced demand of more car lanes will incentivize more poor driving behaviour (illegal parking, speeding, following too closely, illegal turns, distracted driving, road rage, etc.). If the province want to reduce gridlock and save time, it must find a way to enforce existing laws and curteous driving habits. It must also find a way to get people OUT of cars and into other forms of transportation.

Thank you for your time.