RE: Bill 212 – An Act to…

RE: Bill 212 – An Act to enact two Acts and amend various Acts with respect to highways, broadband-related expropriation, and other transportation-related matters (“Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act”)

I am writing to request the reconsideration of Bill 212. My concerns relate to the provincial oversight and restrictions on the installation of cycling infrastructure (i.e., bike lanes). There are five areas of benefit that bike lanes provide: improved safety for all road users [1] (including decreased dooring collisions, sideswipe, and rear end collisions)[2], increased economic outcomes for local businesses [3] and governments [4], reduced greenhouse gas emissions [5], decreased access gap for equity-seeking populations [6], and improved physical and mental health [7]. I will now focus on the health, equity, and safety implications of providing protected bike lanes.

First, physical activity is a key factor in reducing numerous chronic health conditions and improving individuals’ mental wellbeing [8, 9]. Physical activity, such as through active transportation – walking, cycling, or other active modes of travel – is an effective way to meet the 24-hour movement guidelines that show increases to health, well-being, and fitness. Specifically, bike lanes can increase the total distance traveled by cyclists and the overall ridership of residents [10]. By replacing some car trips with cycling, research indicates that people can gain an additional nine life-years [11]. Moreover, by not incorporating physical activity into Canadians’ lifestyles, the healthcare system is estimated to spend $6.8 billion per year due to the impact physical inactivity has on chronic diseases [7].

Second, prioritizing private vehicle use disproportionately impacts equity-deserving populations such as racialized persons, people living on low incomes, persons with disabilities, women, and Indigenous peoples. For example, lower income neighbourhoods have historically been poorly designed with increased safety and health risks. However, when active transportation is included into the neighbourhood design (i.e., sidewalks, bike lanes, public transit, roadways) social and health inequities are reduced [6]. Given transportation options, individuals can select the affordable and safe travel mode to participate in the workforce, access grocery stores, recreational facilities, and healthcare services [12]. This research is not unique as researchers and governments globally have identified that high-quality multi-modal infrastructure increases the use of active transportation, and its’ associated social and health benefits [13, 14, 15, 16]. Additionally, when individuals have affordable transportation options, they have more money to spend on necessities such as food and rent, or extras such as goods from local business [7].

Third, safety of all roadway users increases with the installation of bike lanes. As outlined by the Canadian Paediatric Society [17], cycling infrastructure that is well-connected (‘cycle tracks’) has a halo effect where collisions involving motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists decreased in a 500m surrounding area. Additionally, protected bike lanes are the safest option for all roadway users compared to painted lines, protected right of ways, and elevated lanes [18].

High-quality active transportation infrastructure leads to more people walking and cycling. Active travel has many proven physical and mental health benefits and impacts chronic disease prevalence. These investments need to be distributed equitably so that every community member can enjoy the benefits of active transportation.

REFERENCES
[1] Ministry of Transportation Ontario. (2022). Ontario road safety annual report. Road Safety Research Office, Safety Policy, and Education Branch.

[2] City of Toronto. (2017). Bloor Street West Bike Lane Pilot Project Evaluation.

[3] Arancibia, D., Farber, S., Savan, B., Verlinden, Y., Smith Lea, N., Allen, J., & Vernich, L. (2019). Measuring the Local Economic Impacts of Replacing On-Street Parking with Bike Lanes: A Toronto (Canada) Case Study. Journal of the American Planning Association, 85(4), 463–481. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944363.2019.1638816.

[4] Transport Canada. (2011). Active Transportation in Canada. A resource and planning guide.

[5] Sallis, J.R., Spoon, C., Cavill, N., et al. (2015). Co-benefits of designing communities for active living: an exploration of literature. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12, 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-015-0188-2.

[6] Rothman, L., Cloutier. M-S., Manaugh, K., Howard, A.W., Macpherson, A.K., Macarthur, C. (2020). Spatial distribution of roadway environment features related to child pedestrian safety by census tract income in Toronto, Canada. Injury Prevention, 26(3), 229-233. https://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2018-043125.

[7] Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). (2021). Active Travel Background Document.

[8] Bingham, P.B. (2009). Physical activity and mental health literature review. Minding Our Bodies.

[9] Hamer, M. & Chida, Y. (2008). Active commuting and cardiovascular risk: A meta-analytic review. Preventive medicine, 46. 9-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2007.03.006.

[10] Pedroso, F. E., Angriman, F., Bellows, A. L., & Taylor, K. (2016). Bicycle Use and Cyclist Safety Following Boston's Bicycle Infrastructure Expansion, 2009-2012. American journal of public health, 106(12), 2171–2177. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303454.

[11] Daniel, K. & Perrotta, K. (March 2017). Prescribing Active Travel for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet: A Toolkit for Health Professionals. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE).

[12] Laberee, K, Zanotto, M., Funk, A., Kirk, S. F. L., Moore, S. A., & Winters, M. (2023). All Ages and Abilities: exploring the language of municipal cycling policies. Urban, Planning and Transport Research, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/21650020.2023.2264365.

[13] Buehler, R. & Dill, J. (2015). Bikeway networks: A review of effects on cycling. Transport Reviews, 36(1), 9-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/01441647.2015.1069908

[14] Pucher, J., & Buehler, R. (2021). Cycling for Sustainable Cities (pp. 20-27). MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262542029/cycling-for-sustainable-cities/

[15] Buehler, J. & Pucher, J. (2012). Cycling to work in 90 large American cities: New evidence on the role of bike paths and lanes, Transportation, 39(2), pp. 409-432. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11116-011-9355-8

[16] Graystone, M., Mitra, R., & Hess, P. M. (2022). Gendered perceptions of cycling safety and on-street bicycle infrastructure: bridging the gap. Transportation research part D: transport and environment, 105, 103237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2022.103237

[17] Canadian Paediatric Society. (2024). Improving cycling safety for children and youth. Paediatric Child Health, 29(5), 324-328. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxae035.

[18] Cicchino, J. B., McCarthy, M. L., Newgard, C. D., Wall, S. P., DiMaggio, C. J., Kulie, P. E., Arnold, B. N., & Zuby, D. S. (2020). Not all protected bike lanes are the same: Infrastructure and risk of cyclist collisions and falls leading to emergency department visits in three U.S. cities. Accident; analysis and prevention, 141, 105490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2020.105490.