The government's publicly…

The government's publicly stated goal of removing certain bike lanes in downtown Toronto will, if achieved, negatively affect the health and wellbeing of myself and my young family. We live nearby and regularly travel along Danforth avenue by car, by bicycle, on foot, and by transit. We have lived here for many years so have experience travelling along Danforth avenue both before and after the installation of separated bike lanes.

For all modes of transport the new, current design with separate bike lanes on the opposite side of a line of on-street parking from the central lanes of traffic is a great improvement.

Cycling on Danforth is obviously improved. Not just for the buffer that a line of parked cars and of parking blocks with flexiposts provides but also because the delineation of lanes provides clarity. Previously, there was one full-width lane and then a partial width lane combined with parking. That led to a constantly churning flow of traffic where vehicles (cars, bikes, everyone) would spread out into the second partial lane wherever possible (even if only barely possible, almost scraping by the mirrors of parked cars in that lane) only to merge back into the central lanes a few meters later. It was chaotic. Cyclists were forced into the most irregular and unpredictable part of that traffic flow: a varying width partial lane between parked cars and other moving traffic with vehicles of all types abruptly shifting in and out of the same road space. I now regularly commute (3 to 4 times per week) by bicycle along Danforth with my 8 year old child riding their own bicycle. It is 3 kilometers from our home to my child's school, almost all of it along Danforth, and several more from there to my workplace, also primarily on separate bike lanes. We both enjoy this immensely. There is a noticeable improvement in my child's mood on days when we bicycle together. We also have wonderful conversations about our neighbourhood and things that we see along the way, conversations that just don't seem to come up when we drive along the same route. I would never have considered taking that journey by bicycle with my child when the previous road design was in place, even at my child's present age. It would have been terrifying. Now, however, I could see my child making this trip alone in only a few years, long before they are eligible to apply for a drivers license. What a gift of autonomous, free movement and health! The keys to our community.

You may be surprised to hear that the experience of driving on Danforth is also very much improved. It is! Both my spouse and I agree, and have remarked on it to each other while driving along Danforth in recent years. With the previous road design that constant, chaotic churning of traffic in and out of a partial width lane shared with on-street parking created a nerve-wracking experience. Even driving in the full width, central lanes you had to contend with others darting in and out from the adjacent partial lane. It was terrible. Now there is one central lane in each direction for most of Danforth, except at intersections where there are often dedicated turning lanes. Traffic in those lanes moves in an orderly fashion and driving takes only a normal, relaxed level of vigilance. Traffic flows generally well, and if it is ever truly snarled up there is Mortimer or Kingston Road or Dundas. Another partial lane of traffic would not (and did not in the past) help.

Walking along Danforth is also improved as the bike lane provides additional buffer from the noise and exhaust of motorized traffic. The summer patios are an added bonus.

My family's quality of life would be considerably diminished if these bike lanes were to be removed.