Government of Ontario should…

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019-9266

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121338

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Government of Ontario should encourage cycling as it provides multiple benefits:

1. Improves physical and mental health. By providing opportunities for physical exercise during regular daily commutes.
2. Lowers pollution and environmental impacts. Average family car requires disposal of a set of 4 tires every 4 - 5 years and other mechanical, electrical and electronic parts that deteriorate due to car use on a regular basis.
3. Saves costs. By replacing a second family car with a bicycle, a family can save about $100,000 over the period of 10 years in purchase and maintenance costs.

Thus building new cycling infrastructure, rather then removing existing one, seems like a more beneficial long term investment of government efforts and taxpayer money.

"The legislation would also, if passed, provide the province with the authority to establish a review process on other existing bike lanes (where the removal of a lane of traffic took place)."

In my opinion it would be beneficial if province will remove red tape and bureaucratic obstacles rather then add them, increasing time and cost to neighborhood development.

"The Ontario government is proposing an addendum to the framework that would require the province to remove sections of the Bloor Street, Yonge Street, and University Avenue bike lanes in the City of Toronto and return them to a lane of traffic for motor vehicles."

Transportation within the city, outside of major highways, should be prerogative of municipalities and local residents. If this is absolutely necessary to remove bicycle lanes from these streets, alternatives that don't impact travel time, convenience and safety of cyclists should be proposed and implemented before the removal of existing infrastructure.

Instead of spending time and taxpayer money on unnecessary legislation and removal of functional infrastructure, it would be beneficial if Provincial Government concentrates its efforts on developing transit options between municipalities in Ontario, including GTA.