The proposed changes to the…

The proposed changes to the law will put cyclists in harm's way and will not accomplish the stated goal of reducing motor vehicle traffic congestion. If the goal were really to reduce congestion, it would be better to encourage the building of bike lanes, and more generally encourage people to cycle, since a bicycle takes up far less road space than a car. That would benefit even motorists, to the extent that motorists would choose to cycle instead. But the proposed framework would result in just the opposite: cyclists on Bloor St and wherever else bike lanes are removed will be forced to ride among motor vehicles, risking their lives, or else they will simply not cycle -- and perhaps drive instead, increasing pollution and traffic congestion. The capability of bike lanes to reduce congestion while increasing safety is documented -- see the attached file "6597_Reducing_Congestion_7.pdf". It is easy but totally wrongheaded to blame bike lanes for increased congestion while the real causes go unexamined. To really reduce congestion requires adapting transportation systems to growing and densifying cities, and that adaptation should include bike lanes.

And even if it were the case that traffic congestion would be reduced by the proposed changes, is it worth the risk to cyclists' lives? I know people who have been injured or barely escaped injury or whose family members have been killed because of collisions with motor vehicles in places where cycling infrastructure was lacking. I also know people who have been late to work. People's lives and health matter. Being stuck in traffic is frustrating, but not to be avoided at all costs.

I am also displeased that the government of Ontario wants to interfere with the ability of municipalities to push forward with their own goals of improving cycling safety and encouraging people to travel in ways that emit less greenhouse gas.

The bike lanes on Bloor St in Toronto have also led to increased customer traffic for businesses on that street -- whose proprietors, themselves almost all motorists, underestimate how much of their traffic comes from cyclists. See attached file "Bloor-Economic-Impact-Study-Full-Report-2019-09-03_4.pdf"