Bill 60 is counter…

Bill 60 is counter-productive for the movement of people through cities, and is dangerous for all users of urban streets. As a driver, and as someone who is also a pedestrian and a cyclist and a transit user, I am deeply concerned about this proposed legislation.

1. It will make roads more dangerous for everyone. Protected bike lanes prevent serious injuries and deaths for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Increasing bicycle infrastructure, including dedicated bike lanes, lights, and traffic control systems, will increase everyone's safe and smooth movement through our cities. A study in the journal of Transport and Health analyzing 13 years of traffic data in the US found that that protected bicycle lanes make roads significantly safer for motorists and pedestrians as well as cyclists.

2. It does not solve gridlock. The government's own experts have concluded that bike lanes are not a source of gridlock.

3. Cyclists also need to be able to travel to work, school, and other places. Although active recreational activities are important, it's important to remember that bicycles are not only for recreation: like those in motorized vehicles, cyclists are also travelling for reasons that are central to the economic, political, and social life of a city. We need to think about the quick and safe movement of cyclists through the city.

4. The proposed legislation threatens not only bike lanes but also other uses of road space needed by families and communities, including safe crossings, curbside access, school streets, and forms of motorized public transit. We need to invest in better mixed-use streets to enable these important activities.

5. Bill 60 is concerning as an urban resident in Ontario, since it strips cities of local authority and decision-making. There are important reasons for allowing city governments to respond to the needs of local residents, and to adapt street design and road use to specific urban contexts. Setting out provincial legislation that stops cities from responding to local needs and local values is troubling.

6. Bill 60 undermines climate action and public health by locking cities into car-dependence and car-focused design. At a time of radical climate change that is blanketing our cities with wildfire smoke, increasing emergency response needs for heat waves and ice storms, and more, we need cities to be able to enact urban design that serves health and climate goals.

We all benefit from bike lanes, public transportation, safe intersection crossings, and the vibrant communities that result from streets designed for a variety of users and forms of transit. Bill 60 does not serve these important goals.