Hello! I live in downtown…

Hello! I live in downtown Toronto and I vehemently oppose to Bill 212.

There is a multitude of reasons why congestion has never felt worse in Toronto, many of which have nothing to do with our very scant bike infrastructure. Historic construction projects, namely those related to the Ontario line, have stretched street capacities to their absolute limit. More drivers than ever are packed onto streets that were built decades ago. The chronic underfunding of public transit has undermined the delivery of efficient service. But one more lane for cars will not solve those problems, and it'll take visionary thinking at Queen's Park to create solutions. Simply saying "No" to bike initiatives that have been consulted on, approved and are in the process of implementing builds roadblocks instead of express routes to solving congestion.

On a philosophical note, what kind of city do we want to become? Toronto has longed looked to more progressive European countries for inspiration, or even a bit to the east in Montreal. They both embrace a proliferation of bike lanes, thought to enhance quality of life, reduce car dependency and benefit the environment. Urban planning enthusiasts love to talk of 15-minute cities — bikes and other alternative modes of transit, as well as the infrastructure that allows them to get around, make that possible. Bike lanes are always part of the ideal progressive city, but now we find them scapegoated and used as a political wedge.

For bike lane detractors, specifically those who urge cyclists to "use side streets," I would challenge them to get from the west end of the city to the east end of the city (or vice versa) safely on a bicycle. The sole bike routes are on Bloor and on Lakeshore – the rest force cyclists onto roads that are extremely busy and deeply unsafe, especially with construction and proximity to street car tracks.

I urge those in approval of Bill 212 to reconsider their position and consider the kind of city we want to become. We're a city for people, not cars.