I have been biking in…

I have been biking in Toronto for the past 5 years. Commuting on bike has majorly improved my mental health. When physical activity is part of my commute, I feel more energetic when I get to work and more healthy.

I specifically plan my routes to use streets with bike lanes. Even with bike lanes, I have had scary interactions with cars. Without this protection, commuting by bike would be much more dangerous.
If I did not commute by bike, I would probably drive. Not only would this increase road congestion and vehicle emissions which is worse for the environment, it would also lead to more wear-and-tear to roads. This would lead to requiring more frequent maintenance and more road closures.

From a policy perspective, it is abundantly clear that promoting bike lanes and improving public transit leads to a greener, healthier city with less car congestion. I have included a link below with a document from the WHO on the personal and climate health benefits of cycling. This is a layperson article, but there are countless more technical papers outlining the personal and climate benefits of cycling. The evidence is indisputable. From a personal perspective, my physical and mental health would decline if bike lanes in Toronto were closed or reduced.