I am opposed to this…

I am opposed to this proposal. Driving in the GTA is horrible and that is why I chose to live in Bloor West Village when moving to Toronto 2 years ago. I was attracted to this neighbourhood primarily by the close proximity to the Subway, the bike lanes on Bloor and how easy it was to walk to the local businesses.

The reality is that trips in my neighborhood are faster and easier by bicycle than any other mode. (parking is never an issue and it is always free) The councilor that I elected knows this and that is why they have consistently voted to provide the infrastructure to keep cyclists safe.

We need to balance the priorities that make sure that moving people is a priority. Single occupancy cars are the least efficient way to move people around and without alternatives the problem is only going to get worse. The capacity of a municipal road is determined by the throughput of the intersections. Removing bike lanes and adding back driving lanes mid-block will do nothing to improve the travel times for those using Bloor. For many cyclist Bloor is the only way to efficiently cross the Humber River.

I am opposed to the loss of democratic process that this legislation represents. 20 of 22 councilors voted to extend the bike lanes on Bloor and now the Minister of Transportation will have unilateral power to reverse the will of the local people. The people of the city voted overwhelming to support candidates that believe in Vision Zero.

The infrastructure around bike lanes are designed to slow traffic and make everyone - including people in cars safer. Removing this infrastructure will surely result in more serious injuries and death. Too many residents of Toronto have been killed by cars this year. Going for a walk to the grocery store should be a safe en devour but the removal of the complete street infrastructure will surely make it less so.