I'm a 15-year-old living in…

I'm a 15-year-old living in midtown Toronto (North York). Most of the time, my parents are busy with work and other commitments, leaving me to get around the city for my various needs, such as getting to school, work, extracurriculars, and friends' houses.

I've been taking the TTC and biking around Toronto, from uptown to downtown, from Scarborough to Mississauga, and everything in between. For many trips, even long-distance ones, my bike has been a huge help to get me places on time. The safe bike lanes around the city, such as on Yonge, Bloor, portions of Eglinton, and even bicycle "gutters" (paint infrastructure) such as the short segments on York Mills or Bayview have been a huge contributor to making me feel safe from quickly moving motor vehicles.

I'm wondering how the provincial government can indirectly tell me that my safety as a commuter without a car is unimportant (especially as a teenager, it should be of utmost importance to keep me and my fellow commuters safe). It seems inappropriate to rip out bike lanes for the benefit of drivers even though cyclists and other commuters also deserve to have transportation options which suit them.

Toronto is a city with a growing cycling network, and as the city becomes increasingly interconnected with bike lanes, this network will continue to thrive.

I've attached a study below, in the "supporting links" section. The study researched the correlation between providing alternate transit modes (such as public transit, walking, and cycling infrastructure) and relieving overall congestion. By providing commuters with options which best suit them, other than just the car, commuters can opt for different transit modes (which in more cases than not is a bike or public transit), and cars will be taken off roads, relieving congestion.

Even when I have my driver's license in the future, I will continue to cycle around the city as it's a climate-friendly and healthy way to commute.

Please take this into consideration - bike lanes have offered me, a teenager, a safe and fast option to get around countless times, and I'd love for them to continue doing that in the future.