Toronto’s east-west…

Commentaire

Toronto’s east-west connectivity is as essential for cyclists as it is for drivers, making protected bike lanes on Bloor-Danforth crucial. Bloor Street’s bike lanes form the only comprehensive east-west route for cyclists across the city's core, promoting sustainable, efficient transit options beyond driving—a necessity if Toronto aims to be a forward-looking, livable city.

Opposition to these bike lanes often claims they slow traffic. However, this argument overlooks several proven factors:

Traffic Flow: Numerous studies from cities like New York, LA, San Francisco, and Paris show that adding more car lanes worsens congestion, as it attracts additional drivers who increase road demand. Conversely, protected bike lanes in these cities have been shown to improve overall flow by encouraging alternatives to driving, reducing car volume and congestion.

Street Design: Before bike lanes, Bloor did not consistently have two lanes per direction; it had more parking and one wider lane. More parking further discourages mass transportation options that Toronto is building and improving. Narrower lanes naturally and enhance driver focus, reducing accidents.

Safety: Even if speeds are lower, slower car speeds make streets safer for all—especially pedestrians. Bloor is not a highway; it’s a central urban corridor surrounded by neighborhoods, schools, and small businesses.

Having lived in Bloor West for nearly three decades, I can say confidently that Bloor doesn’t need more cars; it needs safe, inclusive transit options that help people move freely across the city. Removing these bike lanes would be a regressive step in urban planning, undoing vital progress toward a sustainable, accessible Toronto.