This legislation has…

This legislation has multiple problems:

1) Bike lanes are municipal jurisdiction. They impact people locally, not on a provincial level, and there placement and implementation should be kept at the local level.

2) Why are cars even being prioritized on Bloor St. W, University Ave, and Young St.? All three of these roads have subways which would facilitate easy commuting from further afield (ie. Etobicoke, North York).

3) Bikes alleviate congestion. They occupy 1/10th the space of a car and are environmentally friendly.

4) If the Provincial Government was serious about congestion, they would focus on completing their projects in a timely manner. For example the Ontario Line has pinched traffic on Danforth and Papa, and completely snarled the downtown with the blockage of Queen St. at Yonge St. Furthermore, Metrolinx is years behind on completion of the Eglinton Crosstown light rail.

5) The Provincial government could allow the City of Toronto to implement solutions to gridlock, like allowing "cameras" to ticket drivers who "block the box" during red lights, freeing up police officers and penalizing drivers who create additional congestion.

6) Penalties for developers who require lane reductions to build condos and other buildings. Yes, lane reductions are necessary, but if the daily cost were to increase, as well as penalties for delays, developers would plan to complete projects on time and with minimal or reduced lane reductions.

7) Increase fines for drivers who park or stop in no stopping zones. Blocking a lane, even for a few minutes, essentially constricts a multilane roadway that could accommodate more flow and causes gridlock.

8) Had the Progressive Conservatives NOT sold Highway 407 in 1999, a good portion of today's congestion would have already been alleviated. Just think how many drivers currently use Highway 401 to avoid paying exorbitant tolls? If even 30% of that traffic – including trucks – were instead using Highway 407, much of the congestion on Highway 401 would be alleviated. Highway 407 was conceived as a freeway to alleviate congestion.

By selling it, the PC government has in fact inflicted decades of congestion on GTA motorists. It is disingenuous to claim that today's congestion is the fault of bike lanes and that the solution is to remove bike lanes on Bloor St., University Ave., and Yonge St.

Bill 212 is poorly thought out and is nothing more than a political wedge issue. It should be rejected.