Tragedy on Avenue Road not an Anomaly
Last Wednesday, Miguel Joshua Escanan’s young life was taken while riding his bike on Avenue Road, metres beyond the end of ActiveTO bike lanes (and where a speedway begins).
Action Alert: Write Public Works Now to Support 2016 Cycling Network Implementation Plan
Last year, we launched our Minimum Grid campaign calling on City Hall to increase cycling's annual capital budget from $8 million per year (base budget) to $20 million per year and build 100 km of protected bike lanes and 100 km of bicycle boulevards by 2018. We worked hard and got commitment to our bike lane targets from 25 of 44 of Toronto's City Councillors. To add more specificity to our ask, we launched new campaigns on Bloor, Danforth and Yonge.
This summer, City Council approved the extension of the pilot Richmond Adelaide cycle tracks to Parliament and installation is underway now. Once complete, they will provide the beginnings of a safe, connected route for cyclists through downtown Toronto.
This week, Transportation Services staff announced their plans for 2016 including
Increasing cycling's annual capital budget by 44% from $9.5 million to $13.6 million
Pilot bicycle lane on Bloor St, and Major Corridor Studies on Bloor St and Yonge St
Bicycle lanes on Lakeshore Blvd W and Woodbine Ave
Upgrades to Simcoe St, Shuter St, River St and Gerrard St
Extension of the West Toronto Railpath, among other projects
The last time the City of Toronto installed so many kilometres of on-street bikeways was in 2008.
There's still a long way to go before approval and implementation of these projects. Building new bicycle lanes requires enacting by-laws, which means many of these projects will still come back to PWIC. We must also continue advocating that each of these projects lives up to the highest design standards. Nonetheless, it's important to recognize the work that City staff in Transportation Services have proposed here.
Toronto hasn't yet built the Minimum Grid, but this is an exciting moment for the cycling community to recognize that we're on the road to a safe, connected city-wide network.
Action Requested: write members of PWIC to show your support for the 2016 Cycling Network Implementation Plan
Members of Public Works & Infrastructure Committee:
To: "PWIC" <[email protected]>, “Councillor Jaye Robinson” <[email protected]>, “Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon” <[email protected]>, “Councillor Anthony Perruzza” <[email protected]>, “Councillor Ron Moeser” <[email protected]>, “Councillor Chin Lee” <[email protected]>, “Councillor Stephen Holyday” <[email protected]>
Remember to cc [email protected]. Include PW7.5 in your subject line.
Creativity matters. Include your personal story. And consider including your mailing address; it carries more weight. Please write by Monday September 21 at 4:30 pm.
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