(Riders gather at Avenue and Bloor during Wednesday’s ghost bike memorial ride. Image: Péter Sós)
Last week’s tragedy along Bloor St where a young woman was killed by the driver of a dump truck was a wake-up call. For over a decade, Cycle Toronto campaigned for protected bike lanes on Bloor Street. And together we won. But even along a corridor that sees thousands of cyclists a day and in which one can travel almost exclusively on protected bike lanes, one unsafe segment can quickly turn one person’s commute into a tragedy.
We turned our grief and outrage into action. We urged the Mayor and City Council for real change now to save lives. Speaking to reporters at Wednesday’s ghost bike memorial ride, Mayor Chow claimed that some of the solutions outlined in your letters (including automated parking enforcement) would be adopted:
“As the mayor, I'm doubling my efforts, tripling my efforts — more fines, ticketing those who are parked illegally, enforcing the law and setting up a mobility squad to check whether there are construction sites in all the places where there are a lot of cyclists to make sure they're safe"
This is an important first step. And shows the power of our collective voice. But we need the Mayor and our political leaders to do more to ensure construction zones are safe and passable, and bikeways aren’t blocked or obstructed.
(The scene of July's tragedy. Image: Jun Nogami)
Over the past month, Cycle Toronto has been speaking up on behalf of cyclists across the city.
“The city is starting to take [cycling] more seriously. But none of that matters if the bikeways are not safe and accessible and usable for all. Any system is only as strong as its weakest link”
“If we’re not prioritizing, making sure the bikeways are clear and accessible and not blocked, it really undermines the effectiveness of that entire network, and it puts people’s lives at risk.”
“It shouldn’t take the death of a young woman for us to wake up and take action on this. This should be the last time this happens”
And thanks to Cycle Toronto members and donors, we will continue amplifying the calls to unlock a safer, healthier, and more vibrant cycling city today.
(Cycle Toronto Executive Director Michael Longfield discusses July's tragedy on CBC’s Metro Morning. Image: CBC)
On behalf of all us at Cycle Toronto, thank you.
