Mission and Vision
The ActiveTO road openings make space for people on the occasional weekend, but the trails are crowded and used by hundreds every day. We want this space made permanent.
No more waiting for a weekly announcement. No more costly set up and take down with a constant police presence. No more overcrowding on the Martin Goodman Trail. Toronto needs spaces where people can ride bikes safely all the time.
We are calling for:
- ActiveTO on Lake Shore W every weekend possible this summer, to welcome thousands of people of all ages and abilities to enjoy our waterfront safely and without noise and traffic pollution
- Reimagining Lake Shore W through traffic calming measures and repurposing two curb lanes to create a robust, protected bidirectional bike lane using crash-proof jersey barriers like what was used recently in the Port Lands. This will also create space and separation for people while ensuring people with mobility issues, the TTC, and others have driving access in both directions at all times
- Ensuring Lake Shore W becomes a Complete Street as part of the long-term Western Waterfront Master Plan, which will include dedicated space for people walking, wheeling, cycling, and using transit
Keep the momentum going by signing and sharing this petition so that ActiveTO major road openings can continue and be expanded.
Context
As soon as the ActiveTO bike lanes and Major Road Openings were introduced in 2020, people started using them in huge numbers. Bike ridership on Danforth Avenue went up by more than 40% compared to before bike lanes were installed. When half of Lake Shore W was opened to active transportation, there were as many people on bikes as there were cars pre-pandemic in both directions. There were as many as 21,000 people riding bikes and 4,400 people walking on weekends.
In 2021, however, the City wavered on ActiveTO (nearby construction interfered with Lake Shore W) and there were a lot less road openings to enjoy. However, thanks in part to this petition, Black Creek Drive and Allen Road were added to the schedule. Now, the future of ActiveTO remains uncertain – only select road openings on Lake Shore W and Bayview have happened so far, and there is no set schedule for when or how they will continue.
While the success of ActiveTO has been obvious, many areas of Toronto have been untouched by its benefits. In 2022, the permanence of ActiveTO should not only be secured, but expanded to more areas of Toronto.
Overview of Changes
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This petition and the work of many individuals and organizations has led to these ActiveTO bike lanes being made permanent:
Temporary Bike Lanes (still):
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Past Major Road Openings included:
2022 Major Road Openings (so far):
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What's Next?
With summer well underway, the Martin Goodman Trail will be filled with even more people than there currently is. Dedicated space for people walking, wheeling and cycling is needed, but perhaps more importantly, we need traffic calming measures implemented on Lake Shore West so we can enjoy our western waterfront, free from noise pollution, traffic congestion, and in safety.
