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Bike Lanes on Bloor!

Bike Lanes on Bloor!

Target:
Toronto City Council

We envision a city where people of all ages, abilities and income-levels can safely bike to work, where parents can feel comfortable allowing their children to bike to school, where everyone can breathe clean air, and where we all have realistic alternatives to automobile transportation.  We believe that streets are for people, and that our public spaces are better used, and our communities healthier and more vibrant, when filled with pedestrians, cyclists, transit vehicles and trees.


A number of recent reports have shown that bicycles can be part of the solution to so many urban problems: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and bronchitis; climate change and smog; social isolation and stress; traffic congestion and crashes; noise pollution and limited public space.


But, few people are going to ride their bikes if they don't feel safe doing so.


Toronto city documents suggest that approximately 10,000 cyclists are injured in collisions with motor vehicles every year.  Two thirds of these occur on the City's major arterials - core streets like Queen, King and Bloor.  These are also some of the most popular routes for cyclists because they are long, direct and convenient.  In fact, cyclists have been asking for safe bike facilities on Bloor St. for close to two decades!


Research from around the world demonstrates that cities will only be successful in reducing car/bike collisions and in increasing bicycle ridership if they provide safe, convenient and well-designed bike lanes along the routes that cyclists want to use.


So what are we waiting for???


Sign our petition to Toronto City Council and urge them to immediately build safe, well-designed bike lanes on Bloor Street, one of Toronto's most popular - and most dangerous - routes for cyclists.

We envision a city where people of all ages, abilities and income-levels can safely bike to work, where parents can feel comfortable allowing their children to bike to school, where everyone can breathe clean air, and where we all have realistic alternatives to automobile transportation.  We believe that streets are for people, and that our public spaces are better used, and our communities healthier and more vibrant, when filled with pedestrians, cyclists, transit vehicles and trees.


A number of recent reports have shown that bicycles can be part of the solution to so many urban problems: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and bronchitis; climate change and smog; social isolation and stress; traffic congestion and crashes; noise pollution and limited public space.


But, few people are going to ride their bikes if they don't feel safe doing so.


Toronto city documents suggest that approximately 10,000 cyclists are injured in collisions with motor vehicles every year.  Two thirds of these occur on the City's major arterials - core streets like Queen, King and Bloor.  These are also some of the most popular routes for cyclists because they are long, direct and convenient.  In fact, cyclists have been asking for safe bike facilities on Bloor St. for close to two decades!


Research from around the world demonstrates that cities will only be successful in reducing car/bike collisions and in increasing bicycle ridership if they provide safe, convenient and well-designed bike lanes along the routes that cyclists want to use.


So what are we waiting for???


Sign our petition to Toronto City Council and urge them to immediately build safe, well-designed bike lanes on Bloor Street, one of Toronto's most popular - and most dangerous - routes for cyclists.

We, the undersigned, believe that far too many cyclists are injured on Toronto's streets every year.  These are predictable and preventable collisions that occur, year after year, at the same locations and on the same streets.  Not only cyclists, but the health of all citizens, the quality of Toronto's environment, and the well-being of our communities are suffering as a result.  We believe that it is past time to address this situation.


We envision a city where people of all ages, abilities and income-levels can safely bike to work, where parents can feel comfortable allowing their children to bike to school, where everyone can breathe clean air, and where we all have realistic alternatives to automobile transportation.  We believe that streets are for people, and that our public spaces are better used, and our communities healthier and more vibrant, when filled with pedestrians, cyclists, transit vehicles and trees.


To protect the lives of cyclists and to encourage more people to ride bikes for the health our citizens, our communities and our environment, we call on the City of Toronto to immediately build safe, well-designed bike lanes on Bloor Street, one of Toronto's most popular - and most dangerous - routes for cyclists.
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We signed the "Bike Lanes on Bloor!" petition!
# 666:
12:44 pm PST, Nov 10, Veronika Pankiw, Canada
# 665:
6:44 pm PST, Nov 9, Nihaal Silk, Canada
please do this for us, we need bike lanes on Bloor NOW.
# 664:
10:05 am PST, Nov 6, Michael Stefancic, Canada
i'm tired of smoggy summer days
# 663:
12:07 pm PST, Nov 5, Carl Rosenstock, Wisconsin
# 662:
1:11 pm PST, Nov 3, Alexander Labayen, Canada
hi, please make this city safer for me and my family to bike in, i have a 3 year old and another one on the way, and it scares me that they may have to bike in the same conditions that i do.
# 661:
4:40 am PDT, Oct 31, Michae Bussmann, Canada
I commute to work by bike 10 months of the year. It is terrible that the City of Toronto continues to fail to plan for bike lanes with every street renewal.
# 660:
6:41 pm PDT, Oct 25, Aine Ganly, Canada
I ride my bike whenever possible but don't feel comfortable on Bloor st. Having a bike lane would make many commutes easier for a lot of cyclists/potential cyclists.
# 659:
11:47 am PDT, Oct 15, Kevin Hill, Canada
# 658:
7:04 am PDT, Oct 12, Chris Bohme, Canada
# 657:
4:30 pm PDT, Oct 8, Trevor Haldenby, Canada
# 656:
5:32 am PDT, Oct 7, Name not displayed, New York
As a Canadian living in NYC, I can only tell you to come and experience all the new bike lanes. When Mayor Bloomberg was unsuccessful with congestion pricing for vehicles, he has slowly been removing a car lane here and there to make way for a bike lane. It is the envy of every Torontonian. And some intersections are now blocked off with planters and benches. If only...
# 655:
12:14 am PDT, Oct 7, Deanna Welters, Canada
Cycling is an honourable effort that deserves support. With no more protection for our bodies than a pedestrian, only our head sheilded, cyclists are forced to ride side by side with motor vehicles. We go on two wheels and with a wing and a prayer.
# 654:
8:10 am PDT, Oct 5, Peter Bishop, Canada
It's time the city created more true bike lanes which are separated from traffic and street car tracks on main city streets. I commute regularly to work (20Km each way) and the am fortunate to be able to ride on separated paths for about 40-50% of my ride. Once I get downtown though, close calls with traffic and especially parked cars are a regular occurrence. Several COMPLETE East West and North-South corridors that cross the entire city is what is really needed rather than lots of little disconnected sections.
# 653:
6:05 am PDT, Sep 24, Angela Lamb, Canada
I ride my bike every day and would like to see improvements in safety. Cyclists need accommodation in the design of our street systems, in the licensing of drivers, and in the general attitudes of citizens. Being safe to ride your bike in a dense urban setting just makes sense in every regard.
# 652:
5:12 am PDT, Sep 24, David Croome, Canada
# 651:
6:13 pm PDT, Sep 21, Name not displayed, Canada
I would love to be able to cycle to the University of Toronto every day, but unfortunately I simply don't feel safe enough riding the streets of Toronto to justify the risk. We need better communication and greater respect both on the parts of drivers and cyclists in order to get to a space where "casual" cyclists like myself feel safe and welcome on Toronto's streets.
# 650:
11:26 am PDT, Sep 21, Jared Purdy, Canada
I was side swipped once in this city (2 years ago on Danforth at Logan)), and I consider myself lucky that I and my bike came away unscathed. The cab driver lost his job for his attitude and rudeness, and was order to pay a fine. When I think of what could have happened differently, and how the outcome would have been differently for everyone - had he been more courteous and aware, its almost enough to make me laugh - were it not for the seriousness of the altercation. My duaghter, who at 11 years old was also hit in the intersection at Daforth and Coxwell, as she was crossing on the north side of the street, to get to the west side of the intersections. The driver was turning right (and wasn't paying attention). She even tried to blame my daughter. Fortunately, my kid was not hurt, but she was left very shaken for quite some time, and with a seriously damaged bikeI ride a lot in this city, on average of about 300 kms a week (I ride to work @ 30kms round trip along Danforth to Morningside, and then recreational rides all over the city, daily), and so I think that I am a fair judge of the perils that cyclists face in Toronto. I should also add, that I am an avid driver. In the past week I have had to slam on myy breaks three times to the pint of coming to a skiddign stop to avoid being hit due to the careless of drivers. Making helmuts mandatory for cyclists might be a good idea, but that will not solve the incredible gap in driver etiquette, knowledge, patience,and courtesy that is painfully evident in Toronto. Drivers and cyclists need to be educated, but it is the dirvers in particular that clearly need to be brought up to speed on the perils that cyclists face owing to the incredible size difference between them and an automobile. Bike lanes woudl also go a long way to improving cyclist's safety, and woudl increase mororists awareness about the rights that cyclists have on the road.
# 649:
10:24 am PDT, Sep 20, Mike Green, Canada
To go to the west end I love travelling on Dupont and then hit Dundas W. I've almost been doored 3 times this week and almost collided with a minivan turning left in front of me. Bike lanes on bloor would make commuting a lot faster and safer!
# 648:
10:38 am PDT, Sep 18, Name not displayed, Canada
# 647:
12:46 pm PDT, Sep 12, Renee Nadeau, Canada
# 646:
12:19 pm PDT, Sep 12, Sophie Voegele, Canada
# 645:
5:58 pm PDT, Sep 8, Sarah Beckon, Canada
I'm afraid to ride my bike on the road in Toronto
# 644:
8:49 pm PDT, Sep 7, Melanie Sifton, Canada
Why stop with Bloor Street? All or most roads should have dedicated bike lanes and pedestrian rights of way.
# 643:
6:46 pm PDT, Sep 6, Roland Gasser, Switzerland
An safe east-west bike route through the city would be a big step forward to make Toronto a bike-friendlier city. The bike lanes should also be more visible, and more recognised/respected by car drivers. In Switzerland, yellow colour is used instead of white, and cars are not allowed to park or stop on bike lanes.
# 642:
12:09 pm PDT, Sep 2, Jonathan Weyman, Canada
Please make Bloor St. and the Danforth safer for all types of transportation - add a dedicated bike lane in both directions! We need a main East-West thoroughfare throughout the city for cyclists.
# 641:
11:16 am PDT, Sep 2, Cable Hogue, Canada
We need to respect each other and share the roads. We need bike lanes on Bloor to make it a safe commue for all. Enough blood has been shed!
# 640:
3:30 pm PDT, Sep 1, Name not displayed, Canada
RIP Mr. Sheppard
# 639:
9:49 am PDT, Sep 1, Simon Dekker, Canada
I commute on Bloor many days and would like to see a focused education campaign for both cyclists and drivers - lots of room for improvement and increased communication.
# 638:
9:10 am PDT, Sep 1, Maria Levitsky, Canada
# 637:
5:22 am PDT, Aug 21, Feisty McLeod, Canada
The point is well made... few people will ride their bicycles anywhere at all if it is not safe, or if it does not feel safe - probably because it is not safe. It is time to give more than token thinking to bike lanes. Consider concrete dividers. People who drive cars and trucks are often guilty of thinking they own the entire road, including the bicycle lanes when they want to. Megalomania is not exclusive to motorized vehicles though. The same cyclists who speed along on sidewalks, who really don't give a damn about who they might kill or maim, are also quite willing to drive dangerously along cycling lanes or paths. Enforcement of rules for the safety of cyclists and pedestrians must become an IMPORTANT aspect of city planning. And lets stop the sound of motors in cities for a very, very very long time.
# 636:
7:33 am PDT, Jul 30, Gwen Adams, Canada
We need to encourage people to bike more in Toronto. In Montréal they just started using BIXI it's a new public bike system. It’s the bike that’s really an alternative means of urban transport. Accessible to everyone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, three seasons of the year, from May to November. It's great -- you just take a bike when you need one, and leave it at any station when you arrive at your destination. It would be wonderful to see that here in Toronto. We really need to make biking more accessible and safe for everyone in Toronto.
# 635:
8:13 am PDT, Jul 28, A J, Canada
# 634:
9:01 pm PDT, Jul 23, Louis-Philippe Tremblay-Chapdelaine, Canada
It's time for the City of Toronto to take a step further and to really encourage people to transport themselves by bicycle on a regular basis, for going to work and for daily transport needs. To do so, it has to become safe and pleasant, wich means more dedicated bike lanes throughout the city and on major streets. It would result in a healthier Toronto and in healthier Torontonians.
# 633:
10:28 am PDT, Jul 20, Keagan Gartz, Canada
# 632:
8:56 pm PDT, Jul 11, Name not displayed, Illinois
# 631:
8:02 pm PDT, Jul 6, Robert Ruggiero, Canada
It's simple. More roads=more cars, therefore more bike lanes=more cyclists. Come on Toronto, let's have 21st century planning, not 1950s idealism.
# 630:
5:50 pm PDT, Jul 5, Jack Howard, Canada
It is good to see more and more bike trails and ways of getting around the city. With more and more bicycles on the roads, I feel that it is imperative that the bicycle be seen and treated as a significant means of transportation. I use my bicycle to go to and from work for most of the year (except the really snowy times) and feel much better for it. I am doing my part to help alleviate some of the congestion and the pollution. There needs to be a direct central route across the city for commuters like myself. The Danforth and Bloor Street are ideally situated for this. I urge Council to create a special bicycle lane along these streets, something similar to Dundas Street East where motor traffic is 'controlled', bicycles have their own lane and parking is available for cars all the time. Signed, Jack Howard
# 629:
11:47 pm PDT, Jun 22, Patrick East, Canada
# 628:
10:32 am PDT, Jun 10, Name not displayed, Canada
# 627:
9:46 am PDT, Jun 10, Stewart Jackson, Canada
# 626:
12:55 pm PDT, Jun 9, Name not displayed, Canada
Bikes are vehicles too! Protect your citizens! The state of Toronto's roadways are deplorable. It is unethical for any level of government to ignore the enormous public safety risk caused by the poor road conditions in Toronto. Bloor street is a major route that needs immediate attention. However, a bike lane is NOT enough. Instead, we need to educate drivers regarding proper protocal on the roads when dealing with bikes.
# 625:
7:53 am PDT, Jun 9, Ryan Zizzo, Canada
Toronto's streets need to be accessible to ALL, not just those who drive cars. Bike lanes increase the health of our residents and help clean our air. PLEASE increase bike infrastructure across Toronto by adding bike lanes to Bloor St.
# 624:
12:20 am PDT, Jun 8, Tatiana Costa, Brazil
# 623:
5:01 am PDT, Jun 5, Name not displayed, Finland
# 622:
8:06 am PDT, Jun 4, Evalyn Parry, Canada
For more impact, add a personal comment here
# 621:
4:49 pm PDT, Jun 3, Torbjorn Zetterlund, Canada
Wake up before it is to late, so we can save this planet.
# 620:
10:55 am PDT, Jun 3, Lyhann O'Shaughnessy, Mexico
# 619:
4:21 am PDT, Jun 3, Bernadette Gilbertson, Canada
# 618:
11:37 am PDT, Jun 2, Catherine Hsieh, Canada
# 617:
6:52 am PDT, Jun 2, Angela Regnier, Canada
# 616:
6:47 am PDT, Jun 2, Yasmine Louis, Canada
# 615:
6:44 am PDT, Jun 2, Name not displayed, Canada
# 614:
6:21 am PDT, Jun 2, Mitzi Reinsilber, Canada
I live and work on two ends of Bloor street and was thrilled at the prospect of cycling to work. I was quickly deterred - not only by the cars, car doors, and lack of space, but by the huge amount of potholes and cracked pavement that make a ride on anything other than a mountain bike, treacherous to say the least. The only way to avoid arriving at work unharmed and without road rage, is to take an alternate and much less convenient route. Or not to cycle at all. In a city with two seasons - winter & construction - i find it appalling with all the construction being done in our city that there is no attention paid to this road or providing safety and lanes for cyclists.
# 613:
5:06 pm PDT, Jun 1, Lynda Dunal, Canada
# 612:
4:21 pm PDT, Jun 1, Sheila Brazel, Canada
I wholly support the push to create bicycle lanes on Bloor street. At the present time my daughter cycles along Bloor street to school. For her safety i insist that she must cycle on the sidewalk. My husband would like to cycle from our home at Jane and Bloor to his office at Church and Bloor. The route he must take is long and indirect because he does not feel safe squeezed between the cars and the sidewalk on Bloor Street. We lived for several years in Amsterdam and we both cycled everyday. I went to work with a two children on my bike to be dropped at daycare and my husband worked as a consultant for a large consulting firm , he rode to the office everyday. It was safe and it was the accepted means of transport. Bloor street is an ideal road to have bike lanes. It has a subway underneath so presumably anyone wishing to move along Bloor could use public transit. I hope council does the right thing for the future of Toronto and votes to put bicycle lanes along Bloor street.
# 611:
12:56 pm PDT, Jun 1, Mike Hipwell, Canada
Let's work for a safe, cheap and green way to travel accross the city.
# 610:
8:31 pm PDT, May 31, Name not displayed, Canada
# 609:
7:36 pm PDT, May 31, Sam Davidian, Canada
safety is first, learn from Europe. We need safer bike lanes.
# 608:
6:02 pm PDT, May 31, Amos Shaw, Canada
More bike safety, please
# 607:
2:11 pm PDT, May 31, Yong woon Ju, Korea, Republic Of
I live at the bloorst. I work at yonge and bloor. I usually ride bike when I go to work but I feel unsafe when I ride bike on bloor street. Also, itseems really dangerous when I drive a car. Bike lanes on bloor street would be great for every one!
# 606:
12:17 pm PDT, May 31, Roger Alejandro Sanchez, Canada
I have several contacts with the City of Toronto and according to them, bike lanes on Bloor Street and The Danforth will never happen (regardless if this petition gets 1 million signatures and there is a march at N.P. Square). It is impossible to remove auto lanes and shrinking the sidewalks is not an option so that is why bikes lanes were not incorporated into the planning of the Bloor Street Transformation Project. Sorry but bike lanes just cannot be implemented on certain streets in Toronto and Bloor Street is one of them.
# 605:
9:52 am PDT, May 31, Mary kay schultz Ernest deary, Canada
we need bike lanes on bloor.first of all for safety and second to get the bikes off the sidewalk.
# 604:
8:56 am PDT, May 31, Jessica Leroux, Canada
There are only a few streets in Toronto where there are bike lanes. I bike to work and it would be much more efficient if there were bike lanes on all the main routes downtown. I bike down St George, from Dupont to College, and even if there is a bike lane, I hardly use it due to all the potholes on this road. It really needs to be re-asphalted as well. For a city that considers itself "green", it really is a shame that there is not much access to bikers - the "greenest" of all transportation methods.
# 603:
8:42 am PDT, May 31, Ian Anderson, Canada
# 602:
8:25 am PDT, May 31, Robyn Clarke, Canada
My bike is the cheapest and fastest option for getting around the city. Unfortunately, Bloor Street is one that I avoid due to the lack of bike lanes. There would be less traffic if cycling was a faster and safer option.
# 601:
8:19 am PDT, May 31, Olga Abramowicz, Canada
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