Bike Lanes on Bloor!
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 bike almost every day. Toronto needs more bike lanes, to encourage this mode of transportation. We need car-free streets, to encourage community life at the street level. We need WAY more thought given to how to increase the number of bikes and DECREASE the number of cars in T.O.
I cycle to work everyday in Toronto. The societal net benefits (better health, less pollution, improved community) of bikelanes is much greater than other road improvements. As a taxpayer I'd like my tax dollar diverted from cars to bicycles.
Bloor Street, Queen Street -- our major east west streets in Toronto need safe bike lanes grade separated from traffic.
With the cost of fuel these days, I think it would be the smartest thing to do we would all benefit from it one way or another. As well it would makes us feel about knowing we have done something to encourage exercise and cut down on pollution created by vehicles.
Do the smart thing! Include a bike lane on Bloor
I don't want to die when riding my bike.
With the construction and current road conditions along certain sections of Bloor make it a very difficult and dangerous road to cycle along. The consideration of cyclists, and the provision of cycle lanes during the redevelopment of sections of Bloor must be a key priority.
I just read today in the Star that the Bloor St. redesign from Church to Avenue does not include bike lanes. That's frankly unbelievable. Bloor St. is obviously in dire need of bike lanes---14% of Bloor traffic is bikes, and without lanes Bloor has one of the highest injury rates. In this day and age, why on earth is Toronto failing to do everything in its power to make it safe and convenient for people to get out of their cars? Bloor needs bike lanes---and NOT bikeways!
As a cyclist in Toronto who regularly uses Bloor Street to commute, I agree that having bike lanes on Bloor would make it a safer means of crossing the city by bike, and would encourage other non-cyclists to take up the sport.
the city of toronto has an obligation to cease dissuading bicycling as a mode of transportation by designing works for the exclusive use of motor vehicles. the city repeatedly agrees to this but without fail the city continues to omit safe cycling considerations in planning. c'mon toronto. time to make good on your promises and obligations.
Bike lanes on bloor NOW. The Bloor Transformation project is JOKE.
We need proper bicylce lanes along all major streets in Toronto. Bloor is a great place to start.
Bloor would be a great east-west street to get across the city with proper bikes lanes instead of currently feeling like the cars will try to squeeze us out at every turn.
I sometimes ride my bike on Bloor Street -- it's an important street for everyone. But right now, it's designed mainly just for cars. PLease make Bloor Street safer for bicycles. It's a win-win for everyone.
It is extremely important to provide cyclists with adequately designed, safe cycling lanes. Getting more people bicycle commuting can solve so many social and environemental problems, and is simply a more pleasant way to commute than sitting in grid-locked traffic. Please create the Bloor-Danforth cycling artery that is so desperately needed in this city.
I often ride my bike on Bloor and though cars are indeed aware of cyclists, it would be good to have a bike lane to get more people out enjoying riding on the road, and helping ensure cars are further made aware of sharing the road.
Cars, cars, cars...Toronto needs to address it's crowded streets NOW with the foresight to ease congestion, increase safety and lower it's Carbon Footprint. While everyone is focusing on the immediate problem of smog, greenhouse gases and increasing fuel cost everyone is ignoring the 'White Elephant'...this is that Fossil Fuels are LIMITED resource!! SO while Fossil Fuels may CURRENTLY be economically viable in the long term they will dry up!! Estimates range that the world will run out of Fossil Fuel within as little as 50 years to a maximum of 200!! Think about it people! We could see the end of Civilization as we know it in as little as 50 years!!! What can we do? Diversify! Look at all means of conserving energy while developing new AND old resources. One of these resources is Human Powered Vehicles and transit system that encourages them. Put in DEDICATED Bike Lanes, make streets 'car free'(IE: Yonge from the Lakeshore to Bloor), allow cyclist to bring their bikes on the subway during rush hour. Our politicians must 'think outside the box' to encourage people to use more fuel efficient modes of transportation!
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1:14 pm PDT, Jun 19,
Chris Young, Canada
Its a tough street to bike. Lanes would make it much safer! |
As a resident of Toronto, I am appalled by the city's lack of action on bike lanes in general. The disregard shown for cyclists is appalling, especially in this age of rising gas prices, and also in light of the city's attemps to brand itself as green. Make change happen now.
My husband bikes along Bloor every day, and I worry about his safety (on his behalf, as well as mine and that of our 2 small kids). Please put bike lanes on Bloor! On my daily commute (by bicycle) I turn off where the small existing section of bike lane ends on Bloor to follow the one down Sherbourne, but as others have noted, I'd be much more likely to continue along Bloor and to plan shopping along there if it was safer. Currently I rarely, if ever go along Bloor, by car, bike, foot or otherwise.
Help us encourage active transportation in Toronto by building bike lanes on Bloor!
this is a necessity. please consider these bike lanes for the fine people of your city.
Death to the opposition!
Bike lanes on Bloor please.
I've almost been hit on Bloor numerous times - would love to see a bike lane on Bloor.
Bike lanes on Bloor would RULE!
This is way, way, way overdue...
Toronto should be a leader for making environmentally friendly inititaives such as creating safe & efficient choices for cyclists. It's appalling how few bike lanes there are in Toronto. How can people be encouraged to ditch their cars in favor of biking when there are so few seemingly "safe" options?
