Province says 3 Toronto bike lanes could be entirely 'ripped out,' mayor vows to fight
CBC
Ontario's transportation minister says bike lanes on three major Toronto streets could be removed entirely, not just in sections, under a proposed regulation.
The Progressive Conservative government tabled a bill last week that would require municipalities to ask the province for permission to install bike lanes when they would remove a lane of vehicle traffic. The government has said these bike lanes are contributing to gridlock, a claim critics have disputed.
The province also announced it was moving faster to review and remove bike lanes on sections of Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue through a proposed new rule.
Speaking to reporters Friday, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said if the regulation goes through, the province could remove more than just sections.
"Everything is up for grabs on these streets to be ripped out," Sarkaria said.
He said the province has heard complaints of bike lanes on these three streets contributing to traffic problems for motor vehicles and hurting businesses.
Many local businesses along these streets have voiced support for the bike lanes. The Bloor-Annex Business Improvement Area, for instance, put out a release last week saying monthly customer spending had increased since lanes were installed along Bloor Street, and removing them would be "disastrous for the area."
"Are we building highways or are we building main streets?" BIA general manager Brian Burchell said in the release. "Because highways don't encourage main street economic activity."
If the regulation goes forward, Sarkaria said the province would choose which lanes to remove from the three streets following a review.
The proposed regulation is posted for public comment until Nov. 20.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has says the city opposes the province's plan to remove bike lanes.
Speaking to reporters Friday, she said "the province's plan is arbitrary and not based on any evidence" that bike lanes add to congestion.
Chow said the installation of these bike lanes was preceded by years of study and consultation before going through city council votes. Ripping them up would be costly and do nothing to help with the city's traffic issues, she said.
Chow said the city is happy to share its data and research with the province.
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