City Council votes to make Bloor bike lanes project permanent but did the city really want it?

Toronto city council’s decision to make the Bloor bike lanes pilot stretch from Avenue to Shaw permanent received mixed response in a Bloor Street neighborhood the morning after the vote.

Councillor John Campbell (Ward 4 – Etobicoke Centre), who was leaning towards voting against the pilot project in its early days but voted in favor of the bicycle facility said in a phone interview, “The bike lanes do extremely well in keeping the bikers safe.”

The Bloor bike lanes pilot project was installed in August 2016 and was supposed to be reassessed in June 2017. (RSJ/Abhi Raheja)

The general manager of transportation services recommended the city council to make the lanes permanent. City staff’s assessment about the effects of the lanes on pedestrians, local residents, cyclists and local businesses found that installation of the temporary lanes increased cycling use by 49 per cent with 25 per cent being new riders.

“These lanes make me feel very safe” said Katherine Smyk, 24. “I ride through this street every day and I am glad it is going to be permanent now.” Smyk is a university student and uses her bicycle to get to school.

Councillor Michael Ford (Ward 2 - Etobicoke North) raised a motion in the council to conduct a cost analysis of making the bike lanes permanent. “I’m not saying I am against making these bike lanes permanent”, said Ford in a phone interview. “I don’t think the city council has the financial resources to maintain or modify this facility.” Ford voted against making the bike lanes at along Bloor permanent.

Graham Silver, 28 works as a delivery person for a food delivery company along Bloor Street. (RSJ/Abhi Raheja)

“The barriers between the road and the bike lanes concern me. They still don’t prevent cars from getting into the bike lanes and blocking the way”, said Graham Silver, 28. “When I’m trying to take a right turn, it is really dangerous because there is no established mechanism or rule about it.” Silver is a delivery person for a food delivery service and uses his bicycle for deliveries.

According to Silver, a lot of car drivers don’t wait for the bicycles to take a turn as they try to cross the street before the traffic light turns red and it usually ends up bad for the biker. “The council should focus on planning an effective traffic system.”

Councillor Campbell expressed concerns about the local business affecting from the bike lanes. He even raised a motion for a study to be conducted about the economic impact of the bike lanes on the local business along the bloor street but the motion failed.

According to Toronto Star, the city removed 166 of about 280 on-street paid parking spaces to accommodate the lanes. (RSJ/Abhi Raheja)

Genet, 28, manager at a convenience store on Bloor Street said, “My store is losing thirteen thousand dollars every month because of these bike lanes.” Genet has been working at the store since before the bike lanes were installed. She attributes the loss in the revenue of the store to less parking spaces available due to the new bike lanes.

“No one really came forward and expressed any opinions about the lanes”, said Councillor Campbell. “I did not receive a single communication from any of the stores in the vicinity of the bike lanes.”

The evaluation report produced by city staff states, “Through a door-to-door merchant survey and a pedestrian intercept survey, this study found that most merchants reported an increase in the number of customers.”