Controversial bike lanes planned for Avenue Rd., north of Bloor St.
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Raquel won’t ride her bike north on Avenue Rd., from Bloor St., because she says the section of road is too dangerous to navigate.
A May 13 report from City Hall said that stretch of roadway will have its six-lanes reduced to four and see the implementation of bike lanes to help prevent future cyclist fatalities, of which there have been three since 2015.
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Controversial bike lanes planned for Avenue Rd., north of Bloor St. Back to video
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The final changes will go before city council for approval on June 26.
The May report said at least 30,000 vehicles pass through the short stretch of the ritzy Yorkville neighbourhood, and that 977 vehicle collisions have occurred there in the past decade.
Waiting outside the Equinox store on Avenue Rd. after shopping, Raquel checked her mobile phone to see when the northbound bus would arrive so she could hook up her bike to its front carrier.
“Especially on Avenue, during busy times, I actually wait for the bus,” said Raquel, who was heading to St. Clair Ave., up what she describes as a huge steep ski hill along Avenue Rd.
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She said there is also a lot of construction on the stretch of roadway which makes it dangerous for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists.
Early Wednesday afternoon, a CP24 camera person, who was shooting footage of Avenue Rd., caught a woman’s car being struck by a dump truck. In the video, the woman bailed out her passenger doorway and the driver of the dump truck lurched to a halt and hopped out to see if she was OK.
Rita, who was out on her bike in the area doing errands, added she is a motorist, and said: “I wouldn’t agree with doing another bike lane here” because of the congestion level.
She explained there are already bike lanes to the east on Bay St. and Yonge St. — and one street west at Bedford Ave.
Matt, who works in real estate, and lives just north of Davenport Rd. pointed east as far as the eye could see and said “look how far back the traffic goes.”
Matt added he sees how emergency vehicles have to negotiate and drive into oncoming traffic lanes that are open.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous, the bike lanes they have don’t even get used,” said Matt.
An X posting by the Avenue Road Safety Coalition on March 13, thanked city council for its decision.
“Converting a 6-lane downtown motorway into a safer road with wider sidewalks should be easy, right?,” said the post. “Yet, it’s taken 7 years, an exhausting community effort, plus 20 supportive groups to get action.”
Memorials have been erected along the roadway with “white ghost bikes” signifying cyclists who have been killed on the city’s roads.
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