Resident group wants city to pause proposed RapidTO changes to Bathurst St.

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A newly-formed group of business owners and concerned residents are pushing back on plans to install transit-only lanes on a significant stretch of Bathurst St.

Protect Bathurst, formed last month in response to the city’s RapidTO plans that would see the creation of priority TTC streetcar and bus lanes between Lakeshore Blvd. and Eglinton Ave., say they want to see the proposed implementation paused for now.

A redesigned Bathurst St. would see priority bus lanes in the northbound and southbound curb lanes from Eglinton Ave. to Bloor St. and priority streetcar lanes from Bloor St. to Lake Shore Blvd.

But the group said the proposal would eliminate 480 curbside parking, stopping, and loading spaces along the 7.5-kilometre stretch and would be enforced by cameras 24 hours a day.

According to the city, the 7 Bathurst bus and 511 Bathurst streetcar serve more than 35,000 riders on weekdays. People who take transit on Bathurst St. endure 75% longer trips than those who drive, and only 63% of buses and 79% of streetcars arrive on time due to traffic congestion.

“Let me be clear: We are not anti-transit,” Paul Macchiusi, local resident and owner of Minerva Cannabis on Bathurst St., said at a news conference at Kos Cafe on Wednesday morning and attended by more than 100 supporters.

“All of us want better transit. Many members in our community are transit users as are many of our customers. Better transit benefits everyone.

“However, the RapidTO plan — while improving transit for riders — does so at the expense of everyone else.”

A virtual public meeting was held by city and TTC staff on May 12 to explain the plans as well as two public drop-in events on May 10 and 14. A survey asking residents their opinion of the rapid transit corridor was also made available last month.

At a TTC Board meeting on May 14, city staff said they are prioritizing Bathurst and Dufferin Sts. for rapid transit ahead of Toronto hosting the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament next year.

Besides transit, the plan also allows emergency vehicles and cyclists to use the priority lanes.

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However, Protect Bathurst is demanding proper accessibility and safety assessments be conducted and affected community members are fully consulted due to concerns that the plan ignores how people actually access their homes and businesses.

Macchiusi said “there will be nowhere for someone to stop and help an aging parent, nowhere for children to get dropped off and go to daycare, nowhere for residents to unload groceries, nowhere for people with mobility issues to park close enough to their destinations, and nowhere for delivery vehicles to unload goods safely.”

Other residents and business owners also spoke, including St. Peter’s Church parishioner Angelina Petherbridge, who said she received a transit update from Ward 11 Councillor Dianne Saxe.

According to Petherbridge, Saxe appears willing to talk further about the transit proposal with concerned residents.

“We just want to make sure she commits to preserving our space for funerals, weddings and accessibility,” Petherbridge said.

The Sun reached out for comment from Councillors Saxe and Josh Matlow, whose wards will be affected by the proposed road changes, but have yet to receive a response.

Meanwhile, transit advocacy group TTCriders said on social media that people who take transit along Bathurst and Dufferin Sts. are “enthusiastically in favour of a faster and more reliable commute” that would allow them to spend less time on packed vehicles and more time with family and friends.

“We still support RapidTO dedicated lanes on Dufferin and Bathurst as designed by City staff and are waiting to see the what recommendations come out from the public consultations when they are presented to the Executive Committee,” the group added.