The bicycle lane debate in Ontario has been contested for decades. Both critics and advocates frequently provide convincing arguments about the necessity for bike lanes, whether they are a truly effective safety measure and where to construct them.
The City of Toronto has continually expanded the city's bicycle lane network since forming the Toronto City Cycling Committee almost 50 years ago.
According to a TVO Today report, the push for bicycle lanes was evident in the 1970s. TVO cited a September 1972 Globe and Mail editorial, which stated that local politicians "should be giving serious thought to establishing bicycle lanes on some of the most heavily travelled thoroughfares."
"Who knows? There might one day even be the need for a bicycle expressway into downtown Toronto," the editorial noted.
TVO also quoted a City of Toronto report from the late 1970s that stated "urban cyclists today face a roadway system that was not designed for them and which, in fact, is usually hostile to them. The reason can be traced back to the drawing boards of municipal planning engineers and the concern, for many decades, has been optimizing the flow of automobiles and trucks. The inappropriateness to cycling of many aspects of roadway design is becoming more obvious and more serious as the number of cyclists grows."
Plans to Remove Bike Lanes.
The controversy surrounding bicycle lanes continued recently with the Ontario government introducing legislation that "would require municipalities to receive approval from the province before installing new bike lanes that would result in the removal of lanes for traffic."
The proposed law would also give the province the power to review lanes installed in the past five years along with the authority to order their removal.
Now, the provincial government is taking aim at bike lanes on Yonge Street, Bloor Street and University Avenue that cost the City of Toronto $27 million to install.
"They're coming out," Ford told Global News.
The financial fallout of tearing out the lanes could be immense. While we will eventually know the real cost, it is difficult to estimate how the move will impact the safety of the cyclists who rely on these routes.
Two Sides to the Argument.
As part of Bill 212, or the Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, the Ontario government included plans to oversee placement of bike lanes.
"We're looking at ways to make life easier for people," Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria told reporters. "We're looking at ways to reduce gridlock in this province. But we have seen a record amount of gridlock because we've seen explosive population growth in our cities and it's getting harder and harder for people to commute.
"My job, as a minister of transportation, is to make sure people have choice, whether you want to take a bike, whether you want to ride public transit, whether you want to drive on a highway to get to work. Our government is making sure you have that choice and options."
He said his government has heard complaints that the bicycle lanes on Yonge, Bloor and University contribute to traffic congestion and hurt area businesses.
The City of Toronto immediately voiced its objections to a proposal to remove them. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow told the media that "the province's plan is arbitrary and not based on any evidence" that bike lanes add to congestion.
A city staff report states the lanes promote "active transportation" and come with public health, environmental and economic benefits, according to CBC. The report notes that 28 cyclists have been killed in Toronto since 2015 and 380 people have been seriously injured, adding 68 per cent of those collisions occurred on roadways without cycling infrastructure.
Opinion is split on whether the bike lanes hurt local business. There is also debate about whether removing the lanes will actually alleviate congestion.
Cycling advocate Anthony Smith shared the theory of induced demand with CBC.
"The more lanes you have available, generally it attracts more drivers and it actually makes the problem worse. More drivers equals more congestion," he argues, removing bicycle lanes doesn't mean drivers will get to where they are going faster. "It just means the cyclists who would have had a safe place to ride are now sitting there mixing in with the traffic, vulnerable to being injured."
How Safe Do Dedicated Lanes Keep Cyclists?
It stands to reason that having separate lanes for cyclists would offer riders a degree of safety. However, riding in a bike lane does not guarantee that a bike accident won't happen. Much is dependent on such things as road and weather conditions, drivers and cyclists themselves. Even inattentive pedestrians can cause an accident by walking onto a bike lane.
Riders may also be required to leave a bike lane at certain intervals. Earlier this year, a 24-year-old woman was riding her bicycle westbound on Bloor Street West near Avenue Road in a bike lane when she merged into the vehicle lane. She was struck by a dump truck and pronounced dead at the scene. It was reported that she left the bike lane because it was blocked by a large construction bin.
Toronto, like many Canadian cities, has a variety of bike lanes designed to separate riders from automobiles. Many are marked by painted lines and are for the exclusive use of cyclists. Vehicles are restricted from driving, standing or parking in them but the rules are often flouted.
Protected bike lanes are physically separated from vehicle traffic and can have flexi-posts, curbs or low concrete walls to protect cyclists. While these are considered the safest, riders can be injured at unprotected intersections or by opening car doors. Depending on the configuration, it may also be possible for vehicles to park illegally in the lanes, forcing a cyclist to ride in traffic.
Even with dedicated bike lanes, cyclists must contend with drivers who don't share the road, distracted drivers and pedestrians or drivers who are travelling too fast or who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Eliminating Bike Lanes Can Be a Trade Off.
Getting rid of bicycle lanes on Yonge, Bloor and University may help reduce vehicular congestion on those major traffic arteries but could lead to dire consequences.
It would be a mistake to assume that cyclists would abandon those routes because the lanes are eliminated. Instead, it is more likely that riders would be added to the traffic mix without the protection of a dedicated lane.
However, the Ford government has told cyclists that for their own safety, they should stay off Yonge, Bloor and University once bike lanes have been removed. While they would still be legally permitted to use those roads, the government recently amended Bill 212 to protect the province from lawsuits if cyclists are injured or killed on streets that once had bike lanes. According to the Toronto Star, the amendment states that "claims arising from collisions between motor vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians … are not claims of negligence." This could be problematic for cyclists who are involved in motor vehicle collisions in areas where bike lanes have been removed.
On the one hand, with these amendments, the Ford Government is telling the public that they care about the safety of cyclists, but on the other, they are clearly acknowledging that their actions will lead to death and injury.
Faced with finding a new route or continuing with one that is familiar, some riders could conceivably ride on sidewalks, creating a hazard for pedestrians and themselves.
There is also the question of what happens while bike lanes are being ripped out. Cyclists may well continue on their usual routes but would now have to contend with construction and traffic, which can be a deadly combination.
A Cycling Accident Can Have Catastrophic Consequences.
According to Statistics Canada, an average of 74 Canadians die in cycling collisions each year with 73 per cent of those fatalities involving a collision with an automobile. Thousands more are seriously injured. Even an accident that may appear minor can result in injuries that require years of rehabilitation.
Ontario's no-fault accident benefits system ensures that victims of an automobile accident may be able to access benefits to help in their recovery. There may also be an option for these victims to commence lawsuits against any at-fault parties for negligence.
However, there are limits to what might be available to a particular accident victim, and taking a settlement that seems fair may not provide all the compensation you need to put your life back on track. That's why it is in your best interest to seek legal advice before accepting an insurance company's first offer.
Contact our team of personal injury lawyers today for a no-obligation free consultation. We will always be direct and upfront and explain the options available to you. If we believe we can help you we never charge you legal fees until your claim is settled.