Researchers at UBC and Simon Fraser University have come up with a way to rate how good major Canadian cities are for cycling.

Modelled on a site called Walk-Score, researchers tallied up three factors: topography, bike accessibility to shops and the number of bike lanes. The results are then colour-coded on a map posted on a website.

The Fixer: Cycling on Kew Gardens paths is no crime after all [The Star]

He did a computer search on the bylaw noted on the signs — 319-69 — which later became 1969-319, and “it turns out the bylaw was repealed 15 years ago and the city just hadn’t taken down the signs.”

Between the date of our column and Leroux’s investigation, all but one sign was removed, he said, noting that “the entire Fixer article is incorrect.”

June is Bike Month across Canada [Dandyhorse Magazine]

Toronto’s Bike Month has evolved from a single Bike to Work Day in 1998 to become one of the largest events of its kind in the country. Bike Month is organized by the City of Toronto and theCycle Toronto (formerly Toronto Cyclists Union). Below are a just a couple of events dandy will be at, but check out their calendar for full event listings.

Urban Planet: Why Kids Don’t Ride to School Anymore [Spacing Toronto]

Did you ride your bike to school as a kid? According to this piece on NPR, back in 1969 nearly half of children got to school on foot or by bike. Today, that figure is closer to 13%. Reporter David Darlington talks about what has changed – from concerns about liability to sprawling neighbourhood design to a changing understanding of bikes as recreation rather than transportation.

Behind the scenes at Cervelo Cycles in Toronto [BlogTO]

Cervélo might just be the most innovative bike company in the world — and its Toronto-based headquarters is the type of place to send a tingle up and down the average roadie’s spandex-clad back. One wall is entirely whiteboard — with sketches, equations, and complex diagrams offered as an inadvertent equivalent to decor. Men with rings on their pinky fingers spend their days tinkering with the latest and greatest in software applications, trying to find that optimal balance between strength, stiffness, and aerodynamics.

Cyclist hospitalized after downtown crash  [CityNews]

A cyclist was rushed to hospital after a crash in the city’s downtown overnight Saturday.

Police tell CityNews the victim was biking near Queen and Victoria Streets just after 1 a.m. when a driver slammed on the brakes, causing the cyclist to crash into the back of the car.

Councillor and TTC chair Karen Stintz bike infraction earns her a ‘scolding’ from police officer [National Post]

The Toronto police officer in the cruiser behind her pulled the councillor over and reminded her she had to come to a full stop, like other vehicles.

“I said I was sorry, and that I would be more mindful in the future,” said Ms. Stintz, who tweeted about her encounter as a public service announcement. “The way she was scolding me, I’m fairly certain she did not know who I was,” she laughed.

Waiting on Wellesley [NOW Magazine]

It’s becoming a not-so-proud tradition in Toronto: propose a bike lane, approve a bike lane, and then delay building the bike lane.

The city has consistently fallen short of targets set out in the official Bike Plan 10 years ago, and it appears the separated cycle track planned for Wellesley St. is the latest project to be pushed back. According to a report going before the public works committee next Wednesday, the separated lane from Queen’s Park Crescent to Sherbourne Ave. won’t be completed until 2013, a year later than originally planned.

About the News Cycle

The News Cycle is a periodic post which brings together links to news, events and other things which may be of interest to Toronto’s cyclists.

Other ways to get the News Cycle:

• All News Cycle links are shared first on our Facebook and Twitter accounts.
• Every page of BikingToronto has a “The Feed” section on the right side.  Check there for the latest links.
• Subscribe to our RSS feed to get The News Cycle in your feed reader, or subscribe to our mailing list to get BikingToronto posts in your email (maximum 1 email per day).

While the Toronto Cyclist’s Union Cycle Toronto’s effort to force the city to conduct a time-consuming environmental assessment before removing the Jarvis bike lanes continues, it’s published city collision data showing changes from the period before the bike lane was put in, and the one-year numbers since the bike lane went in. The results, as Cycle Toronto puts it, are pretty definitive.

Toronto News: Jarvis safer since bike lanes, report shows [The Star]

Cycle Toronto, Board Election Results and Annual General Meeting Recap [Toronto Cyclists Union / Cycle Toronto]

Bikes of Bamboo [Torontoist]

How did Bixi do in its first year in Toronto? [TorontoLife]

OpenRoad: How construction projects can occupy bike lanes—legally [OpenFile]

For about a month last year, Toronto cyclist Lizz Bryce avoided the stretch of St. George Street near the Rotman School of Management at all costs. The building was under construction and the project spilled out onto the sidewalks and beyond, often blocking the street’s heavily-used northbound bike lane.

The Grid guide to cycling etiquette [The Grid TO]

How should people behave in cities? The Grid’s Urban Etiquette video series gives you a few tips on how to be a polite city dweller.

This week, we ask Andrea Garcia, the Advocacy Director of the Toronto Cyclists Union, to advise us on why cyclists shouldn’t run red lights, how often to ring your bell, and whether bike flirting is an acceptable practice.

Bixi Toronto bike rental service turns 1 [CityNews]

Bike Collision Rates are Down on Jarvis Street [Toronto Cyclists Union / Cycle Toronto]

Toronto Cyclist Union changes name to “Cycle Toronto” [OpenFile]

 We’ve briefly mentioned this story before, but the decision was finally made last night: the Toronto Cyclist Union had to decide whether to keep the word “union” in its name, or go with a more generic term. The results were pretty overwhelming.

About the News Cycle

The News Cycle is a periodic post which brings together links to news, events and other things which may be of interest to Toronto’s cyclists.

Other ways to get the News Cycle:

• All News Cycle links are shared first on our Facebook and Twitter accounts.
• Every page of BikingToronto has a “The Feed” section on the right side.  Check there for the latest links.
• Subscribe to our RSS feed to get The News Cycle in your feed reader, or subscribe to our mailing list to get BikingToronto posts in your email (maximum 1 email per day).

From tragedy to disgust: Video of dead cyclist stolen [The Star]

Earlier this month, bicyclist Jenna Morrison was struck and killed by a truck while turning right from Sterling Rd. to Dundas St. W.  Now, the family has been rocked by the news that a video camera containing footage of the much-loved yoga instructor dancing with her son has been stolen.

Side guards get nod from city council [NOW Magazine]

In an overwhelming 39-3 vote, councillors approved a broadly worded motion to look into introducing several safety measures on trucks in Toronto, including side guards and other features like audible warning systems. The motion also voiced council’s support for a federal bill that would make side guards mandatory across the country, and asked staff to investigate the feasibility of fitting the guards on all city-operated trucks.

Canadians want more bike lanes and law-abiding cyclists: poll [National Post]

Following recent high-profile cycling deaths in Ontario, results of a poll suggest four in five Canadians think until more cyclists respect the rules of the road, they won’t be able to gain the respect of motorists. “What Canadians are saying is that there needs to be more understanding between motorists and cyclists,” Ipsos Reid associate vice-president Sean Simpson said.

Reminder: Toronto Cyclists Union Member Appreciation Night [Bike Union]

 The Bike Union’s Member Appreciation Night is tonight (Thursday) at Mountain Equipment Co-op.  Get 10% off MEC products, INCLUDING bikes!

Bixi gets bigger [Spacing Toronto]

Locating Bixi stations close to each other and creating a dense service area is crucial for a bike share system that is structured for relatively quick, under 30-minute trips. However, the realization that there are opportunities for stations outside the initial service area, while less densely located, is a welcome one.

[photo from National Post]

About the News Cycle

The News Cycle is a periodic post which brings together links to news, events and other things which may be of interest to Toronto’s cyclists.  If you have an item you would like to see in The News Cycle, please email it to me at joe[at]bikingtoronto.com

Subscribe to our RSS feed to get The News Cycle in your feed reader, or subscribe to our mailing list to get BikingToronto posts in your email (maximum 1 email per day).

Advertising good, bikes bad [Dodgeville]

Enough has been written about these stupid info pillars elsewhere that I won’t bore you with another diatribe against their design or the questionable process that resulted in the city being saddled with them in the first place. This one is in front of Carrot Common on Danforth and in addition to looking ugly, replaced a perfectly good post and ring bike rack, as seen by Google Street View.

Toronto-Montreal Bixi comparison [Globe & Mail]

Excellent Infographic from the Globe and Mail comparing the first year of Montreal’s Bixi bikesharing program with the first 6 months of Toronto’s Bixi.  Toronto’s numbers are obviously lower due to the shortened time period, but are EXCELLENT considering we have one-fifth of Montreal’s Bixi bikes (1000 and 5000 bikes, respectively).

Trashy Bike Lane [The Urban Country]

‘I saw nothing but bike helmets for blocks’ [The Star]

She was 38. I am 38. She had a five-year-old. So do I. She was killed on an average day, pedalling down the same two-lane street she always did by a truck that didn’t have a metal fence under its hulking belly because it would cost more. (How much could it possibly cost, compared to the price of a truck? That’s fodder for another column.)

A Failure to Address the Intersection Problem [Duncan's City Ride]

 There are no words to describe my disappointment and disgust with a recently installed “major multi-use path” along the Bayview extension, but I’ll try.

Wheels of Misfortune [Toronto Standard]

I’m aware this is going to be a busy ride. And by the restaurant district in Little Italy, where bike lanes have not yet materialized, it’s tight single-file riding, as there are well over a dozen of us. By Spadina, it’s 20, then 25, then 30. Slow riders, fast riders, impatient riders. It’s busy, but not the kind of busy I had in mind. While I was away, Toronto seems to have developed a passion for bike transit.

[photo from Lloyd Alter / TreeHugger]

About the News Cycle

The News Cycle is a periodic post which brings together links to news, events and other things which may be of interest to Toronto’s cyclists.  If you have an item you would like to see in The News Cycle, please email it to me at joe[at]bikingtoronto.com

Subscribe to our RSS feed to get The News Cycle in your feed reader, or subscribe to our mailing list to get BikingToronto posts in your email (maximum 1 email per day).

Cycling safely toward a better city [Toronto Star]

Mostly an article with Gil Penalosa of 8-80 Cities about what is needed to make Toronto a great cycling city (hint – it’s things other cities like NYC, London, Montreal and Vancouver are doing)

Bixi Toronto Newsletter – November 2011 [Bixi]

The November edition of Bixi Toronto’s newsletter is out and includes information about some Bixi Stations moving in preparation for winter, a VIA Rail discount to BIXI members, how to gives someone a BIXI for Christmas, and Bixi Statistics (including 300,000 trips taken so far)!

Derailed: A Bike Union Dance Party [Toronto Cyclists Union]

Get your groove on with the Toronto Cyclists Union.  This Friday night is Derailed, a dance party at CSI Annex on Friday Nov 11! Doors at 9:00. Presentations until 10:00. Silent Auction, raffles and dancing all night long.  Bike Union members get in free. Non-members = $5.

Cyclist killed in west Toronto collision [CBC]

Toronto’s second cyclist has died in traffic this year after a truck hit a woman at Dundas West and Sterling Rd, which is where the West Toronto Railpath ends.

 Bikelanes on Leslie? Let’s Make It Happen! Nov 9, 6pm

Let’s make Leslie St better for walking and cycling (to food stores, parks and the Spit)!!! The TTC is considering re-designs of Leslie Street between Queen St E and Lakeshore Blvd as you read this. Have your say: TTC designers will be presenting at a public meeting.

Wednesday, November 9
Open house: 6pm
Presentation + Q&A: 6:30-8:30
Toronto Fire Academy/EMS 895 Eastern Ave

[image from the Star]

The News Cycle is a periodic post which brings together links to news, events and other things which may be of interest to Toronto’s cyclists.  If you have an item you would like to see in The News Cycle, please email it to me at joe[at]bikingtoronto.com

Subscribe to our RSS feed to get The News Cycle in your feed reader, or subscribe to our mailing list to get BikingToronto posts in your email (maximum 1 email per day).

Back in June, Rob Ford presented his BikePlan, which essentially was just a re-hashing of some earlier concepts by other politicians and I think, originally, by Dave Meslin, including most signficantly, an idea to put separated bikelanes on Richmond and Adelaide Streets.

That plan is one step closer now due to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee carrying an item at their meeting on Thurs, Nov. 3rd to move ahead with an Environmental Assessment on the feasibility of the separated lanes.

The full text of the item is as follows:

1.         City Council authorize the General Manager of Transportation Services to initiate a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment study for separated bicycle lanes within the Richmond-Adelaide corridor, between Bathurst Street and Sherbourne Street, which could include consideration of a pilot project to install and evaluate separated bicycle lanes on the preferred alignment during the course of the study.

2.         City Council direct that the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study for separated bicycle lanes within the Richmond-Adelaide corridor be limited to existing one-way road configurations.

3.         City Council authorize the General Manager of Transportation Services to initiate a second study to develop preferred bikeway route alignments to connect the future Richmond-Adelaide corridor bike lanes to existing bikeways east of the Don Valley, including, but not limited to, Dundas Street East, Eastern Avenue, and the Lake Shore Boulevard East path, as well as to the west of Bathurst Street to connect with bikeways on Strachan Avenue and Shaw Street.

The PWIC Agenda Item on the City’s website has a lot more background information on this as well.  I recommend you checking it out if you’re interested.

[Image by Dave Meslin, via the Bike Union]

The following is from Councillor Mike Layton, who is updating us about options being put forward for a less expensive Fort York pedestrian and cycling bridge.

You may remember that the original plan for the bridge was killed in an underhanded way by David Shiner, reportedly acting on orders from Rob Ford, because $23 million dollars is apparently too much for an award winning design that would connect neighbourhoods, provide some much needed pedestrian and cycling infrastructure in the area as well as bring more attention to the oft-forgotten Fort York.

What’s that? The cancelled Vehicle Registration Fee brought in $60 million every year?  Hmm.

Fort York Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge

After several months, a few different concepts for the Fort York Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge are coming forward. They all have similar design elements to the award winning design previously considered for the bridge.

Our preferred proposal includes two bridges, with one bridge linking Wellington Street south to the Ordnance Street area and a second bridge spanning from Fort York north to the Ordnance Street area. Both spans would be linked by a park and would be fully accessible from Ordnance Street. This option has better access, use of space and most reflects the original design.

Staff have presented three preferred alternatives and have recommended the final configuration be determined as part of the development of a new plan for the Ordnance Street area bound by the CN rail tracks – an exercise that will begin shortly. All of the options are predicted to be far less expensive than the original design, although the costs vary for each proposed configuration.

This report is being brought forward the November 3, 2011 Public Works and Infrastructure Committee tomorrow. You can find the report online here and the images of the bridge options here, but I recommend reading the report first.

The Fort York bridge is a critically important transportation corridor in our neighbourhood. It will link residents on King Street and Wellington with the Waterfront and Fleet Street residents with King Street. It will also help open up Fort York to the entire city.

Some history of the Fort York Bridge from the past 6 month is here.

BlogTO has a post today about the removal of the Pharmacy Ave. bikelane.  The Birchmount bikelane is also due to be removed thanks to the backwards-looking decision of Rob Ford’s regime at City Council.

Although the vote to kill the Jarvis bike lanes got most of the attention earlier this year, they weren’t the only ones to get the axe. The Urban Repair Squad reminded us yesterday of the alteration of the bike lane at Dupont and Lansdowne, and today we share the scene at Pharmacy Avenue, where the City has commenced work on the complete removal of its cycling infrastructure.

Read the full post on BlogTO

[photo by Christian Bobak, via BlogTO]

I don’t see parking enforcement officers ticketing bikelane parkers much (but do, on occasion), but perhaps with higher fines they’ll pay more attention to the issue… and you can be sure that once a driver gets a $500 ticket for parking in a bikelane, they’ll think twice about doing it again.

From JoshMatlow.ca:

NOTICE OF MOTION: Relieving Congestion by Increasing Fines and Enforcement for Motorists and Delivery Vehicles that Obstruct Traffic During Rush Hour Periods

Moved by:  Councillor Matlow

Seconded by:  Councillor Layton

 

SUMMARY:

Traffic congestion is a significant problem for Toronto’s motorists, public transit users and cyclists. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently noted that the Greater Toronto Area suffers from the longest work commute times in North America. This congestion costs the region’s economy an estimated $3.3 billion per year while negatively impacting on the quality of life of our residents. The long-term solutions to this problem include building a more accessible, extensive and efficient public transportation system in addition to encouraging car-pooling and cycling.

In the meantime, council can take small, but important, measures to alleviate traffic congestion. One such measure is to provide sufficient deterrents to motorists and delivery drivers that stop, stand, park illegally or otherwise obstruct traffic on arterial roads during rush hour. Far too often, entire lanes of major roads are blocked due to an individual pulling over to grab a coffee in the morning or a delivery vehicle choosing the afternoon rush period to drop off their goods. Drivers along arterials often use bicycle lanes as a parking lane, forcing cyclists to dangerously merge into traffic. During rush hour this creates very unsafe conditions for cyclists. While currently not permitted, it is clear that current fines and levels of enforcement are not sufficient to deter such activities.

This motion seeks to improve traffic flow during the morning and afternoon rush hour periods by increasing the fines and level of enforcement for individuals that obstruct other motorists, public transit users and cyclists.

 
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. City Council requests the City Manager to report to Public Works Committee with an implementation plan to increase fines to $500 for any motorist, including delivery vehicles, from stopping, standing, parking or otherwise obstructing traffic on arterial roads and in bicycle lanes>during City designated rush hour periods

 

2. City Council request the City Manager to work with the Toronto Police Service to increase enforcement of existing by-laws prohibiting any motorist, including delivery vehicles, from stopping, standing, parking or otherwise obstructing traffic, including bicycle lanes, on arterial roads during City designated rush hour periods.