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.

via the Toronto Star:

A sign that went up quietly last week prohibits electric bikes from using the Martin Goodman Trail.

Perched at the entrance near Bathurst St. and Queens Quay W., the sign is raising the ire of electric bike (or e-bike) users.

The ban is “inconsistent” with the shift to greener ways of travel, said Lock Hughes, treasurer of the Toronto Electric Riders Association, which represents users of electric two-wheelers.

He added that the ban on “motor power assisted bikes” is vague and can refer to anything from an e-bike to a scooter or Segway, which are all different sizes and speeds. E-bikes generally resemble conventional bicycles but with a small motor.

A city bylaw restricts the use of bike paths to bicycles, defined as vehicles operating solely on “muscular power,” Lukasz Pawlowski of Transportation Services said, adding staff are in discussions to rework the term.

Read the full article at the Star

[photo from the Star]

via the City of Toronto:

Milkman’s Lane is a 300m, 3m wide gravel surface trail in Rosedale entering the Don Valley from South Drive near Craigleigh Gardens Park.

The trail is well-used by hikers, dog-walkers, cyclists and joggers and connects the community to the Don Valley trail network and the Don Valley Brick Works. It has existed for over 130 years and was used historically by equestrians and for transportation of commercial goods, among other uses lost to history.

Due to ongoing severe erosion issues on Milkman’s Lane, the City of Toronto’s Natural Environment and Community Programs section of Urban Forestry is working with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority on its reconstruction. This will include the installation of erosion control measures, resurfacing, and new fencing.

In addition to trail improvements, tree and forest understory health decline on the ravine slopes adjacent to Milkman’s Lane will be addressed. These slopes, and particularly the slope from Craigleigh Gardens Park, contain an extensive informal trail system and are subject to large volumes of off-trail traffic. This has resulted in soil compaction and the loss of understory vegetation, which in turn has caused slope erosion and tree damage. In order to protect the forest, which contains large oak and maple trees, as well as black cherry, hemlock, yellow birch, ironwood and the nationally endangered butternut, a comprehensive restoration plan and planting program will be implemented over the next 5-10 years to help promote forest regeneration, reduce invasive species and stabilize ravine slopes.

Construction will start in October of 2011 and take approximately 6 weeks to complete.

Please note that there is a Public Information Session on Tuesday, September 13th, 2011:

• Open House: 5:30 to 6:30 pm
• Presentation: 6:30 to 7:00 pm
• Discussion and comments: 7:00 to 8:00 pm
• @ Evergreen Brick Works
• Centre for Green Cities
• Building 12
• Blake’s Room (2nd floor)

For more information please call 311 or email trails@toronto.ca.

 

[photo from Toronto Ravines and Trails with Abbey]