The dominant mode of transportation in the Bloor West Village is walking, followed by public transit. Only 1 in 5 of visitors surveyed reported driving to the neighbourhood and parking there. The visitor survey data indicate that the majority (58%) support changes to the street use allocation. Curiously, cycling is the least frequent mode of transportation in this neighbourhood, and yet nearly 75% of those visitors who preferred a change in street use allocation would prefer the addition of a bike lane.
Visitor survey respondents who reported that they usually drive, were found to visit less frequently and spend significantly less money per month in the neighbourhood than those who did not drive. Visitors who preferred changes in street use allocation spend significantly more in the neighbourhood than those who prefer no change.
In terms of merchant perceptions of the impacts of changes in street use allocation, 54% of merchants in Bloor West Village indicated that they would expect no change or an increase in their number of daily customers as a result of either a bike lane or widened sidewalks, even if half of the on-street parking were to be removed in order to accommodate the changes.
In Winnipeg, city planners are looking at ways to make cycling a more attractive option for commuters. Fewer stop signs for cyclists eyed While changing traffic law to allow “Idaho Stops” would have to happen at the provincial level (same as in Ontario) there has been another idea put forth. The report suggests:
“Reducing the number of unwarranted stop signs on streets identified by ATAC will improve the efficiency of these routes for cyclists as well as reduce unnecessary vehicle stops, reduce fuel consumption and emissions, reduce traffic-noise levels and may promote overall compliance at stop signs in general”
Of course, this doesn’t sound like a good idea. Removing stop signs will increase traffic speeds and is likely to attract more motorists than cyclists. Streets without stop signs are highways something Winnipeg resident Dan Prowse elegantly points out:
DEAR EDITOR:
Reducing stop signs on routes preferred by cyclists “to reduce unnecessary vehicle stops, reduce fuel consumption and emissions, reduce traffic-noise levels” (Fewer stop signs for cyclists eyed, March 5) makes sense if you are thinking about cars. If you are actually thinking about saving fuel, reducing emissions and reducing noise, or if you are actually thinking about the interests of cyclists, which was the reason for the City of Winnipeg transportation report, the decision is absurd. The proposed approach would only attract more cars to use routes favoured by cyclists making it more dangerous to cycle.
The quoted report doesn’t want to treat bikes and cars differently. But that is the whole point — bikes are different. Cycling is three to 10 times more space efficient (in road use and parking space) and 100 times more energy efficient. Being energy efficient means no fuel, no emissions and essentially no noise.
I became a convert to active commuting almost 40 years ago in Toronto based on the superior mental and physical condition of my retirement-age boss who walked to work. Since then, I’ve mostly walked but also run, cross-country skied and biked to work. In the last year, I’ve become an all-season cycler, commuting to downtown Winnipeg.
With modern technology, winter cycling is no longer a miserable experience.
I’ve got cheap clothing that keeps my skin warm and dry, studded tires, amazing LED lights with lithium batteries that will light up signs two blocks away at -30C and hi-tech goggles. I, with two or three dozen other co-worker cyclists, would have to be the president to have a better parking spot. My route is relatively safe. My commute times are often better than a car and shorter than the bus. My commute is as scenic as a holiday. In winter rush hours, it is a delight biking under bridges on the river trail from Churchill High School down the Red River and up the Assiniboine compared to driving over those bridges.
What’s not to like about biking? More frostbite risk in biking than walking. It takes the city a couple of days to plow the cycle/walking path from Osborne to the Forks. There aren’t enough safe routes to keep bikes and cars apart. Most drivers are very considerate but probably only professional drivers appreciate how big a safety zone cyclists need.
About 75 per cent of regular cyclists stop for winter, not because of the cold, but because there are insufficient safe routes.
We can fix those things, but only if we treat bikes differently than cars.
It’s taken me about 40 years of trying out commuting options to figure out what Apple, and before them, Sony have demonstrated so well — elegant solutions to human needs that are space and energy efficient married with good technology are winners. Let bikes work.
As I mentioned earlier this week, I attended the Toronto International Bicycle Show in the Better Living Centre on Toronto’s CNE Grounds.
I’m pretty sure this was my first ever Bike Show so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. In my earlier post I explored the available products for cycling commuters. While for the most part this Show seems to be a bicycle retailer mall, I did find some noteworthy bikes and accessories. See what I found in this post:
Of course, bicycles aren’t the only thing on display here. A large indoor ramp course was the scene of a BMX competition and on a smaller course tucked in beside a smokey food court there was a Trials competition.
But first, you have to get into the show, outside bicycle parking was at a premium.
Inside the BMX flatland area highlighted a sport where balance triumphs over speed, photos by Huy Le.
And just around the corner BMXers were exploring the high ceilings of the Better Living Centre.
Over on the Trials course cyclists without seats hopped and bounced over challenging terrain.
Back outside you could get popcorn from a bicycle propelled popper. Turns out this bicycle has been in use since the mid-1970s and has been passed down by several generations of the same family. I remember one of my first trips to Toronto as a child and getting caramel corn from a very similar bike.
UPDATE the 2nd: The Toronto Star is really digging in to this story!
Traffic cops powerless to enforce bike lanes
Keeping lanes clear may take higher fines and more ticketing power
… three main obstacles for parking enforcement officers trying to enforce bike lanes.
One, there’s no specific bylaw. Smith can’t track how many tickets are issued to cars sitting in a bike lane because such tickets are bundled with any others handed out for parking in a no-stopping zone.
Next, the fine is too low. Last November, Yvonne Bambrick of the Toronto Cyclists Union made a presentation to the Toronto Police Services Board, asking for tougher enforcement around bike lanes.
She wants the $60 fine for cars that cross a solid white line to enter a bike lane to be doubled to $120, which is closer to the $100-$150 fine charged for parking in a fire route or a handicapped space.
“We’re told to stay as far right as possible, then we’re forced to swerve into traffic,” says Bambrick.
Her suggestions were passed on to the city manager. Councillor Adam Vaughan, a police board member whose ward includes the convention centre, says council should be discussing a bike lane bylaw by the spring.
“Ticketing is the only way to do it,” said Vaughan, who said the discussion would include the possibility of raising the fine.
Smith also sees it as a major problem that parking enforcement officers are required to ask drivers to move before ticketing them. Most will just pull away if they see an officer approaching their illegally stopped car.
The constable, who is on the Cycling Advisory Committee, thinks parking officers should have the power to immediately issue a ticket to any car parked illegally, and to have the ticket stick even if the car leaves. That’s a recommendation police have made several times to the province, which has said only that it will consider changing the “drive away” ticketing rules.
On Sunday, March 7, 2010 I took a bike ride down to the Toronto International Bicycle Show held in the Better Living Centre on the CNE grounds.
For the most part this show is a spectacle of the latest road racing, BMX, trials and mountain biking products and accessories. Major Toronto and GTA retailers set up shop here to blow out last year’s inventory and highlight the latest designs from top brands.
While I recently started mountain biking again (I know, an oxymoron in Toronto) I was looking for the day to day cycling options at the show. Road bikes made of carbon composites and mountain bikes equipped with long-travel suspension are impressive, but I wouldn’t give them more than 20 minutes locked up to a post and ring downtown Toronto. And I think rear racks would look a little out of place on the back of a Trek Madone.
Much to my delight there were plenty of exhibitors who understand that cycling isn’t just about sport. Although, looking back of some of my morning commutes, I’d say a trip to work on Toronto’s busier streets can be a sport itself. Here are photos by Huy Le with a few words about what I discovered at the Toronto International Bicycle Show.
Until Sunday I had never straddled an electic-assist bicycle. The Sanyo Eneloop Bike looks like a regular step-through commuter with a battery pack tucked nicely behind the seat tube. And that’s the point. This is a bicycle first and foremost yet it also provides battery assistance to help commuters take on challenging hills and headwinds.
The battery connects to a surprisingly powerful front hub-motor as well as both front and rear lights. I took the bike for a quick spin around the carpeted test area at the show. As I lined up to head out I had the battery on and after a half pedal forward the motor kicked in and I thought the bike was going to take off on it’s own. Applying the brakes quickly kept me from taking an embarassing flat land spill. The reps from Sanyo suggested waiting until I was in motion to turn on the battery, and I recommend it.
Actually riding the bicycle was a pleasure. The motor is on the front wheel hub, so after a few pedals the electric-assist starts up and you feel a gentle pull forward. The first couple of boosts were a little terrifying on the short test track, but I quickly learned when to anticipate them and use them to my advantage for building up speed with little extra effort on my part.
For cyclists with kids and basically anything else they need to haul around, WIKE from Guelph, ON had their line of trailers on display.
Around the corner and also from Guelph, True North Cycles had several handmade touring and cargo bikes on display.
v
Trek had some bright and shiny Madones on site… but the multi-thousand dollar price tag makes for expensive roadie dreams. On a more affordable note Trek also had their Eco steel bikes on display.
As part of the Globe blogger team I was hoping to see a few models at the show. Unfortunately all I found was this Globe Roll.
Sweet Pete’s had up on high, overlooking their booth, their Kona collaboration bicycle, the “Door Prize.” With tongue planted firmly in cheek this bike is named after the unique to Toronto term for colliding with a car door is outfitted with city riding essentials and is priced under $600.
Energetic reps introduced me to the iBert safe-T-seat that allows you to carry small children up front, improving rider stability and giving your child a view of more than just your back. The seat can be removed quickly and easily when not in use and is made of 10% recycled materials.
Introducing his alternative to panniers, Winnipeg year-round cyclist (you read that right!) Aphirath Vongnaraj had his Hybrid Backpack on display. He demonstrated the pack’s ability to secure all sorts of items to a rear bike rack. The unique “velcro” locking system ensures that what you want to carry stays with you for your whole journey.
I was pleasantly surprised to see so many commuter cycling options on display at this year’s Toronto International Bicycle Show. Of course, there was much more to be seen, but I’ll save that for another post.
Now, I haven’t seen too many bicycle commercials, but there does seem to be a trend emerging. No hyped-up voice overs. No fancy-font tag lines. Just people on bikes, riding like regular people on bicycles do.
There’s a long, boring story that leads up this sunny, Saturday morning ride to Etobicoke. It involves hidden inventory and an obsessive search for a very simple piece of organizational furniture. That said, I had an exchange to make at IKEA. The Etobicoke store being just 13 km from my home, my girlfriend and I loaded up our Globe bikes and set off.
Shadows! Even after such a mild winter in Toronto, the first time you really see your shadow again is exciting.
After a quick ride along still icy and tree covered paths in High Park we arrive along the Queensway. Bike lanes here take you into Etobicoke.
Just as things get roomy with space between the bike lane and other traffic…
… our bike lane travels come to an end.
In Etobicoke they want you to know that there is to be no cycling on the sidewalks. Sidewalk cycling is illegal in Toronto too, but these signs at every sidewalk intersection almost appear as though there is simply no cycling allowed at all. Which isn’t the case, of course.
Once the bike lane ends the motorized traffic gets heavier, and closer. The vast majority of drivers did change lanes to pass us and only when we were close to intersections did a few motorists pass a little too close for comfort.
It’s amazing how wide the Queensway is. I didn’t stop to take a photo, but the road quickly widens to seven lanes across. There are new condos and townhouses lining much of the Queensway, but I simply couldn’t imagine living along a highway. The area is rapidly changing and is just a short bike or transit ride into the city, so this area does have many benefits. (Note: The photo below is from the less wide section of the Queensway).
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from simply too many IKEA trips it’s that you never use the front entrance. There may be bike parking at the Etobicoke IKEA, but since we had a return, I decided to get a little creative and lock us up near the service doors.
Exchange made, bungees secured and we set our sights on home.
Looking back at our simple trip, it’s amazing just how much we were able to accomplish in the morning while on our bikes. We got to experience one of the sunniest days of 2010 in Toronto so far. We got a little bit of exercise, especially when crossing the bridge just before you get to IKEA. We got the best parking spot. And we smiled the whole way there and back… when’s the last time you did all of that on a visit to IKEA?
The Share the Road Cycling Coalition (The Coalition) an Ontario-based provincial cycling advocacy organization released today a Green Paper for Bicycling in Ontario entitled “When Ontario Bikes, Ontario Benefits – A Green Paper on Bicycling in Ontario ”.
The Green Paper’s release comes in advance of the upcoming Speech from the Throne and Budget and outlines specific recommendations on how the Ontario government can and must play a direct role in encouraging cycling in Ontario.
One such recommendation is the creation of a fund for encouraging cycling infrastructure, policies and programs in Ontario. The $20 million “Ontario Bicycling Investment Fund” would provide funding for initiatives to promote cycling in Ontario. The amount represents the provincial component to the HST which beginning July 1st will be applied to bikes, bike parts and products, and is based on data from the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada (BTAC).
As the Green Paper notes: “Leadership involves making choices. Choosing to incorporate bicycling as part of a multi-modal policy approach at the provincial level is an idea whose time has come. This choice has a number of important benefits for our health and our environment.”
“Leveraging the benefits of cycling to our environment, our economy and to lowering our health care costs involves fundamental changes to the way the province develops and approaches transportation policy. It will also require an investment of resources. We are recommending that the province re-direct this HST revenue as an equitable investment of taxpayer dollars — particularly in light of the overall transportation spending envelope in Ontario – and as a means of level the playing field with investments made by neighbouring jurisdictions,” said Share the Road Cycling Coalition Founder and CEO Eleanor McMahon.
The Green Paper was developed by the Coalition in consultation with partners across Ontario, and further to the Coalition’s 2009 Ontario Bike Summit, a gathering of cycling experts, municipal leaders and international speakers. Best practices in cycling design, policies and initiatives were shared with a view to building capacity, developing best practices and learning from other colleagues and jurisdictions who have embraced cycling as a mainstream mode of transportation and recreation.
“Our provincial government, unlike other provinces such as British Columbia and Quebec does not currently play a direct role in creating policies and funding infrastructure, education and awareness initiatives to encourage bicycling. Our data and research, based on polling and surveys done in communities across Ontario, confirms what we heard at the 2009 Ontario Bike Summit. Communities across Ontario want the province to play a direct role in funding initiatives which will make Ontario a bicycle-friendly province,” McMahon said.
“In particular, jurisdictions such as Quebec have created a provincial bicycle policy which includes that province’s plans for improving cyclists’ safety and mobility; working with municipalities to give them the tools they need to encourage bicycling at the local level; and a vision for the future which leverages the positive economic benefits of bicycling – including promoting bicycle tourism and congestion mitigation. All of this in the context of the province’s recognition that cycling plays an important role in reducing the impacts of climate change,” said McMahon.
In order to develop a bicycle policy for Ontario – a comprehensive framework which includes the province’s plans to encourage cycling — the Coalition surveyed municipal leaders, planners and engineers, law enforcement officers, cycling experts and advocates across Ontario on what they the Ontario government should be doing in order to encourage bicycling in Ontario.
When asked to rank in order of importance, what role the provincial government should play 450 stakeholders surveyed in September 2009, said:
Enhanced Funding for Infrastructure – 86 per cent
Enhanced Education Programs for Cyclists (including children) and Motorists – 74 per cent
Enhanced Support for Public Awareness and Promotion Campaigns to encourage cycling – 71 per cent
Legislation and Policies to Encourage Cycling – 62 per cent
The Green Paper provides recommendation for action by the province in each of these areas.
In fact McMahon noted that this advice and direction are consistent with the critical elements already in place in jurisdictions around the world that have embraced cycling: “Countries across the globe – including the United States – are embracing cycling as a solution to many of the major challenges facing our society: environmental degradation, the rising prevalence of heart and stroke disease in our general population, obesity in our children, increasing transportation costs and congestion. Ontario can and must make cycling an integral part of its planning, and must provide to communities the tools necessary to enhance their economic competitiveness and the quality of life of their citizens.”
The Green Paper underscores the fact that Ontario can learn from our neighbors to the south, in addition to British Columbia and Quebec, jurisdictions that have invested in promoting and encouraging cycling.
Facts which support this include:
The United States invested over $1.5 B in cycling enhancement, education and awareness programs in 2009. This amount does not include proposals to increase the $671 million made available via the “Safe Routes to School” legislation passed in 2005.
British Columbia, through a provincial cycling fund “Bike B.C.” has invested $31 million in cycling.
Quebec has invested over $200 million in initiatives including the 4300 km cycling route – “La Route Verte”, launched in 2007. That province is earning an estimated $130 million a year as a result of this initiative.
“This Green Paper is being released in advance of the Ontario government’s Throne Speech and upcoming Budget so that our province can begin to include in their vision, the development of policies, legislative constructs, programs and funding necessary to encourage and facilitate bicycling as a mainstream mode of transportation and recreation. It is our hope that stakeholders across the province will see the Green Paper as a useful contribution to furthering cycling in Ontario,” McMahon added.
About the Share the Road Cycling Coalition: The Share the Road Cycling Coalition is a provincial cycling advocacy organization created to unite cycling organizations from across Ontario and work with and on behalf of municipalities to enhance their ability to make their communities more bicycle- friendly. The organization’s mandate is province-wide with a specific focus on the development of provincial policies and initiatives to encourage and enhance cycling in Ontario. The Coalition was created in memory of OPP Sergeant Greg Stobbart killed in a cycling collision in June 2006 and the husband of the organization’s Founder and CEO.
For more information, or to schedule interviews, please contact us.
Joe T.
Duncan H