Nice heels on the woman riding the white bike with the front rack! Certainly would be approved by my girlfriend.
City of Toronto Sharrows PSA
November 17, 2010 By 2 Comments
Daniel Egan, Manager Cycling Infrastructure and Programs Transportation Services shares information on what sharrows are and how they can be used by cyclists in Toronto.
This same information can also be found on the City of Toronto’s web site here: Sharrows FAQ
Video via City of Toronto Cycling on Facebook.
Sharrows Miss the Point on Harbord
October 28, 2010 By 5 Comments
In the cover of night, workers began installing sharrows along Harbord.
A point of contention for years, the disconnected bike lane between Bathurst and Spadina has inspired Urban Repair Squad intervention and left Councilor Adam Vaughan singing the same old tune that the very sparse car parking on this strip is essential to the survival of the businesses here.
Ignoring the fact that this is one of the most direct east/west bicycle routes connecting west end residents to downtown work and school this gap reflects the overall disinterest in the City of Toronto for providing continuous, consistent and much needed bicycle infrastructure.
Like placing a band-aid over an axe wound, sharrows, painted stencils that encourage motorists and drivers to ride right over them, now “fill” the gap.
There’s no denying that space is limited along this street. Yet while further west street parking alternates sides of the street to accommodate bike lanes this effective use of space is ignored and instead pictures of bicycles place cyclists directly in the door zone:
And to make matters worse, the boxed in parking space designations are too small, maximizing the potential for door prizes:
It is clear that steps to improve this route for cyclists have been taken. Repaving the curbside lanes has eliminated sticky seam sealing and countless potholes meaning that cyclists can spend more time looking ahead than scanning below for hazards. Bike boxes have also been installed in the heart of the University of Toronto at Harbord/Hoskin and St. George to increase the visibility of cyclists and decrease the possibility of right hooks.
Yet, while the effectiveness of sharrows in Toronto is currently being studied, including part-time sharrows in use along the west end of College Street, it is clear that these stencils are a compromise. Sharing the road is a feat accomplished day after day by most motorists and cyclists. Sharrows offer up a reminder that space is limited and we must do what we can to make room for everyone. However, sharrows ignore more issues than they address. In the case of the new Harbord sharrows, they do nothing to prevent the problematic door prize and do even less to convince aggressive drivers to share space.
I must note that I am not a city planner and I am not diligently studying the road use along Harbord or College, however, I do ride along these streets almost daily and in my experience sharrows do little more than remind me of where better bicycle infrastructure is needed and how poorly our demands are being met.
More photos of the sharrows on Harbord in the slideshow by Martinho below:
What Happened to the “Bike Lane” on Spadina?
October 25, 2010 By 3 Comments
What exactly is going on with the blacked out “bike lane” on Spadina Avenue?
Well, what may or may not actually have been intended to be a bike lane is now gone, sanded away leaving a thick black stripe in its place. According to the Toronto Cyclists Union the stripe is to soon be replaced by sharrows:
What’s Up with Spadina – where’d that lane go?
Many of you will have noticed that the ‘gutter lane’, the white stripe that ran along the edge of the curb lane all the way along Spadina Ave., was scrubbed off the roadway about two weeks ago. Please note that this was done in order to prepare the roadway for the application of Sharrows on most of Spadina, and full bike lanes where the road widens enough to fit them in at Spadina circle.
The City has not been able to provide us with a specific application date, but we have been assured that they will be implemented before the end of the season.
What are sharrows you ask? Here’s what the City of Toronto has to say:
1. What is a shared lane pavement marking, or “sharrow”?
Sharrow is short-form for “shared lane pavement marking”. This pavement marking includes a bicycle symbol and two white chevrons.2. What do these sharrow markings mean for cyclists?
Sharrows are used to indicate where cyclists should ride in a travel lane.
- For safety reasons, cyclists should ride one metre from the curb to avoid debris and sewer grates.
- In lanes that are too narrow for cyclists and motorists to travel side-by-side, cyclists should ride in the centre of the lane to discourage motorists from passing too closely.
- Where there is on-street parking, cyclists should ride one metre from parked cars to avoid the “door zone”.
Although it is the motorist’s and/or passenger’s responsibility to look first before opening their door, riding too close to parked cars can lead to serious injuries that can be avoided.
Sharrows are also used through intersections and some merge zones to support straight-line cycling and to increase the visibility of cyclists.
3. What do these sharrow markings mean for motorists?
Sharrow markings are used to remind drivers to share the road with cyclists. Sharing the road means you should:
- only pass a cyclist where there is enough room to to do safely (at least one metre between motorist and cyclist),
- reduce your speed when passing a cyclist, and
- watch for cyclists when making lane changes and turns.
Be aware that cyclists are vulnerable to different hazards than drivers (e.g. minor pot holes and debris), so give them space to manouvre. Even where there are no sharrows or bike lanes, motorists should always share the road.
4. Where can I expect to see these sharrow markings?
Sharrows are used in curb lanes, either adjacent to the curb or parked cars. You will also see sharrows painted in the middle of narrow lanes where there is not enough room for a cyclist and motorist to travel side-by-side. Sharrow markings are also used through intersections and areas where traffic merges, such as at highway on-ramps or intersections with multiple turning lanes. Sharrows are mostly found downtown where there are the greatest number of cyclists.View the list of sharrow projects.
More answers to your sharrow questions can be found here: Sharrow Frequently Asked Questions
Congratulations, Toronto For Supporting Bixi; 1,000 Subscriber Goal Reached!
October 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Last night, October 18, 2010, Bixi Toronto held a party for the existing 884 subscribers.
According to ibikeTO.ca the party was a success and coincided with the announcement that the 1,000 early subscribers goal set by Toronto City Council was reached (and surpassed)!
However, Bixi Toronto is not a sure thing just yet. The good news is that you can help. In addition to 1,000 early subscribers the bike share system also needs to secure $600,000 in sponsorship. Of that total, ING Direct has contributed $450,000. The remaining money can come from both additional sponsors and from subscribers beyond the 1,000 mark.
If you haven’t subscribed to Bixi Toronto yet you can do so here: http://toronto.bixi.com/
If your company would like to become a sponsor, information can be found here: Corporate Memberships and How to Sponsor Bixi Toronto
Patch stencil artwork by Janet Bike Girl
The Changing Face of the NYC Commute
October 18, 2010 By 1 Comment
11 miles is just shy of 18 kms and a fairly long commute. Yet, because of constant development and political support for cycling infrastructure 90% of this journey includes streets featuring some form of cycling infrastructure.
Notice that only a small percentage of the ride is along streets with sharrows and, notice too, that NYC DOT isn’t trying to squeeze one size fits all cycling infrastructure onto a wide variety of streets.
Thinking back on my former commute, 25 kms each way and exactly 0% of my route including any form of cycling infrastructure, it’s no wonder I was often alone on two wheels. Cycling along major arterials with boulevards wide enough to play soccer on I wondered why there wasn’t a bike path there. I would cross over multi-lane bridges that themselves spanned across 400 series highways and wondered why both cyclists and pedestrians were ignored there as well.
Real cycling infrastructure influences real change. How hard is that to understand?
Via StreetFilms.org
Bicycles on Bloor?
October 13, 2010 By 4 Comments
Construction on Bloor between Avenue Road in the west and Yonge Street in the east is starting to be cleared. Revealed beneath the trucks and equipment are bicycle stencils on the fresh asphalt.
Now, these aren’t sharrows as they are missing directional chevrons.
And these aren’t bike lanes as they are missing painted lines and the diamond.
Best guess is that these are sharrows simply missing their hats as there are sharrows on Bloor east of Yonge. After studies and continuous calls from the public for better bicycle infrastructure on Bloor, it looks like all we’re getting for now is a little paint that cars can soon park on.
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Let the Learning Begin; Bike Boxes at Harbord and St. George
October 5, 2010 By 5 Comments
Considering how many cars I see stopped in the middle of crosswalks, there’s obviously going to be a few growing pains with these new bike boxes in Toronto.
What are bike boxes and what do they do? Bike Boxes allow cyclists to move to the front of the line at red lights and position themselves for faster/safer left turns. In addition to dedicated space for turning cyclists, bike boxes are paired with no right turn on red light restrictions, reducing the chances of right hooks at busy intersections.
More photos of the new bike boxes by Martinho below:
Updated October 12, 2010: Here’s the info card distributed by the City of Toronto explaining the use of Toronto bike boxes:
What are Bike Boxes?
October 1, 2010 By 3 Comments
The 2010 Toronto Cycling Map includes a brief description of bike boxes, a piece of infrastructure soon to be seen on Toronto streets.
Bike boxes will soon be installed at several intersections on Harbord and College. They allow cyclists to move to the head of waiting traffic, giving them priority for making left turns. Intersections with bike boxes will also restrict right turns on red lights (a safety feature I feel ALL Toronto/Ontario intersections should have) for both drivers and cyclists.
In anticipation of the soon to be installed bike boxes, the City of Toronto recently updated their cycling web site with a short postcard explaining bike boxes. I’ve include the postcard content below and you can also download the info here (PDF): Introducing Bike Boxes
Images via City of Toronto
Evergreen Brick Works Helps Usher In Cycling Infrastructure on Bayview
September 29, 2010 By 6 Comments
Evergreen Brick Works recently held their grand opening, and while events and a market have been held at the site all summer, access by bicycle has been somewhat limited.
Bayview, a street where the speed limit increases to 70 km/h (meaning 90 km/h to far too many drivers) in front of the Brick Works also has crumbling shoulders. Certainly an uninviting situation for anyone on two wheels.
However, the revitalization of the once abandoned site is bringing in cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. In an e-mail from Dave Dunn of Cycling Infrastructure and Programs for the City of Toronto he explained that a new bi-directional and physically separated multi-use path will now connect the Rosedale Valley Drive multi-use trail to the Brick Works site. As well, a connection to Pottery Road will allow cyclists and pedestrians to access the site from the Lower Don Trail.
For added safety, Jersey barriers will be installed along Bayview separating cycling and pedestrian traffic, and the wooden bridge that runs under the Bayview access to the Don Valley Parkway is being repaired.
Here’s a Google Map created by Christina Bouchard detailing the changes currently being installed along Bayview (click for more details):
Photo via Flickr
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