So today I was standing waiting for the bus to go home from Dufferin and Steeles and as I looked north something caught my eye - a new HOV lane, and right next to it, a nice wide bike lane!
From the York Region website:
- In November, The Regional Municipality of York is opening new Transit/High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes and Bicycle lanes on Dufferin Street north of Steeles Avenue in the City of Vaughan.
The move to add these lanes is part of an effort to promote more sustainable means of travel on Regional roads, while helping to combat traffic congestion.
The new lanes are the first in a number of road improvement projects planned for six-lane roads over the next several years, as identified by York Region's Transportation Master Plan and Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan.
The Transit/HOV lanes on Dufferin Street currently extend from Steeles Avenue to Glen Shields Avenue. Later this fall, a further section stretching from Glen Shields Avenue to Langstaff Road will open. The stretch to Langstaff Road will be completed as part of the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario's Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.
There's no reason that Toronto couldn't continue this lane down to Downsview or even further. Even if nobody wants to give up a lane on Dufferin - as I've said before, there is lots of room next to the road for a nice dedicated path.
