Mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi wants to stop (and tear out) bikelanes
Posted: January 21st, 2010Tags: election, news, politics, rocco rossi
(Cross-posted to the News discussion group)
Globe and Mail: Rossi vows review of transit plan
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/rossi-vows-review-of-transit-plan/article1439298/
Wow… I’m not sure of Rossi’s chances… but who would really think that we need less transit and bikelanes in the city? Elect this guy if you want to see Toronto grind to a halt due to traffic congestion.
“Mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi is vowing to put on hold all planned light-rail transit lines that haven’t broken ground until he can review the project’s finances – a promise that could jeopardize a key part of David Miller’s legacy….
Early in his speech Mr. Rossi mocked the mandatory five-cent fee Toronto retailers now charge for plastic bags. He won his biggest burst of applause for a plan to prohibit bike lanes on major roads. “As mayor I will oppose bike lanes on major arterials whether its bike lanes, whether its Jarvis, whether its Finch, whether its Warden …” he said, telling reporters later that not only would he ban future lanes on major roads, he would “look at” ripping out existing bike lanes on major roads.”
I haven’t thought too much about who I’m voting for in the election yet, but yes, if you’re wondering, it won’t be for Rossi.
UPDATE: The Toronto Sun is reporting on this story as well… and while Rossi is pledging to stop (and take out) bikelanes on major “arterial” roads… he wants to expedite more and more bikelanes on quieter streets.
Rocco should know that *every* street should welcome *all* forms of transportation… and um, quieter streets don’t *need* bikelanes as much, because they are safer by nature.
Don’t relegate bikes to sidestreets, Rocco. Cyclists are voters too, and have the same rights to get places as drivers do.
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Duncan,
Thanks for the link to Bikely, perfect.
In October I wrote a piece on off-main-road commuting and in writing the story found a user generated mapping site (Sport Distance Calculator) which also might be a handy reference for a project. (see bottom of this post)
JoeT On setting up a GoogleMap that is publicly editable.
In the Wikipedia model there are echelons of responsibility, and power. Users create reputation for themselves through their history and can become editors over time. When a new user makes a change the submission is held in a ‘bin’ to be reviewed by the editor community.
I’m not familiar with manipulating Google maps. My wee computer can’t handle the rich media, so I haven’t gone there much; but I’m willing to assist in this project in any way I can. (new computer coming soon)
http://www.bikely.com/
http://www.sportdistancecalculator.com/
http://filter–blog.blogspot.com/2009/10/you-still-cant-get-topography-on-google.html
Michael Holloway
It should be noted that Rossi instead wants bike lanes on “quieter” streets, which FYI is safer. While the RT Lines are great if federal and provincial funding isn’t committed then Toronto could be left with a huge tab that would end up costing the tax payer and TTC rider a lot. If we don’t want more fare hikes a then a review would be a sound decision.
Bikelanes on streets make them safer. Dundas East and Eastern Avenues are good examples of this.
Having bikelanes on “secondary” streets would be fine… except due to all the rail lines, ravines, rivers and highways in Toronto, parallel routes to “major” streets don’t exist.
Besides, why should I not be able to use the roads my tax dollars pay for? Is my money not as good because I’m on a bike? No… it’s just as good.
As for the Transit City stuff… Rossi says that the only line he wouldn’t stop is Sheppard, but that’s the only line that the City is paying for. The other lines commited to (Eglinton and Finch) are being paid for by the provincial and federal governments. Rossi should’ve had his facts straight before making statements about things.
Hi everybody,
Your ongoing conversation has already had an immediate impact for me as a candidate when talk turns to cycling and cars and a transportation strategy for the next 5 to 20 years across Toronto, and moreso in Ward 19 where I am running.
Everything you all are posting on BikingToronto be they comments or weblinks, I am indeed following.
Even though it is February and it should be very early in the campaign, people are asking me directly many questions, including ones on Cycling ( in large part to Mr. Rossi’s worldview ) that last time around, were being asked of me in late August and early September.
This Toronto 2010 Election is already very different in expectation. Potential voters and some media are already hounding me for a complete platform and so forth.
In short, it’s your turn in helping me understand what I can raise during the campaign and include in my official platform.
Within my platform, cycling is a key part of my “Transit Citizen” strategy.
Tangent from the Cycling discussion for a bit:
About the Sheppard LRT Line, personally I find myself using the 190 Rocket Express bus from Scarborough Town Centre to Don Mills Subway Station numerous times a week.
Anyone who travels or drives along the Victoria Park corridor would know that if there was any single new subway station that could be built in combination with the Sheppard LRT, it would be extending the Sheppard Subway line east from Don Mills Station to Victoria Park Avenue.
( With the open ended possibility of an interstitial station at Brian Village built late like North York Centre in-between Sheppard and Finch stations. )
Many Many Many people get to Don Mills Station then bus it to Vic Park then exit there to then head north or south on the Vic Park bus.
As for cycling from downtown where I live, to Scarborough Centre where I work, I’ll contribute to discussion once that comes up.
To Be Continued…
HiMY SYeD
[...] Rocco Rossi, candidate for mayor in Toronto, has come out against bikelanes on major arteries in Toronto. [...]
I’m generally not opposed to bike lanes… where appropriate. What criteria does “Silly Hall” use to determine where bike lanes should go? For the last year I’ve noticed Rogers Rd (between Oakwood and Weston Rd) has had bike lanes. Almost 50% of the parking spaces have been taken out to accommodate bikers. I think I’ve seen less than 5 people using these lanes. You should see the line up of cars going east and westbound at Dufferin St., especially at rush hour. The lights have not been adjusted for the extra time now required to cross Dufferin. With this extra time the cars are idling longer which means more air pollution… exactly counter to the notion of using bikes. You’ll never get people out of their cars unless you implement a permit system like London, England and other European cities. However, what “brave politician” (an oxymoron) would vote for such a system.
Thanks for your comment.
Just because you’ve seen less than 5 people using the bikelanes doesn’t mean they are empty. I often read that “no one uses the Wellesley Bikelanes”, yet I use them twice a day (and see lots of other people using them when I do)… so just because a driver in a car doesn’t see a cyclist during the couple of minutes they are on a road doesn’t mean no one uses the bikelanes.
If you are truly worried about pollution, stop driving.
I think part of the issue is based in perception and visibility. We *know* cyclists aren’t generally visible and noticeable. That’s why so many folks recommend bright clothing, lights, etc. That’s why “SMIDSY (Sorry, mate, I didn’t see you)” is so often the response from a driver who hits a cyclist. Unfortunately, also, I think another side effect of this is that a cyclist who runs a red light, cuts off a driver, or is going the wrong way on a one way street is not only noticeable, but memorable. Thus while you don’t even register as a cyclist when you’re on the way to work in the Wellesley lanes, the guy who runs the light at Yonge, or the drunk weaving along Queen can’t *help* but be noticed. Add to that the fact that bike lanes put bikes in a more predictable (read: perceived as needing to worry less about them) space, and you won’t even have the memory of having to slow down or pass a cyclist. This is, of course, a problem at intersections and other places where folks are turning across the lane.
I’d also assert that we notice things we’re tuned in to. When my partner and I first got married we rarely noticed anyone who was pregnant. It didn’t even show up on our radar. However, once *we* were expecting we all of a sudden noticed so many folks were pregnant. This wasn’t a birth rate increase, it was a change in awareness.
haha. We are going through the pregnancy noticing right now. Well, maybe just I am. Tracy’s always noticed that stuff.
I *have* been noticing more baby product commercials on TV though. I think “are there more of these? Maybe I’m just staring to notice them now?”
[...] the more extreme side of things, Rocco Rossi thinks bikes should never be on arterial roads and Rob Ford hates cyclists. Oh, and the only thing Giorgio [...]
[...] the Toronto municipal elections this fall, with “front-runner” candidates like Ford and Rossi coming out against bikelanes, Smitherman and Thompson wanting to re-evaluate where bikelanes should [...]