The Ontario bike lane debacle has levelled up, after Toronto councillors voted 21 to 4 in a meeting on Thursday showing opposition to a new bill that would control and remove bike lanes.
The Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, announced in late October, mandates that municipalities seek permission when removing vehicle lanes to install bike lanes. The province is also seeking regulatory power to eliminate current bike lanes, although the process remains unclear.
Toronto vs. Ford
“No matter where you stand, whether you support bike lanes or you don’t support them, I think it is very important that this council and the people of Toronto have the respect they deserve,” Chow told council.
The decision follows a report from city staff examining the potential effects of Ontario’s proposed Bill 212, introduced last month, which indicates that the legislation would require municipalities to obtain provincial approval before adding bike lanes if doing so involves removing a lane of vehicle traffic. The province subsequently introduced a regulation mandating the removal of sections of bike lanes from those three major Toronto streets.
Millions to remove
The cost would be a staggering $48 million. Removing bike lanes isn’t as simple as bulldozing and knocking over some bollards—there’s much more involved. The cost also includes the reconstruction of recently rebuilt street sections, which would need to be redone, as well as resurfacing work on other parts of the roads, according to the report.
Chow said the decision has been made after much consultation with local business areas. “So, once a decision is made, we deservethe respect because each council is duly elected by your constituents,” she told the CBC.
Council will request the province work with cities on congestion, road safety, and removing bike lane amendments. It will also assess the bill for a possible legal challenge and speak at the Ontario legislative committee. Councillors also voted 22-3 to ensure the city bears no costs for bike lane removal, with three opposing. Chow plans to meet Ford to convey council’s stance.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…