Toronto city council approves bike lane pilot project on Bloor

As early as August, Toronto cyclists will be able to travel through a long stretch ofBloorStreet in separated bike lanes, after council voted38 to 3 infavour of the pilot project on Wednesday.

"This is the right thing to do," Mayor John told council.

"The notion of trying a bike lane for a year on a pilot project basis onBloorStreet is not a revolutionary idea," Tory said in his remarks to council just before the vote.

CouncillorJoeCressy, who represents Ward 20, where the lanes will be installed, says the vote is a strong show of support for cycling in Toronto.

"It reflects and shows that our city has moved past the debates and divisions of old anddemonstratesthat bike lanes are a win-win for everybody,"Cressytold reporters following the vote.

Council voted to adopt staff recommendations to install 2.5 kilometres of separated bike lanes onBloorbetween Avenue Road and Shaw Street, at a cost of about $500,000.During the one-year pilot projectcity staff will track bicycle and motor vehicle traffic, as well as feedback from the local community, and report back to council in 2017.

City staff say installing the bike lanes will mean 135 on-streetparking spaces will be lost onBloor Street as well as $840,000 annually in parking revenue.

Coun. Mike Layton, meanwhile, showed his support for the bike laneswith a nod to Star Wars which was appropriate since the vote took place on May the Fourth.

'War on the car'

While the motion passed easily, some citycouncillorsused the meeting to voice strong opposition to bike lanes and the debate saw the return of the car versusbike rhetoric so prevalent at city hall a few years ago.

"The war on the car continues," Ward 7Coun.GiorgioMammolititold council during the debate on the motion this morning.

Mammolitisaid he does not support the plan and will never support bike lanes on roads.

Othercouncillors, while not philosophically opposed to the idea of bike lanes,have concernswith theBloorproject.

Deputy MayorDenzilMinnan-Wongvoted in favour of the motion but isn'tconvincedBloorStreet is a suitable location for bike lanes. The Ward 34councillortried,unsuccessfully, to amend the motion to include more consultation and data collection throughout the pilot project.

Minnan-Wongis alsoconcerned about bike lane "creep."

"Are there going to be bike lanes onDanforthnext?" he asked reporters.

Cyclists rejoice

Cycling advocates were pleased with the outcome of the vote. Several of them watched the entirebike lane debate, which lasted several hours.

"This sends a signal that the city of Toronto is taking cycling seriously," JaredKolb, theexecutive director of Cycle Toronto told reporters after the vote.

Kolbsays the design ofBloorplan with aphysicalbarrier, and in some cases parking spaces, separating the bike lane from live traffic will encourage more people to cycle instead of drive.

"This is going to attract a different kind of cyclist. This is going to attract folks who don't feel comfortable riding on main streets."