Cue the SIG's. Dozens of bikers in high park today decrying the war on bikes. Ford didn't say he would block bike lanes, he said that municipalities need to ask for permission and present data before eliminating vehicle lanes for them. If you are scared about data, you know it's because the data will expose your BS.
Premier Ford, who lives in the west end of Toronto, has complained about bike lanes installed on Bloor Street West.
toronto.citynews.ca
The problem with the current system is that it's piece meal.
The infrastructure is piece meal, the data is piece meal... there's no big picture. By building more they're trying to complete the missing puzzle pieces.
Up to last year my kid was going to a school 2km from our place. There are bike lanes from our place to the school. It was still to sketchy for her to take it by herself at 10 y old, not because she's not responsible enough, but because of the drivers. My "fears" were confirmed when a parent who had just dropped off their kid got hit by a car 1 street over from the schools entrance. Car didnt look both ways and went too far forward hitting the lady on her bike. I couldn't constantly subject kiddo to that risk that she probably wouldn't see coming.
This type of situation is happening all over the place, we design something to say "oh we put it in place" but it's whether not connected to another part of a "system" or it's not safe enough for a person who's got a normal level of risk aversion to want to use it, so it doesnt get as much use. As motorcyclists i'd like to say that we have a lower risk aversion than most of the population, which kinda puts into perspective the kind of attitude you need to ride your bicycle in the GTA; a lot of people wouldn't be seen out there riding motorbikes as they find it too dangerous. I mean 36 motorcyclists have died in 2024 in ontario (yikes) vs 6 cyclists in toronto. I think they're just trying to save lives. Heck just this morning a man cycling in markham was killed.
Ford is basically meddling in Municipal level design. He says he gives mayors more powers only to neuter them elsewhere, and handpicks issues he doesnt like. Could he put more pressure/attention on metrolinx instead?
His legislation is basically to give his party the power to say a big no to something he doesnt want implemented and to (in the 2nd phase) revisit all that's been implemented in the past 5 years or so. He's done the same with the MZO.
I mean if that's where we want our taxes to go, sure. He even has a "Red tape reduction" ministry, but i guess they're not working too hard.
In the end if you're gonna say "no" to infrastructure being implemented to protect vulnerable road users, i think he should HAVE to offer another alternative that would work towards that goal. Otherwise the municipal level will just get entangled in never ending red tape.
