Toronto City Council has voted 23 to 2 Thursday to approve a large expansion of bicycle lanes downtown evidently related to COVID-19. Some 40 kilometres of new separate lanes will be installed. The program is called ActiveTO. Much impetus has come on the argument that people can’t be active enough during the pandemic without new bike lanes. There is also hope in some quarters that after the virus threat bike lanes might lead to fewer cars on the road.
Network described
The cycling network will be expanded quickly through temporary installations by repurposing curb lanes along several key corridors. Bloor Street East, University Avenue/Queen’s Park Crescent and Dundas Street East would be among the first installations. The approved work also addresses other gaps in the network including locations in North York and Scarborough and includes acceleration of the Bloor West Bikeway Extension, as well as streetscape improvements and temporary bike lanes on Danforth Avenue.
