Politics - rife with
Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt;
Maybe hope remains.
Score one for the bikes indeed! I was overjoyed to see this article staring at me on the GO Train yesterday; it appears that Toronto City Hall has finally become acquainted with common sense. To recap: one of Toronto's busiest downtown roadways will see one lane in each direction set aside for cyclists. I suspect City Hall's resident cyclist Glenn De Baeremaeker is a key proponent of this initiative. My opinion? It's about time.
As usual, this plan has its share of detractors; predictably, they argue that lane reductions make traffic worse. What do the facts say?
The evidence is right there: road closures and limitations help reduce traffic congestion. Moving away from car-centric cities also has a number of positive side-effects - the urban environment becomes safer for pedestrians, healthier, more sustainable, more human. In some cases, less truly is more.
I hope this pilot project is a resounding success. If you're a cyclist in Toronto, help make it one! Get out this summer, use the new bike lanes, and show Stone Age pols like Rossi exactly how wrong they are. If you're visiting from out of town, rent a bike for the day; there's no better way to see a city! Can't find a job for the summer? Start a bike tour company in the area! This could be the start of a vibrant cycling culture in Toronto - but we have to make sure it sticks.