Mayor John Tory holds a map of the north Yonge Bike Lanes, which city council made permanent during its meeting Wednesday. Tory said while he supports the lanes, he wants council to extend the pilot program until November for further study. In the end, councillors endorsed the city staff plan. (City of Toronto) A controversial bike lane pilot on north Yonge Street will now be a permanent part of the major city corridor after Toronto council gave it the go-ahead Wednesday.
Council voted 22-3 in favour of the plan, resisting a push from Coun. Jon Burnside and Mayor John Tory to extend the pilot until November to further address neighbours’ concerns about congestion and safety. But Coun. Dianne Saxe, whose ward is home to part of the corridor, stressed it was time to "rip off the Band-aid" instead of delaying the decision.
"The more we drag our feet, the more painful, the more expensive and the more disruptive the climate crisis will be to everything that we care about," she said.
The separated bike lanes were installed on Yonge Street between Bloor Street and Davisville Avenue in the summer of 2021 as part of the ActiveTO Midtown Complete Street Pilot.
Staff said their analysis indicates the bike lanes, which are separated from traffic by concrete curb blocks and plastic stanchions, have been a success and should be made permanent.
But some residents along the corridor said the lanes have increased congestion, which has led to road rage incidents and slowed emergency vehicle access to […]
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