Items

“Research from various sources based in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Netherlands indicate that side guards could reduce cyclist fatalities by approximately 62%, pedestrian fatalities by 20%, and serious injuries for cyclists by 6%. However, there are currently no federal or provincial requirements for vehicles to be fitted with side guards. As the federal government sets national vehicle safety standards, the City of Toronto does not have the jurisdiction or authority to mandate all commercial vehicles operating within the City of Toronto be equipped with side guards. However, City Council, through Vision Zero 2.0, authorized the implementation of side guards and a comprehensive fleet safety and accountability program for all Solid Waste Management Services (SWMS) vehicles, both in-house and contracted. Currently, thirty (30) units in the City’s fleet are equipped with side guards.”

“There is a history of community advocacy for change on Avenue Road. Narrow sidewalks and lack of bikeways, excessive vehicular speeds, and a history of collisions resulting in fatality or serious injury are highly vocalized concerns. Most recently, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, a person was fatally injured while cycling on Avenue Road near Elgin Avenue.” The changes proposed in this item “would [help] improve both safety and mobility options by providing improved cycling connections to transit, parks, local schools, businesses, and residences.”

“A successful city requires a transportation system that is safe for people of all ages and abilities. Research and experience across North America have shown that when cities do not provide safe and comfortable alternatives to driving, the majority of residents travel by motor vehicle…Travel mode choice is a crucial aspect of creating healthy, livable cities, and requires investing in new transit, bikeway and pedestrian projects.”

“In 2023, Toronto Parking Authority made recommendations to Toronto Parking Authority's Board and City Council to modernize Bike Share Toronto's rate structure…City Council's adoption of the new rate structure included several amendments regarding the development of new payment methods, special passes, an accelerated implementation schedule for a low-income pass and completion of an equity-based investigation into the impacts of the new rate structure on the inner suburbs.”

“In Toronto’s weather, because of…frequent fluctuations above and below zero, no bike lane is “safe and passable” unless it is cleared to bare pavement. Layers of snow/slush that are passable for cars quickly become icy and unsafe for bicycles. Last year, protected bike lanes (cycle tracks) were generally properly cleared after the first few weeks of confusion. However, on-road bike lanes were often left hazardous with frequent patches and barriers of ice, especially in the most dangerous locations such as curves and hills…[In addition], improved winter bike lane maintenance is necessary for Vision Zero and to support Toronto’s climate commitments.”

“The climate crisis and Toronto's TransformTO goals require that most local trips under 5 kilometers be made by active transportation, i.e. by walking, bike, wheelchair or similar means. This goal cannot be achieved if cyclists and wheelchair users must put their lives at risk to get around our City.”

“The ActiveTO initiative has played a vital role in Toronto’s recovery and rebuild process, providing city residents of all ages and abilities with new, temporary and permanent, bikeways, which allow them to enjoy fresh air, obtain healthy exercise, and safely get around the city. The benefit of these cycling facilities must now be expanded to reach other parts of the city. Building a resilient city not only means providing clean and safe transportation alternatives during the current pandemic but achieving existing city policies, including the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, the Cycling Network Plan, TransformTO’s climate mitigation plan through the reduction of short trips travelled by car, as well as the City’s equity and public health initiatives.” The City highlights that it is “crucial [to] prioritize a temporary bikeway along Yonge Street in Midtown, aligned with TTC’s Line 1.”

"The Cycling Network Plan Update names Bloor Street as a Major City-Wide Cycling Route. In summer 2019, Council directed Transportation Services to initiate planning, design and consultation for an extension of the Bloor Street West cycle tracks from where they currently end at Shaw Street, to continue west to High Park Avenue, with implementation targeted to take place as early as summer 2020."