Toronto, in the past few years, have you ridden your bike to a show? If so, you’re about to see even more routes to hit up. If not, you may want to think about it…
As of 2016, the city had over 500 kilometers of bike routes, including tracks, white lanes, yellow lanes, “sharrows” (lanes with markers), and signed routes, but over the next 10 years, they’re hoping that the number can double.
The plan is to invest approximately $153.5 million from 2016-2025 and fulfill three main goals, connecting gaps throughout the current network, grow it to include new sections, and renew areas on the current grid that need attention.
The proposed Ten Year Cycling Network Plan identifies approximately 525 centreline kilometers (km) of new infrastructure (if counted in each lane direction, more than 1000 lane km).
This proposed new network includes:
• 280 centreline km (560 directional km) of bicycle lanes or cycle tracks on Fast, Busy Streets;
• 55 centreline km (110 directional km) of sidewalk-level boulevard trails along Fast, Busy Streets; and
• 190 centreline km (380 directional km) of cycling routes along Quiet Streets
According to Jacquelyn Gulati, the city’s acting director of transportation infrastructure management, Toronto will be spending around $51 million of its own money in 2017 & 2018 alone to match the federal grant they received.
With that kind of money going into the program, Toronto can only hope to enjoy a plethora of new spots to get out the old ten speed.
Other North American cities are also upping the ante. New York City has built over a hundred kilometers of protected bike lanes and has about 50 more underway in 2017. According to CBC News, Montreal was said to be spending $15 million and adding 57 kilometers to their already vast 733 kilometer long in 2016.
What do you think Toronto? Are you looking forward to the new lanes?
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