Monday is election day in Toronto and Cycle Toronto wants to make sure voters who ride can get to polling stations safely.
That’s why cyclists will have a chance to travel through a stretch of Bloor Street West without having to navigate it alone on Monday. Cycle Toronto is organizing a free Bike Bus following the removal of protected bike lanes in Etobicoke.
The Bike Bus concept
You’ve probably already seen the Bike Bus idea on the pages of Canadian Cycling Magazine. They’ve become popular across North America and Europe, particularly for kids riding to school with adults along for support. For Monday’s ride, a leader will guide the group, picking up riders along the way. The idea is simple: a visible group of cyclists is harder for motorists to overlook than someone riding alone, and should encourage safer passes rather than close calls.
Election day Bike Bus deets
The rides will take place between Islington and Royal York. That’s where the Ford government recently removed 1.2 km of protected bike lanes, despite over a week of protests by cyclists and advocates. Although there were plenty of delays to the removals, ultimately they were ripped out. As far as the actual Bike Bus, Riders will travel together, taking the lane as a group and following Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, Cycle Toronto said.
A Canadian city is pushing for the bike bus to help kids get to school
The service will run every 15 minutes from 8 a.m. to noon and again from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 26, the day of Toronto’s municipal election.
If you’re keep to join the group, if you’re heading westbound, meet at Royal York Road and Bloor Street West. Eastbound riders can join at Green Lane and Bloor. The rides are free and open to people of all ages and abilities. And it’s not just for folks heading to a polling station, you are free to join if you’re headed to work, school, or errands in the area.
On the bike lane removals
Michael Longfield, the organization’s executive director, has been clear on how he feels about the provincial government’s decision to remove the lanes and its wider plans to target bike infrastructure across Ontario. Basically, it is non bueno for the safety of cyclists in the area.
“The Ford government’s destruction of this life-saving infrastructure in Etobicoke is just the first step targeting the removal of 19 km of bike lanes that won’t solve traffic congestion and will cost Ontario taxpayers nearly $50M,” Longfield said.
The Cycle Toronto boss also had this zinger: “We apologize in advance to drivers who can expect delays of up to 48 seconds along this 1.2 km corridor as cyclists safely take the lane together,” Longfield said.