Current Issues and Resistance

• Drivers and Suburban Communities:
  • Many drivers oppose bike lanes, feeling that road space is unfairly taken away.
  • Suburbanites, especially in the 905 regions surrounding Toronto, often rebel against bike lane expansions.
    • Example: The disdain for bike lanes on Bloor, Yonge Street and similar projects.

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• Cultural Challenges:
  • This is a classic case of people being used to the status quo and struggling to imagine life without it.
  • Even when changes could bring long-term benefits, people resist because they can’t envision alternatives.

Lessons from Sidewalks

• Sidewalks as an Example:
  • Sidewalks exist alongside 6-lane stroads (large arterial roads).
  • Despite congestion, sidewalks are almost never removed.
  • The reason? Sidewalks were integrated into road designs in the 1950s and 60s.
    • In the car-centric worldview of the time, sidewalks were a given, not something to eliminate.
  • This is why people rarely, if ever, suggest bulldozing sidewalks to add more lanes. Sidewalks are seen as permanent and essential, not as expendable as bike lanes are often perceived to be.
  • Key takeaway: If bike lanes are built with the same permanence, public perception will eventually shift.

Problems with Current Bike Lane Designs

• Painted Lanes:
  • Painted lines on the road are not real infrastructure.
  • They provide no physical protection and give both cyclists and drivers a false sense of safety.
  • Example: "Sharrows" (shared lane markings) are especially ineffective, as they only pretend to accommodate cyclists.

• Flexiposts:
  • These look ugly and fail to address the core issues.
  • Drivers stuck in traffic see flexipost-separated bike lanes and think, “That used to be my lane.”
    • The issue: Bike lanes look like part of the road, making drivers tempted to take them back.

• Two-Way Cycling Networks:
  • Placing two-way bike lanes side-by-side on the same street is problematic:
    • Drivers must check for cyclists coming from both directions before turning, increasing the risk of collisions.
    • This setup isn’t ideal for cyclists either, as it heightens the chances of getting injured.

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Proposed Solutions

• Build Bike Lanes Right or Not at All:
  • Avoid half-measures like painted lanes or flexipost barriers.
    • If the road is in poor condition and requires repaving in a few years, implementing temporary solutions would be justifiable until that time.
  • True infrastructure is about safety and permanence, not appearance.
• Design Better One-Way Bike Lanes:
  • Instead of two-way bike lanes, build larger, one-way bike lanes on each side of the road.
    • This simplifies interactions for drivers, who only need to check one direction before turning.
    • Cyclists benefit from reduced injury risk.
• Create Sidewalk-Level Bike Lanes:
  • The ideal solution is sidewalk-level segregated bike lanes with protective barriers.
    • Trees or other physical dividers can separate:
      • Cyclists from pedestrians on one side.
      • Cyclists from parked cars and moving traffic on the other.
    • This approach ensures both safety and usability while improving aesthetics.

Bike Lanes to Implement Everywhere

• Below are images of bike lanes that can be implemented virtually anywhere and are the gold standard for driver, cyclist and pedestrian safety and convenience.

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Vision for the Future

• If Budget Were Unlimited: