The Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee (TCAC) will be meeting on September 21, 2009 at Toronto City Hall at 100 Queen Street West in Committee Room 3 on the second floor. The meetings are open to the public. You can download the agenda at the following link TCAC Sept 21, 2009 Agenda

On the agenda is a discussion on the use of e-bikes on city bike lanes and bike paths as well as a recommendation from the Pedestrian Committee that ‘power assisted bicycles’ not be permitted on sidewalks.

Also on the agenda is an update on the 2009 Bike Plan program.

Martin Koob

The latest and last Downsview Area Secondary Plan Review Community Meeting was held at North York Civic Center Council Chambers on September 14.

SUMMARY OF THE PLANNED CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE

1. Bike path along the proposed Transit Road extension. If built, this extension would butt right up to the existing airport lands in the park. The Right -of-Way (ROW) diagram for the road shows the following usage of the roadway:
   1. DND Bombardier boundary (i.e., the road butts right up to the airport lands)
   2. 2.65m of planting and furniture
   3. 2.10m sidewalk
   4. two 1.60m bike lanes (the bike lanes are side-by-side, so they may simply consist of a 3.2m width strip of asphalt)
   5. 2.65m planting and furniture
   6. four lanes of traffic (two lanes each direction with no median)
2. The December entry mentions the City would not be extending Grand Ravine east of Keele Street. However, the current plans show a proposal for a 4-lane road from Keele to the proposed subway/GO station. Bike lanes are planned for both sides of the road. Grand Ravine already exists running west of Keele.
3. A wide multi-use pathway is planned along the southern and eastern perimeter of the actual parklands. This pathway would be physically separated from the road and would be shared with other forms of active transportation such as walking and roller-blading.
4. There will likely be recreational pathways criss-crossing through the park. But this is determined by the Parc Downsview Parc corporation, not the City of Toronto.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVOCACY

1. Multi-use pathways should be built so that cyclists are physically separated from other forms of transportation (eg. pedestrians, dog-walkers). For example, the final design of the Martin Goodman Trail through Marilyn Bell Park has separate areas for bicycles and pedestrians. Also, the bike lanes are asphalt, and the pedestrian area will be covered with another stone.
2. Development of a bike path parallel to the CN rail tracks, all the way to the Kay Gardiner belt-line trail. Part of this is outside the scope of the Secondary Plan, but still worthwhile pursuing. For now, they could consider building this bike path from Sheppard to Wilson Avenue.

NEXT STEPS:

1. Public review and comment are due October 5th, 2009. You can send any comments you have to this address:
   North York District
   Community Planning Office
   North York Civic Centre
   5100 Yonge Street
   Toronto, Ontario M2N 5V7
   
2. Submission to North York Community Council on November 10 this year.
3. Report and recommendation to full Toronto Council by the end of the year.

You can find more details on the planned Road, Transit, and Pedestrian and Cycling Networks at http://www.toronto.ca/planning/pdf/Downsview_MeetingPanels_Sept14_3.pdf and http://www.toronto.ca/planning/downsview.htm

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Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto have completed the Terms of Reference that will guide the Environmental Assessment regarding the reconfiguration of the Gardiner Expressway from just East of the Don River to Jarvis St. This is probably better known as the “Tearing Down the Gardiner” but the study includes much more than that. This will be on the agenda of the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee this Tuesday June 2nd. for their approval. You can see the document at the following link Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard Reconfiguration EA Terms of Reference DRAFT

Removing the elevated Gardiner Expressway between Logan and Jarvis could allow this neglected section of the former Martin Goodman Trail north of Lake Shore between Cherry and Parliament to be incorporated into an extended Lake Shore East Boulevard path which could extend right to Jarvis Street.

The Environmental Assessment leading to the development of a plan for the study area from Jarvis Street to Logan Avenue provides an opportunity to look at how to improve the transportation network in the area and improve the linkages to the Lake for the communities to the north and east of the study area. During the consultation process that has led up to the development of the Terms of Reference there was a lot of support for not just looking at the automobile part of the transportation system but also the pedestrian, transit and cycling portions of the system as well. Looking at the terms of reference it is clear that those voices were heard.

Among the five goals of the EA 2 of them pertain directly to cycling infrastructure.
Goal 2: Reconnect the City with the Lake
One of the points listed under this goal recognizes the importance of bicycle routes in making those connections.

• Design the public realm to be attractive, accessible and connected. The qualities of experience offered by streets, plazas, parks, promenades, pathways, bicycle routes, and visual corridors will be major drivers of design decisions. Public

Goal 3: Balance Modes of Travel
The description of this goal recognizes the need to include active modes of transportation such as cycling and walking in the transportation system.

Any new configuration of the Gardiner Expressway will need to maintain an effective local and regional transportation system, including commuters and freight, and minimize negative impacts by balancing alternative travel modes, including transit (local and regional), cycling and walking within the system.

The Environmental Study Report on the Queen’s Quay revitalization plan goes to the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee on June 2nd, 2009 for their approval. Queens Quay Revitilization Environmental Assesment StudyThis is a significant step towards seeing Toronto’s central waterfront revitalized and Toronto’s signature bicycle path, the Martin Goodman Trail, finally connected through the down town. A continuous Martin Goodman Trail was one of the key goals of the plan. The benefit of this was experienced first hand by Toronto residents when the city unveiled the prototype value was seen in the Quay to the City event in August 2006. A temporary continuous Martin Goodman Trail was created along with a pedestrian promenade and Torontonians flocked to it. A 600% increase in cycling traffic was documented in the area. That initial public support continued as the proposal wound its way through the consultation process conducted by Waterfront Toronto. Thanks to that support the recommended design that is being put forward to the Executive Committee includes the expanded pedestrian areas and a separated Martin Goodman Trail for most of the length of Queen’s Quay. This is a significant step foward in seeing a continuous Martin Goodman Trail from the beaches to the Humber and beyond but at the moment it is a step not quite far enough. This week is an opportunity to press the members of the Executive committee to go the distance.

The one concern with the plan being submitted is that it falls 600m short of its goal to have a continuous Martin Goodman Trail through the central waterfront. In the proposed plan the Martin Goodman trail will only be incorporated on Queen’s east of Spadina Avenue. For the section between Spadina and Bathurst cyclists will be routed onto the existing bike lanes which are along side the existing traffic lanes. For westbound cyclists that means crossing to the north side of the street at Spadina and Queen’s Quay and then crossing Spadina to the bike lane. This also precludes making a separated trail on the section between Bathurst and Stadium Road where the existing bike lanes are continually occupied by parked cars.

This diagram from the recommended design shows the intersection that Westbound cyclists will have to cross to continue their journey. I have indicated the bike lanes and MGT in orange. You can see all pages of the recommended design at the following link Queen’s Quay Recommended Design (Click the image to see a larger version.).

The above plan does not show how cyclists will have to make the double crossing to move through the intersection. There will have to be a clumsy workaround to try and ensure they can navigate the traffic lanes and streetcar tracks safely. This will be an obstacle that will inconvenience experienced cyclists but it may be a barrier to less experienced cyclists and families cycling with children. The goal of waterfront revitalization should be to make a waterfront accessible to all. The continuous Martin Goodman Trail is one of the priorities in the waterfront plan that helps to realize that goal. A separated Martin Goodman Trail continued between Spadina and Bathurst and then on to Stadium Road to join up with the existing Martin Goodman Trail should be in the final plan.

If the design for Spadina to Bathurst stays as it is, it will be a part of the waterfront the City will have to draw a curtain around when showcasing Toronto’s waterfront to the world. It will have to couch its descriptions of its new waterfront, ‘Martin Goodman Trail, Toronto’s quasi-continuous waterfront trail’. Toronto’s Bold Moves on the waterfront should not become a series of half-hearted half-measures done half-assed. The plan being proposed up to Spadina is a bold move that will be something that Toronto residents will truly be proud of. The Executive Committee should press to take the final step and ensure the final section of this plan is included in that bold move. You can let your opinion be know by making a deputation in person or in writing and by writing to the Mayor and members of the Committee. You can find all of the contact information at the following page Toronto City Council - Executive Committee.

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