City officials plan to install bike lanes on Parkside Drive to slow down traffic and make it safer.
Many area residents are not happy with a plan by the City to install bike lanes on busy Parkside Drive citing gridlock caused by the lanes on Bloor Street W.
There is a plan to revamp Parkside Drive to include bike lanes with barriers, wider sidewalks, separate left-turn lanes, and reducing lanes from four to two; one in each direction.
A report by the City calls for the roadway will be reconfigured, upgraded and ‘support multi-modal travel options.’
Cyclists on Bloor Street W.
Many motorists and small business owners complain the bike lanes and lane reduction on Bloor Street W., causes traffic congestion and loss of business.
Plans are also underway to install bike lanes on The Queensway to downtown linking with the Martin Goodman Trail.
Eventually the bicycle lanes will link most places in Toronto reducing lanes of traffic in an already congested city.
Police warn many motorists speed along Parkside Drive and an automated roadside camera there is one of the busiest in the City issuing thousands of tickets monthly.
The bike lanes will lead to reduced lanes of traffic and more congestion.
There have also been many traffic accidents, including fatal, that have occurred on that strip of road due to speeding.
Still, others worry the changes will divert more traffic onto side streets, and create more traffic on a route that people take to Lake Shore Blvd. and the Gardiner Expressway.
There has been mixed reaction on social media about the impending bike lanes.
Some people note cyclists have also taken over High Park since traffic have been banned.
Others said speed bumps or other options can be installed to slow traffic down.
Some support of the idea of bike lanes before the street is fully reconstructed and congested.
One said Parkside is the only direct route to the highway in the west end with other streets in the area including High Park being more cycling and walking friendly.