City plans are underway for protected bike lanes on The Queensway, which many say will be bad for small businesses as it removes parking.
The City is moving ahead with the installation of a protective bicycle lane on The Queensway despite protests from small businesses on Bloor Street W., where a cycling lane was put in place.
The Queensway bike lane will run from Royal York Road east past the Ontario Food Terminal to just west of South Kingsway.
The proposed cycling lane can be seen online on a City 2022 to 2024 Cycling Program for the Etobicoke York District.
It shows The Queensway bike lane is part of a programmed cycling project of which work is underway.
A similar dedicated bike lane on Bloor Street W. has angered residents and business owners, who claim a lack of parking and traffic congestion.
The City is planning to add a raised, protected bikeway separated from car lanes with a concrete curb, new bike signals and protective corner islands at key signalized intersections.
It will be included in work along The Queensway to install new storm water management features including new sidewalks, with some being widened.
City crews will also be planting trees and new landscaping to beautify the area.
Cycling Toronto in a meeting called for more distance between the bikeway and the roadway for increased comfort and safety and an upgrading of the existing painted bikeway on The Queensway to provide a safe connection across the Humber River.
The protected bike lane on The Queensway will run from Royal York Road east to near South Kingsway.
Many area residents are outraged by the plan claiming it will be bad for small businesses along The Queensway since the protected bike lanes will lead to less parking and traffic congestion.
Many small business people along Bloor Street W., where the lanes are installed claim their businesses have dropped dramatically as shoppers now have to pay to park several blocks away, which is bad for the elderly or those with mobility issues.
About 700 residents turned out to public meeting earlier this year to voice their concerns about the Bloor Street W. bike lane.
Ward 2 Councillor Stephen Holyday, who hosted the meeting, said many residents were opposed to the Bloor Street W. bike lane.
The Queensway dedicated bike lane is part of a major roadway makeover that will include storm water management, sidewalk widening and more landscaping.
“We heard from many people who were opposed to the bike lane,” Holyday said. “We heard from many of the small business people who are suffering due to the bike lane.”
City staff said they are working to make travel by bike safer and more inviting, which helps ease congestion, creates a cleaner environment, and promotes physical activity.
The said one way to achieve this goal is by building bikeways, like physically separated cycle tracks, bike lanes, neighbourhood routes, and paved multi-use trails.
The Queensway is expected to be brought down to one lane in each direction that some say will cause more traffic congestion.
Cycling Toronto hopes that The Queensway lanes will take cyclists east to the Martin Goodman Trail and west so they can connect to Lake Shore Blvd. W. that runs to Mississauga.
Toronto City Council in 2012 adopted the Bikeway Trails Implementation Plan which was the basis of a new multi-use trail development within the City, which called for the installation of 77 kms of the City’s existing trail network and a program that supports future trail building.
The network and routes established through this plan were re-evaluated and either carried forward or revised as part of a 2016 Cycling Network 10 Year Plan.