I am an avid cyclist that supports bike lanes, but only when developed to make cycling safe and easy and not to impair current traffic patterns. I like to ride 4 or 5 times a week for exercise and when the weather became suitable for riding last month, I pulled out my TO cycling map to look for routes to explore and enjoy the city. What a frustrating experience this was, as there is no rhyme or reason as to where the lanes and paths start and end. Ideally, you should be able to move from your starting point to your destination using a grid system that is totally connected. Unfortunately, the mandarins at city hall continue to complicate matters by announcing solutions one at a time. First they choose Jarvis St. for dedicated bike lanes and now University Ave. What impact will this have on traffic and more importantly what impact will this have on the relationship between auto drivers and cyclists? In an effort to improve cycling in the City, they have created a situation where the auto community hates cyclists even more. Where is the strategy about cycling in Toronto? You can’t start executing a plan if there isn’t one. While I applaud the City’s focus on cycling, maybe more councillors and decision makers need to hop on a bike and see what the current system entails. Then they can develop a sound strategy and implementation plan.
Why can’t City Hall see this …citizens are asking; “are they all brain dead?” As a Board member of one of Toronto's 70 plus BIA's I get to see how the city makes decisions first hand and by and large most of the city managers I have met are hard working, dedicated people that want to make the city a better place. However, I see a lot of middle managers that only have the power to say no, no one seems to have the ability to say yes and everything requires a committee. Committee’s certainly have a role to play in decision making, but when all decisions must be made by committee, the end result is a slow process and resultant decisions that are negotiated compromises. I remember many years ago my mentor asking me; “what is the definition of a camel?” The answer; “A horse designed by a committee!” Why have we gotten to this position? Is it the system and/or top leadership that is the problem? I believe the solution is one where both the City Council and the bureaucracy needs to be trimmed, the deadwood removed and processes put in place that can make simple decisions quickly.
Hopefully our next mayor will have a large broom, so that they can sweep away the deadwood that has kept Tdot's growth and development mired in cement for the past 30 years. Which mayoral candidate has the chutzpah/cajones to do this right?
Finally, with regard to the current bike lane dilemma, should they also accommodate wheel chairs? I hope so, because my fear is that I will be in a wheelchair long before we see a good bicycle grid plan. City Hall are you listening?
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2 years ago
