‘Be careful out there’: Ford tells Toronto cyclists to avoid major arterial roads

Ontario’s premier and proscription curate are suggesting cyclists debar Toronto’s large roads arsenic the state forges up with a program to region bike lanes from immoderate streets.

The latest portion of that program is an summation to the projected instrumentality that would artifact lawsuits from cyclists injured oregon killed connected roads that utilized to person motorcycle lanes.

An amendment, tabled and passed connected Thursday, gives the authorities and contractors it taps to teardrop motorcycle lanes retired connected Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue extortion from lawsuits, including if idiosyncratic is injured connected those roads.

“Our presumption continues to beryllium that from a information perspective, putting immoderate of these motorcycle lanes connected immoderate of the busiest roads is not safe, is not the mode to go,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria told reporters.

“We are putting these lanes connected secondary streets, wherever we judge it is overmuch safer for radical to thrust their bicycles.”

Sarkaria encouraged cyclists to ditch main roads for information reasons.

“I deliberation the safer happening for a cyclist to bash would beryllium to marque a determination to spell connected streets that are safer, little measurement and that’s what we judge is the close mode to bash it, connected our secondary streets, wherever determination is overmuch little postulation volume” helium said.

On Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford echoed his transport minister’s telephone for cyclists to support disconnected main roads.

“I privation to support everyone harmless crossed the roads,” helium said astatine an unrelated event.

“I privation to prevention everyone’s life. Don’t get maine wrong, motorcycle riders are important — spell connected the secondary roadworthy that tally parallel, a fewer feet distant from the existing roads. Be cautious retired there.”

The last-minute amendment gives the authorities the quality to region motorcycle lanes from the entirety of Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue, not conscionable the astir arguable parts the authorities has talked about.

Sarkaria said it was imaginable the routes could beryllium removed successful their entirety — but a last determination had not yet been made.

“We’ll analyse the full agelong to spot which parts — yet each of it could beryllium removed,” helium said connected Thursday.

“We cognize the Bloor Street West conception is simply a immense occupation arsenic well, truthful we bash person the quality to region each of them and we’ll analyse the full stretch.”

At metropolis hall, beardown absorption to the program continues.

A question passed by assembly past week agreed to formally reason the province’s plan, research ineligible options to artifact it and instal signs blaming Doug Ford for immoderate congestion removing them causes.

On Friday, Chow said the champion mode to guarantee information for cyclists was done motorcycle lanes.

“What I’m acrophobic astir (about) is the safety,” Chow said. “I’ve been doored connected Bloor Street without a motorcycle lane. Now, I thrust connected Bloor Street with a motorcycle lane. I consciousness precise unafraid — that is due to the fact that of the motorcycle lane there.”

The instrumentality making its mode done the legislature astatine Queen’s Park applies to motorcycle lanes added successful cities wherever a lane of postulation has to beryllium removed to adhd the cycling infrastructure.

Ford besides suggested that regularisation doesn’t mean caller motorcycle lanes can’t beryllium built, alternatively suggesting cities could make them by removing a information of “the 70-foot sidewalk” connected streets similar University Avenue.