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Entries tagged: Bike Car Collisions

In 2010, Toronto had the highest rate of car-on-bike collisions (per capita) of any major Canadian city. To reduce those numbers and counter the perception of peril, local advocates kicked off a major campaign for separated bike lanes last week.

Calling the crash rate “unacceptable,” the Toronto Cyclists Union is taking a stand to reduce residents’ anxiety about active transportation. “Riding on busy, crowded streets, mixed in with fast moving traffic, can be a stressful experience for any cyclist,” the bike union points out. “We want to de-stress cycling for Torontonians.”

To do that, the bike union released a proposal for a network of separated bikes lanes on six downtown Toronto streets, including major arterials and key collector roads. “Many of Toronto’s streets are an excellent candidates for this easy riding treatment,” the bike union notes. “A network of protected bike lanes through Toronto’s busy downtown streets will make it accessible for cyclists ranging from experienced riders to those just starting out.”

Currently, the city is studying the feasibility of a downtown network and the bike union recognized the need for an informed discussion on the topic. So the advocates compiled a comprehensive and user-friendly resource website that’s a one-stop shop for key statistics, studies and informed suggestions. “If we are going to create protected bike lanes in Toronto, they will need to address the needs of all road users, not just cyclists,” the advocates emphasize. “Here we’ve collected a range of experiences and research on protected bike lanes that can help Toronto to become an easy riding city where cycling is safe, comfortable and fun.”

But you don’t have to be a Torontonian to benefit from bike union’s new resource. The site expertly summarizes a wealth of information, including:

• What are protected bike lanes and why are they an asset to active transportation
• How protected bike lanes increase bicycle safety and ridership
• Sharing the road with transit, pedestrians and drivers
• Dealing with intersections and driveways
• And, of course, the proposed network of protected bike lanes in Toronto

Are you working on protected bike lanes in your city? Be sure to check out the bike union’s site. And stay tuned to the blog tomorrow for an update on Chicago’s progress on separated facilities.