Toronto city council is set to vote on a motion to create a “street sweeping service standard” to ensure bike lanes are kept clean near construction zones in the downtown area.
If passed, the protocol will be drafted by the the deputy city manager of infrastructure services, specifically for the Toronto and East York Community Council district.
The motion comes after Coun. Paula Fletcher decried that bike lanes in her ward, Toronto—Danforth, were left “filthy” from Metrolinx construction on the Ontario Line this summer. She called the mess a “safety issue” for cyclists during a July 10 meeting of the Toronto and East York Community Council, which represents Toronto’s downtown wards and makes recommendations to City Council.
Coun. Dianne Saxe said she also noticed bike lanes in her ward, University—Rosedale, covered in gravel from construction projects. She said a cyclist was injured as a result.
“I reported it, and reported it, and reported it and nothing happened until the woman was injured,” Saxe said at the July 10 meeting. “We have this as a consistent problem across the city and we do need to have some clarity as to what’s being done about it.”
In a letter supporting her motion to Toronto and East York Community Council, Fletcher wrote debris from construction projects might not be an issue for cars but having “patches of mud, sand, gravel, and glass” along roads can be dangerous for cyclists.
"Residents should not have to be hindered by these dangerous conditions during their commutes. Cleaner streets are the first step in addressing safer streets, especially for cyclists," she argued.
As it generally stands now, it is the responsibility of the construction company to ensure sidewalks, bike lanes and motorways remain clear of debris, according to a report prepared for the community council. This is true for private construction projects, city contractors and transit-related construction undertaken by Metrolinx.
The City of Toronto is responsible for sweeping bike lanes outside of construction zones.
Currently, Solid Waste Management Services sweeps separated bike lanes at least once per week but some separated routes are swept more frequently on an as-needed basis.
For bike lanes that aren’t separated from the roadway, Transportation Services sweeps the bike path at the same time the road is serviced. Major roads are swept at least once per month or more, as needed. Local residential streets get swept once a season in spring, summer and fall.
Transportation Services does not have a dedicated protocol for bike lane sweeping. The department is completing a review of its sweeping standards.
