Former mayor John Tory says the bike lanes on two major Toronto roads aren’t working, seemingly aligning himself with the Doug Ford government’s proposal to have them removed against the city’s wishes.
Speaking on Newstalk 1010’s Moore in the Morning radio show this week, Tory criticized the bike lanes on Yonge Street and Bloor Street West in Etobicoke.
The Yonge Street lanes, which run north of Bloor to Davisville Avenue in both directions, were installed while Tory was in office.
The Bloor West extension, which runs roughly from Runnymede to Kipling Station, was planned during Tory’s mayorship but not completed until after he resigned early last year after admitting to having a romantic relationship with a member of his staff.
“I did put them in, so I’ll accept responsibility,” Tory told the radio host.
“I think Bloor in the central part of town works. I don’t think Bloor West works,” he said. “And I don’t think Yonge Street works.”
“I think you should have the courage to say not every bike lane is going to work.”
Tory did defend the bike lanes on University Avenue — another piece of infrastructure installed during his tenure that is now in the provincial government’s crosshairs.
“I think University Avenue works. I think The Danforth works.”
The former mayor did not offer a specific definition for why a bike lane “works” or not.
He suggested Toronto’s bike lane usage is higher than what Premier Doug Ford’s government has claimed, but lower than “what bike advocates claim.”
“The truth, as usual, lies somewhere between the warring parties,” Tory said, while encouraging a “methodical, objective” study of all bike lanes’ usage before any are taken out.
Premier Ford blames bike lanes for Toronto’s traffic congestion. His government has tabled legislation — Bill 212, the Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act — that would require municipalities to get provincial approval before installing new ones.
A regulatory posting last week confirmed the bill could also be used to remove existing bike lanes. It specifically highlights Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue as roads where they could be kiboshed.
Mayor Olivia Chow has criticized the province for trying to limit the city’s power over bike lanes.
“Deciding where bike lanes are placed is the purview of the City of Toronto, democratically,” she said earlier this month, noting all such infrastructure projects got approval from council during several stages.
“Ripping up bike lanes is costly [and will] make it less safe for cyclists and car drivers,” Chow said. “The provincial government is rushing through it. It’s arbitrary and it’s not a good use of taxpayers’ money.”
The province is moving to speed up legislative proceedings on Bill 212, meaning it could potentially pass by the end of this month.
Chow has said council will make a decision on how to respond to Queen’s Park’s bill “soon.”
