A Ghost Bike On Bloor | December 22, 2009

Ride Different

Mass On Church Street

mass on Church, originalmente cargada por Commodore Gandalf Cunningham.

Great Shot ... CM ride today Bloor and Spadina  6PM

CM November video - see Tino blush!

Merry Christmas Cyclists

Cycling Infrastructure, Maintenance, & Stalled Implementation of 2008 & 2009 Approved Bike Lanes

4 December, 2009 - 15:40 — yvonne

Below is a letter that I sent to the General Manager of Transportation Services in mid November.

November 16, 2009
City of Toronto
Transportation Services
Toronto City Hall
100 Queen St. W Floor 23E Toronto, ON M5H 2N2

Attn: Gary Welsh, General Manager - Transportation Services

RE: Cycling Infrastructure, Maintenance, & Stalled Implementation of 2008 & 2009 Approved Bike Lanes

Mr. Welsh,
I am writing to express my deep concern about the state of cycling infrastructure in Toronto, and in particular, about the very limited number of kms of on-street bike lanes that have been installed this year, despite the many kms of bike lanes & contraflow bike lanes that have been approved both this year, and last.

Of the 52.8kms of bike lane projects approved in 2008, only 34.9kms have actually been installed by November 16, 2009. And of the paltry 16.2kms of bike lane and contra-flow bike lane projects approved in 2009, a small fraction of only 0.7kms** has actually been installed. It also appears that none of the proposed 5.3kms of sharrow treatments have been implemented. (** numbers have changed modestly since this letter was written)

While I understand that the municipal strike and federal stimulus projects have been setbacks for staff, neither I nor the members I represent understand, given the very pressing needs of our city’s tax paying cyclists, why your department has not prioritized the implementation of this long overdue cycling infrastructure.

Considering that 2010 will be an election year, and we all know what that means…, what is your department’s plan for not only getting these approved treatments applied, but also, for moving forward with the approval of additional lanes next year? How do you intend to meet the 2012 deadline for completion of the Bike Plan / Bikeway Network? Can we expect to see the lanes mentioned above scuttled until 2011 due to the election?

I understand that the much anticipated arrival of our Public Bike Share program in Summer 2010 will force the cycling department to focus infrastructure enhancements in the downtown core where the program will be rolled out, and that at least initially, the focus will be on the upgrading of existing bike lanes. While I agree that these upgrades are important, I also believe it is essential to add far more on- street bike lanes than are currently envisioned in the Bike Plan. What additional infrastructure is being planned to accommodate the abundant number of existing cyclists in the core, as well as all the new cyclists that will use the public bike program?

While there is some Communication about cycling done by Transportation through Bike Month, and Bike Winter, I am also concerned that not enough thought has been given, or funds allocated, to much needed public education campaigns targeted to ALL road users about road sharing, and our shared responsibilities. We know the power of marketing and communication to affect behavioural change, and yet these seem to have been completely overlooked in the budgeting for the implementation of the Bike Plan. I strongly believe that infrastructure and public education must go hand in hand if we are to successfully incorporate bicycles into our transportation network.

Additionally, while it is heartening to see more bike lanes going in every year, it quite dangerous, and a source of endless frustration for cyclists across the city, to see these lanes serving all too frequently as road-side stopping/parking for cars, delivery trucks and city works vehicles, rather than as dedicated space intended for the safe passage of cyclists. I would like to ask for your support at the November 19th Toronto Police Services Board meeting, and beyond, where I will give a deputation asking that the fine for parking in a bike lane be doubled to $120, and that parking enforcement be instructed to prioritize enforcement/ticketing of vehicles stopped illegally in bike lanes.

Finally, given the yearly increase in the number of Torontonians cycling year-round, and the encouragement that seems to come from the cycling department to ride all winter through the ‘Bike Winter’ program and ‘Coldest Day of the Year’ ride, I would like to know if Transportation Services will be helping to keep cyclists safe on the road this winter by clearing snow out of bike lanes (rather than using them to store snow), and off of paths across the city? The winter snow clearing pilot done along a portion of the Martin Goodman Trail in 08/09 was well received by all the trail users, pedestrians and cyclists alike – will this maintenance be repeated and extended during the winter 09/10 season?

On behalf of all members & supporters of the Toronto Cyclists Union, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to review and consider the concerns and questions expressed above, and for the work you and your cycling team do on our behalf.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Yvonne Bambrick Executive Director, Toronto Cyclists Union

http://bikeunion.to
@ Centre for Social Innovation
215 Spadina Ave. Suite 400
Toronto, ON M5T 2C7

Charley in New Town (1948)

'New Town' is an entry in a Central Office of Information-sponsored animated series featuring the everyman character Charley, and promotes an escape from grimy, smoggy towns and arduous commutes to work. ...

September 1972

A New Brazilian Wedding

casorio_willian_priscila21, originalmente cargada por luddista.

Wedding Willian & Priscila, Sao Paulo | Brasil

Kris Kingle Mass December 25

Frohe Weihnachten II, originalmente cargada por photo-maker.
KrisKringleMass - Critical Mass December 25th. 
Bloor and Spadina Meet 6PM Ride 6:30PM. 
Bring something to share.

10-9 Bike Courier Radio Launched

This will be fun!
Just launched.
http://www.109radio.com/

Mayor Miller Bikes In Copenhagen

Oh, the irony.

Dearly Departed Ontario Cyclists - New Google Map

View Dearly Departed = Cyclists Killed in Ontario in a larger map
Map compiled by Wendy Lucas. With information from Take The Lane
We Remember.

Sky is the limit

art: cabelo / igual voce

Riding Dirty by Celeste Prevost

Time's Up! Bike Bedford Ave. Bike Lane Funeral Procession

Time's Up! Bike Bedford Ave. Bike Lane Funeral Procession
Cargado originalmente por bicyclesonly
More cop cars than bikes ... thank you for this video! So silly!

Ghost Bike For Al Sheppard Moved

Due to construction the Ghost Bike for Al Sheppard had to be moved to the nearest ring post.
Photo taken this morning. Big thanks to the Bike Pirates for the heads up work.

West Texas Bicycle Ride

Paint Your Own Bike Lane: Three How-To Videos

Bloor West Bike Lane

Photo: Michael D'Amico 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdintoronto/523277785/
Urban Repair Squad paints up a nice bike lane on Bloor West during Rush Hour.

The Mayor Afraid To REALLY Stand Up For Toronto Cyclists (Updated)

Profile: David Miller
Became mayor in Nov. 2003. He will pass on the torch of shame to the next mayor in late 2010. He inherited a 10-year Bike Plan (2001) which called for 495 km of bike lanes. Thus far 112km have been built ... never mind everything else 'the plan' called for. Here is a fine article in the paper today saying the same thing.

Quote:"I've always been a strong believer that bicycling is an essential part of Toronto's transportation strategy. 
That’s why we have developed the Toronto Bike Plan which is a comprehensive cycling promotion strategy encompassing: bicycle friendly streets, a bikeway network, safety and education, bike parking, and promotion of combining cycling and transit." (2007)

He is in Copenhagen today bragging about how much he has done to combat climate change. I rode my bike to work today choking on car exhaust and trying hard not get doored. Got the Message.

In the meantime, I have some advice for Mayor Miller: Come out for just one critical mass, one memorial ride for a fallen cyclist or even show some real appreciation for bike culture.  One bike photo-op per year during Bike Month ain't enough.

The Star Map - How We Commute

http://www3.thestar.com/static/googlemaps/starmaps_090610.html?xml=091021_commuting_cyclists.xml

Bike Pirates On Holiday

Yarrr!! The Pirates say:
"Please note that we will *most likely* be closed all of the shifts the week of Christmas - Starting Monday December 21 to Saturday December 26.
This is due to two of our prominent keyholders having to leave the city. We will post changes to our hours (due to illness, bad weather or apathy) on the front page of our website whenever possible so please watch that space." www.bikepirates.com

Dapper in the Bike Lane

DSCN0847, originalmente cargada por adl2k.

 Photo: Tweed Ride Chicago

 More Dapper in the Bike Lane Photos (NPR)

 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120470684

A Very Fast French Postman

The Future? by Paula Alvarado (Argentina)

Dude, where's my bike lane? SanFran

Bloor Cycle Redux (new photo)

Back alley southwest of Bloor and Dufferin.

Postcards by Tino

A selection of original  Toronto Cycling Postcards  are available exclusively  at the fine Hoopdriver Bicycles on College  (just east of Dufferin)   More samples

A Better Ring?

http://www.cyclehoop.com/

Features

• Simple, elegant and robust.
• Clamps onto existing street furniture.
• Quick and easy to install around the city.
• Compact design saves space and reduces street clutter.
• Prevents bicycles falling over and blocking pedestrians.
• Secure design reduces the risk of bicycle theft.
• The perfect solution for increasing cycle parking in cities.

Anti-bike Mayor Miller in Copenhagen

  

Mayor Miller in Copenhagen: 
"Oh, that's what real bike-friendly city looks like."

Witnesses Sought Queen & Shaw - Nov. 25

Bike Art For Christmas

Toronto's own Janet BIke Girl will be at the super cool Holiday Popup Art Shop December 10th.

And also at the Holiday Market Place in 401 Richmond

Meanwhile, Portland has a whole Bike Craft Fair this time of yea!
http://bikeportland.org/bikecraft-v-vendor-directory-winter-2009/

Doored (Animation)

via Urbanvelo

A Brace o' Ha' Pennies... Hey!!

A Brace o' Ha' Pennies... Hey!!, originalmente cargada por whymcycles.

1997 By Schwinn.

The Cyclists 1895 by Vittorio Alinari

Albumen print.

Logan's Azuki (Bike Glam)

logan's azuki, originalmente cargada por ( kurtz ).

For The Birds

 

Street Art Richmond and Spadina

A Ghost Bike For Mississauga

Memorial ride and ghost bike for an unknown cyclist killed in Mississauga on November 25, 2009. Thank you to all who rode and the awesome Bike Pirates for providing the Ghost Bike.
Scott Ossington wrote about the ride with many photos here

Bike Pirates Rule

Whose streets? Our streets!
New website!  The Bike Pirates