Our local bike lanes have been in the news lately and the BWVRA board supports them. If you’d like to share your opinion, please visit this link.
Tag: bike lanes
THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL
The public consultation process is complete and you can review the Public Consultation Report as well as other project information at Toronto.ca/BloorWest.
Transportation Services is seeking City Council authority to install the proposed complete street elements on Bloor Street West from Runnymede Road to Resurrection Road as well as accompanying changes to the South Kingsway intersection. If approved, phase 1 from Runnymede Road to Aberfoyle Crescent would be installed in summer of 2023. Changes to Bloor Street West would be made with materials that can be installed quickly, such as bollards, roadway paint, planters and signage. No major road reconstruction is planned.
Highlights of the proposed design on Bloor Street West include the following:
- Reducing the speed limit to 40km/hr between Runnymede Road and Kipling Avenue;
- New cycle tracks with physical separation on both sides;
- One motor vehicle lane removed in each direction between Runnymede Road and Aberfoyle Crescent;
- One motor vehicle lane removed in the eastbound direction between Aberfoyle Crescent and Resurrection Road (due to the wider right-of-way and motor vehicle volumes, it is proposed to maintain two westbound motor vehicle lanes in this segment);
- Centre median maintained between Kingscourt Drive and Royal York Road, and a new painted median over the Humber River and the Mimico Creek bridges;
- Centre left-turn lane between Aberfoyle Crescent and Green Lanes;
- Centre lane or median converted to new, centre left-turn lane from Armadale Avenue to South Kingsway; Old Mill Drive to Riverside Drive; Old Mill Trail and Kingscourt Drive; and Royal York Road and Aberfoyle Crescent;
- Existing turn lanes at major intersections maintained between Prince Edward Drive and Aberfoyle Crescent;
- Westbound bus lane and right-turn lane on the north side of Bloor Street West from Armadale Avenue to Jane Street;
- On-street parking retained on both sides of the street from Runnymede Road to Armadale Avenue, and in existing parking lay-bys from Armadale Avenue to Aberfoyle Crescent (in the summer, on-street parking can become cafés beside the sidewalk as part of the CaféTO program); and
- One painted pedestrian lane on the south side between Kingscourt Drive and Prince Edward Drive to address the existing sidewalk gap adjacent to the cemetery before a permanent sidewalk can be built.
Highlights of the proposed design at the South Kingsway intersection include the following:
- New cycle tracks and removal of one motor vehicle lane per direction on Bloor Street West;
- Close the eastern entrance of Mossom Road to southbound vehicles in order to improve safety and predictability of motor vehicle movements at the intersection. The majority of pedestrian collisions have occurred with drivers turning across the South Kingsway crosswalk with pedestrians having the right-of-way. Two irregular driving manoeuvers would no longer be allowed with the proposed closure to the eastern entrance. Mossom Road would be converted to two-way travel for part of its length to provide residential access. A new left-turn lane would be provided at Riverside Drive and the existing left-turn restriction from Bloor Street West would be removed;
- Extend the length of left-turn lanes for drivers turning from Bloor Street West onto South Kingsway and Jane Street; and
- Add more green signal time for the busiest motor vehicle movements.
| There’s been a lot going on in Bloor West Village as we head into summer (which fingers crossed, appears to be on our doorsteps). Here’s a wrap up: Humber Theatre Condo Development The Site Plan has been approved and demolition permits have been issued for the buildings on Bloor from Riverview Gardens to the Theatre. We expect demolition will begin in the not too distant future. Harcroft & Bloor Condo Development The original developer sold this site, along with the approved plans. The new developer is currently working with City Planning, and the immediate neighbours on Harcroft, on some small changes before going ahead with this project. Avenue Study & Heritage Conservation District Study While the Avenue Study has wrapped up, the HCD Study has determined that, while there were individual properties meriting an HCD designation, there were not enough Heritage Elements to warrant a District designation. We are pleased to report that a number of HCD guidelines are currently being worked into the Avenue Study. The approval process has been slowed down by the COVID -19 pandemic and staffing changes in both the Planning and Heritage offices. We are hoping things will soon get back on track with the next steps being a presentation to the Community before being sent to City Council for approval. Our efforts toward encouraging responsible development should be significantly reduced once the resulting bylaws and zoning restrictions are put into place. Laneway Suites & Garden Suites Laneway Suites, approved by the City of Toronto in July 2019, are typically located in the rear yard, with access next to a public laneway, and are generally smaller in scale and completely detached from the main house on the lot. Garden Suites are similar except that their access is from the front of the property. The Garden Suites project is one of several studies being undertaken by the City to help create more housing options in residential neighbourhoods. The City would like to hear what you have to say on this topic by taking a brief survey that can be accessed on the BWVRA website. Bloor Street Bike Lanes The Bloor Street Bike Lanes have been successfully installed westward from downtown to Runnymede Road. Planning is now underway to eventually extend these lanes all the way to The East Mall. This extension of the Bike Lanes will require the approval of the Etobicoke-York Community Council. Kennedy Park-Margdon Parkette In 2019 there were extensive improvements made to the Kennedy Park-Margdon Parkette, located behind the Runnymede Library, between Glendonwynne Road & Kennedy Park Road. A section remains that has not been renovated, immediately behind the Library, that has mysteriously fallen off the Toronto Parks to-do list. We are working with our Councillor Gord Perks to get this project back on track. BWVRA Annual Meeting The BWVRA fiscal year is April 1st to March 31st, usually followed by an Annual Meeting in May. Last year we postponed our Annual Meeting to the Fall, in the vain hope that large gatherings would once again be possible. So, here we are a year later facing the same situation. Our virtual Meeting last Fall was a success and we thought it would be best to once again postpone to the Fall, with the hope that by then there may be some progress to report on the Avenue/HCD Study approval process and, if the chatter is accurate, there may even be a Federal Election! BWVRA Membership In addition to reporting to the Community, a key element of our Annual Meeting is having the Financials and our Board approved by our Membership. Only Residents who are Paid-up Members of BWVRA (have paid the $20 annual fee) are eligible to vote on any Motions presented at the Meeting. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated on-going restrictions our expenses have been minimal, so we have made the decision to suspend our Annual Membership Canvass. This means that those eligible to vote at our Annual Meeting, to be held at a yet to be determined date in the Fall, will be all those Residents who have already renewed their Membership since April 1st, 2020 last year, along with those who might decide to renew their Membership anytime between now and our Annual Meeting in the Fall. |
It may not be a guarantee this summer.
Cycle Toronto wants to hear from you. Or more importantly, wants your pledge to ensure it is guaranteed. To show your support to City Council, click here for more information. Last year, there were as many as 21,000 people riding bikes and 4,400 people walking on weekends along Lakeshore Blvd. West. Cycle Toronto wants your help to ensure it can happen again.
Beginning on Tuesday, August 2, construction will begin on new bike lanes that will run west from Shaw Street to Runnymede road. Please click here to view more important information or visit http://www.toronto.ca/bloorwestbikeway
One benefit of COVID-19 is that urban cycling is suddenly in the spotlight. And with that, the related infrastructure projects are now getting closer attention and shortened timelines. To read more about how we stand to benefit in Bloor West Village, click here.
You read that correctly: our patch of Bloor Street will be getting dedicated bike lanes, which will extend 4.5 KM from Shaw Street to Runnymede Road. The target completion date is August, 2020 pending approval by the Infrastructure and Environment Committee (IEC) and City Council next spring.
The BWVRA found support of this development in a recent member survey. Research done on the current Bloor Street West bike lane, from Avenue Road to Shaw Street, reveals the following:
- An increase in retail customers
- An increase in retail spend, monthly
- More people riding, less people driving
- The people who ride to the area, do it more often and spend more
More information and research can be found here.