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City releases plans for separated Sherbourne bike lane
Toronto is finally getting separated bike lanes, and now we have a pretty good idea of what they're going to look like. Unveiled at an open house yesterday, the plans for separated cycling infrastructure on Sherbourne Street should be realized by fall 2012 — at which time, you know, Jarvis is slated to lose its bike lanes.
For now, let's take a quick look at the main features of the new lanes. Perhaps the most interesting tidbit that was revealed last night is that the infrastructure will take different forms on either side of Gerrard Street. To the north the lanes will be separated by a concrete divider, and to the south they'll run as raised cycle tracks similar to what exists on stretches of Roncesvalles.
Also noteworthy is that both types of barriers will allow for emergency vehicles access, which might also mean that other vehicles could block the lanes as well. That's not to say that drivers will choose to do so, but that the barrier could metaphorically be described as "soft." The possibility of "interactions" between cyclists and pedestrians at bus stops south of Gerrard is also something that may not please everyone.
Given that there are already bike lanes on Sherbourne, the separated infrastructure will likely have minimal effect of drivers. Although all parking on the street will be eliminated, non rush hour left-hand turns will still be permitted at most major intersections (notable exceptions include King and Shuter streets). To accomodate this, the bike lanes will taper as they approach intersections — there's only so much space to go around, after all.
Here's a look at some of the renderings. What do you think?
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For some context, new bike lanes in Chicago:
http://vimeo.com/32986515
And in New York:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/201107_1st_2nd_aves_bicycle_paths.pdf
Granted, those streets are a lot wider than Sherbourne so you can do more with protection via parked cars and pretty landscaping, but they do make you drool just a little bit. If only such lanes could be installed on Jarvis, University, Front and other wide streets.
The TTC does not feel they need to educate transit riders that this is the road not the sidewalk and for some reason the painted bike markers have no effect.
Since people do not naturally clue in, you need to delineate the bike lane, I don't understand why part of it is and part isn't. Can we not do anything right?
Road traffic on Jarvis was unaffected by the bike lanes, and it's a well-off street with no bus route, so no need for space for buses to turn into. Not to mention it was a lot wider. AND it's got the two Bixi stations. Jarvis should've got the separated lanes. Why do cyclists have to choose anyways? That doesn't sound like "sharing the roads".
It just doesn't make sense!
I like the idea of bike lanes in this city.
But here's my situation. I currently take one of the Express Bus routes (from the beaches.) All the express buses use Richmond and Adelaide. When the bike lanes are installed on Richmond and Adelaide, traffic is going to be a nightmare. On a good day, the express bus takes 30 mins to go from downtown to the beaches. On bad days it takes 50 minutes. When the bike lanes are put in, it will take 40 minutes on a good day and over an hour on a bad day. I COULD WALK IT IN 1 HOUR! Note that it takes about 20-25 minutes to drive in so a 40 to 60+ bus commute just isn't very attractive!
Anyhow...when the bike lanes are put in, I will drive. I can 100% guarantee you, a whole lot of the people on my bus will drive. I bet that you'll see at least 100 people use their cars.
We think we doing a good job for the environment....but the Richmond Adelaide bike lanes will increase pollution- first because people will stop using the bus and take their car instead and because there will be more idling in slow traffic.
I envision students rushing to class with their eyes on their smartphones and their ears tuned to their ipods, chasing down the already overflowing bus...
I think everyone on this route should start wearing a helmet.
But perhaps this will also be an opportunity to start talking about education regarding bicycle safety and pedestrian traffic laws. Because teenagers are all too eager to listen, right?
or you could ride your bike and get downtown from the beaches in 20-25 minutes.
up to you dingleberry
god forbid anyone tries to get rid of on-street parking, the whole city would burn in the riots.
The city has committed to this. Let them do it. Then in 5 years when the area north of Wellesley is in total gridlock they can just tear it all out.
It's amazing how they must use Photoshop to find 3 cyclists to paste onto the future rendering. They won't find 3 cyclists on Sherbourne in an HOUR today.
I start off around Dufferin/St.Clair and the difference between regular cycling on the road, either with no lone like on Eglington East of Jane, or in a lane like on Rogers Road, is huge. It isn't perfect of course, for some reason there are more pedestrians on the cycle path than the side walk, and you have to be careful where the lane crosses roads, even if you have the green light right of way as people turning from Eglington can't always see whether anyone is coming and you can cycle really fast on a dedicated lane. however a bit of common sense and awareness (slowing down, looking etc.) and it works fine.
Being able to fly along, not worrying about car doors, storm drains etc. and the path is in much better condition (smoother) than the curbside of the road.
This is possible of course because of how wide Eglington is West of Jane, there is grass separation between the road and lane, and between the lane and sidewalk and trees/landscaping etc, makes it a really nice ride in summer, but of course impractical in a downtown core that has little space to give up.
Just thought I'd point it out though, as I had no idea it existed until my office moved out that way and I was looking at ways to get there, certianly beats the bus. I was mostly surprised someone had the sense to put it there instead of just adding more lanes to the road, or more lanscaping etc.