Toronto just got a fancy new bike lane that drivers are already parking in

Toronto has seriously stepped up its cycling infrastructure in recent years, but not without heated pushback from drivers and other residents who continue to sound off about the impacts on car traffic and local businesses, the cost to taxpayers and more both during and after construction.

It's been proven that bike lanes are beneficial to cities, leading to, most importantly, fewer cyclist injuries and deaths, as well as a reduction of car-on-car conflicts while encouraging more people to commute by bike, a healthier alternative for both them and the planet.

But then where will we park construction vehicles then? pic.twitter.com/KvNQvPydkK

— thebarold (@thebarold) April 21, 2023

The upgrades in Toronto have actually doubled the number of cyclists in parts of the city — but being an urban centre designed first for cars and known for its traffic, the drama between the two groups has only seemed to escalate, with mayoral candidates and others adding fuel to the fire.

Traffic would be so much better if all the bike riders were stuck in cars clogging this street too!

— Joshua Davis (@byJoshuaDavis) May 27, 2023

The new pro-cycling additions to the public realm have had their fair share of snags as a result, whether it be drivers moving planters into the paths so they can park better, driving right over lane separators or parking so bikers can't get past.

And despite physical barriers that one would think would make it impossible to do the latter, drivers are still managing to block protected bike lanes, maddening those who use them.

Cyclists can't have anything nice in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/RkmST1pKys

— Evan Sambasivam (@EvanSambasivam) May 29, 2023

Locals have already snapped photos of vehicles obstructing the city's newest bike lanes on Wellington Street, which just opened to the public this week, despite a large concrete curb separating them from the rest of the roadway.

"Folks have been parked in it every day since it opened," one community member wrote in a Reddit thread on the topic, where multiple pictures of cars parked in the lanes have been shared among dozens of comments.

Many have chimed in with their suggestions for how the city can improve these lanes even more so that these incidents don't happen, but it seems that regardless of what types of dividers are used, drivers will still find a way to ignore the lanes, whether willfully or accidentally.

To be fair to the SUV depicted above, Wellington now only has a one-way car lane and two-way bike path in parts, which could be confusing to some, especially as the work is brand new and may impact pick up and drop off at places like the 1 Hotel.

With more of these upgrades still to come around the city, everyone on the road will have to remain hyper-vigilant, keeping an eye out for new pavement markings and signage, as well as all they share the space with, whether they're on two wheels or four.