Toronto just got 40 km of expanded bike routes

Toronto bike lanes are expanding in the city. Toronto city council just approved a plan that will see an additional 40 km of lanes, tracks and multi-use trails.

The plan, "the largest expansion of Toronto's on-street bike network ever in one year," was approved at city council on Thursday with a final vote of 23 to 2 on May 28, the City of Toronto announced in a press release.

Toronto City Council approves 40 km of expanded and accelerated bike routes for ActiveTO. News release: https://t.co/smZ8EWgvdS pic.twitter.com/k6GWxvTnX0

— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) May 28, 2020

The plan includes 25 km of bikeways and 15 km of cycling routes.

The cycling network will be expanded quickly through temporary installations. Bloor Street East, University Avenue/Queen's Park Crescent and Dundas Street East are slated to be the first installations, the release said.

The approved work also includes locations in North York and Scarborough and an acceleration of the Bloor West Bikeway Extension (bike lanes from Shaw Street to Runnymede), as well as streetscape improvements and temporary bike lanes on Danforth Avenue.

The proposed plan includes flexibility so that the bikeway installations can be adjusted based on considerations such as changing traffic volumes and the evolving needs of residents and businesses in the wake of the pandemic.

The plan is part of ActiveTO, a program to make more space in the city for physically activity during the COVID-19 restart and recovery.

Here is a list of the new routes:

• Bloor Street from Avenue Road to Sherbourne Street (Cycle Track)
• Dundas Street East, from Sackville Street to Broadview Avenue (Cycle Track)
• University Avenue / Queens Park, from Adelaide Street to Bloor Street (Cycle Track)
• Huntingwood Drive, from Victoria Park Avenue to Brimley Road (Bicycle Lane)
• Brimley Road, from Kingston Road to Lawrence Avenue (Cycle Track)
• Danforth Avenue, from Broadview Avenue to Dawes Road (Cycle Track)
• Bayview Avenue, from River Street to Rosedale Valley Road (Multi-Use Trail)
• River Street, from Gerrard Street East to Bayview Avenue (Multi-Use Trail)
• Wilmington Avenue, from Finch Avenue to Sheppard Avenue (Bicycle Lane)
• Faywood Boulevard, from Sheppard Avenue to Wilson Avenue (Bicycle Lane)