Item - 2024.IE10.3

Tracking Status

IE10.3 - Bike Lanes that are Safe and Passable for Bikes

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Adopted
Wards:
All

City Council Decision

City Council on February 6 and 7, 2024, adopted the following:

 

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to take all reasonable steps to make designated bike lanes safe and passable for bicycles during the winter season.

Background Information (Committee)

(December 18, 2023) Letter from Councillor Dianne Saxe on Bike Lanes that are Safe and Passable for Bikes
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-241776.pdf

Communications (Committee)

(January 4, 2024) E-mail from Stephen Job (IE.Supp)
(January 4, 2024) Letter from Lanrick Bennett Jr. (IE.Supp)
(January 4, 2024) E-mail from Majd Al-Shihabi (IE.Supp)
(January 4, 2024) E-mail from Andrew Hunter (IE.Supp)
(January 4, 2024) E-mail from Cameron MacLeod (IE.Supp)
(January 4, 2024) E-mail from Sabastien Dyer (IE.Supp)
(January 5, 2024) E-mail from Adam Rodgers (IE.Supp)
(January 5, 2024) E-mail from Brandin O'Connor (IE.Supp)
(January 7, 2024) E-mail from Jun Nogami (IE.Supp)
(January 9, 2024) E-mail from Katherine and Darren (IE.Supp)
(January 7, 2024) E-mail from Robert Bryce (IE.Supp)
(January 7, 2024) E-mail from Debbie Green (IE.Supp)
(January 7, 2024) E-mail from Brian Huntley (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Michelle Gow (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Susan Reid (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Ben Singer (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Chris Drew (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Alison Stewart, Cycle Toronto (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175134.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Robin Richardson, Happy Fiets Canada (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175139.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Patricia Scarborough (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Dave Edwards (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Jessica Spieker, Friends and Families (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175176.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Hamish Wilson (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Devan Marr (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Graeme Kennedy, Tenblock (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175179.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Dr. Bence Viola (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Donna Patterson (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Benjamin Sadavoy, eBikes International (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175185.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Arlene Desjardins, The Avenue Road Safety Coalition (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175186.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Bill Eadie (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Holly Reid, Yonge4All (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175188.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Robert Zaichkowski (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Hamish Wilson (IE.Supp)
(January 9, 2024) E-mail from Eric Mills (IE.Supp)
(January 9, 2024) E-mail from Tom O'Reilly (IE.Supp)
(January 9, 2024) E-mail from Piotr Sepski (IE.New)

Communications (City Council)

(January 10, 2024) E-mail from Derek Sutton (CC.Main)
(February 5, 2024) E-mail from George Bell (CC.New)
(February 5, 2024) E-mail from Hamish Wilson (CC.New)

Motions (City Council)

Motion to Adopt Item (Carried)

Vote (Adopt Item) Feb-07-2024 4:47 PM

Result: Carried Majority Required - IE10.3 - Adopt the Item
Total members that voted Yes: 20 Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Alejandra Bravo, Jon Burnside, Lily Cheng, Olivia Chow, Mike Colle, Vincent Crisanti, Parthi Kandavel, Ausma Malik, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Chris Moise, Amber Morley, Jamaal Myers, Frances Nunziata (Chair), James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Dianne Saxe
Total members that voted No: 1 Members that voted No are Stephen Holyday
Total members that were Absent: 5 Members that were absent are Brad Bradford, Shelley Carroll, Paula Fletcher, Nick Mantas, Michael Thompson

IE10.3 - Bike Lanes that are Safe and Passable for Bikes

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Adopted
Wards:
All

Committee Recommendations

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

 

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to take all reasonable steps to make designated bike lanes safe and passable for bicycles during the winter season.

Origin

(December 18, 2023) Letter from Councillor Dianne Saxe

Summary

The minimum standard of ice / snow management on most Toronto streets is described as "safe and passable". In practice, Toronto streets are almost always "safe and passable" for cars and trucks. However, bike lanes are only "safe and passable" when they are "safe and passable" for bicycles. In Toronto's weather, because of our frequent fluctuations above and below zero, no bike lane is "safe and passable" unless it is cleared to bare pavement. Layers of snow / slush that are passable for cars quickly become icy and unsafe for bicycles.

 

Last year, protected bike lanes (cycle tracks) were generally properly cleared after the first few weeks of confusion. However, on-road bike lanes were often left hazardous with frequent patches and barriers of ice, especially in the most dangerous locations such as curves and hills.

 

Improved winter bike lane maintenance is necessary for Vision Zero and to support Toronto’s climate commitments, in particular to allow three quarters of local trips (year round) to be made by foot, bicycle or transit by the end of this decade. It is also necessary to support other city initiatives, such as the five dollar a year Bikeshare membership just extended to Toronto Community Housing Corporation tenants, and the work being done to encourage downtown deliveries by cargo bike.

Background Information

(December 18, 2023) Letter from Councillor Dianne Saxe on Bike Lanes that are Safe and Passable for Bikes
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-241776.pdf

Communications

(January 4, 2024) E-mail from Stephen Job (IE.Supp)
(January 4, 2024) Letter from Lanrick Bennett Jr. (IE.Supp)
(January 4, 2024) E-mail from Majd Al-Shihabi (IE.Supp)
(January 4, 2024) E-mail from Andrew Hunter (IE.Supp)
(January 4, 2024) E-mail from Cameron MacLeod (IE.Supp)
(January 4, 2024) E-mail from Sabastien Dyer (IE.Supp)
(January 5, 2024) E-mail from Adam Rodgers (IE.Supp)
(January 5, 2024) E-mail from Brandin O'Connor (IE.Supp)
(January 7, 2024) E-mail from Jun Nogami (IE.Supp)
(January 9, 2024) E-mail from Katherine and Darren (IE.Supp)
(January 7, 2024) E-mail from Robert Bryce (IE.Supp)
(January 7, 2024) E-mail from Debbie Green (IE.Supp)
(January 7, 2024) E-mail from Brian Huntley (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Michelle Gow (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Susan Reid (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Ben Singer (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Chris Drew (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Alison Stewart, Cycle Toronto (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175134.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Robin Richardson, Happy Fiets Canada (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175139.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Patricia Scarborough (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Dave Edwards (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Jessica Spieker, Friends and Families (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175176.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Hamish Wilson (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Devan Marr (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Graeme Kennedy, Tenblock (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175179.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Dr. Bence Viola (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Donna Patterson (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Benjamin Sadavoy, eBikes International (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175185.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Arlene Desjardins, The Avenue Road Safety Coalition (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175186.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Bill Eadie (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Holly Reid, Yonge4All (IE.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ie/comm/communicationfile-175188.pdf
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Robert Zaichkowski (IE.Supp)
(January 8, 2024) E-mail from Hamish Wilson (IE.Supp)
(January 9, 2024) E-mail from Eric Mills (IE.Supp)
(January 9, 2024) E-mail from Tom O'Reilly (IE.Supp)
(January 9, 2024) E-mail from Piotr Sepski (IE.New)

Speakers

Adam Rodgers
James Young
Hamish Wilson
Michael Longfield

Motions

Motion to Adopt Item moved by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie (Carried)
Source: Toronto City Clerk at www.toronto.ca/council