Efforts to remove a bike lane from Toronto's Jarvis Street did not go exactly as planned this week, as protesters prevented city crews from completing their work by blockading the street, reports Lissette Valdez.
The Toronto Cuty Council's plan to remove recently installed bike lanes on Jarvis Street in order to improve traffic flow for automobiles hit a speed bump this week as "cyclists chose to lie down, sit, and ultimately blockade the street" to prevent city crews from scraping away the lanes' thin dividing lines, says Valdez.
"The lanes were part of street safety measures enacted by [current Mayor] Ford's
predecessor David Miller. Cyclists have been unhappy with the decision
declaring that removing the lanes puts their safety at risk."
Writing on Tuesday, Valdez noted that, "[r]emoval of the lanes continued again today
and currently the dispute remains unresolved. Unable to work at
night-due to noise restrictions-the scrubbing crews must complete the
removal during the day. Police were on site today in an attempt to usher
back protesters and allow the work to continue. One man was reportedly arrested and taken into custody this afternoon as the protest continues."
FULL STORY: Toronto Bikers Revolt Against Mayor’s Attempts to Remove Bike Lanes
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Following the arrest of Dr. Tomislav Svoboda for obstructing the removal of Jarvis Street's bike lanes last November, the doctor and his colleagues have joined together to ask Toronto to speed up the installation of bike lanes to save lives.
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While cities across North America work diligently to expand their bicycle infrastructure, Toronto appears to be headed in the opposite direction, and local bike enthusiasts are taking to the streets to voice their opposition, reports Lloyd Alter.
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The Toronto City Council approved a quick expansion of bike lanes around the city to provide an alternative to public transit during and after the pandemic.
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California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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