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.
In advance of a court appearance last week to face criminal charges for his role in protesting "the now-infamous removal of the Jarvis Street bike lanes," Dr. Tomislav Svoboda released an open letter signed by nearly two dozen of his colleagues that "asks city council to 'change lanes and save lives,' by speeding up the installation of bike lanes throughout the city," reports Desmond Cole.
"Svoboda, at his press conference, scolded city council for falling behind its own targets for bike-lane expansion (set in the 2001 bike plan), and for removing lanes even as major cities like Montreal, New York, and Chicago add dozens of kilometers of new bike thoroughfares each year. Citing the six cycling fatalities and thousands of injuries that have occurred in Toronto in 2012 alone, Svoboda said that what we usually describe as accidents 'could also be described as a failure by the City to protect its residents and to build a healthy city.' He urged councillors to consider the preventative benefits of cycling and active living in general. 'Cardiovascular health, mental health, insomnia—all these things are treated with exercise…this is a public health issue, and an issue of primary care,' said Svoboda."
So what punishment did Svoboda receive for his act of civil disobedience? He must perform 50 hours of community service with Cycle Toronto, a local bike advocacy group.
FULL STORY: Physicians Call for More Bike Lanes, More Quickly
The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall
The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.
Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities
The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.
The Paradox of American Housing
How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.
Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan
Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.
How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities
Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.
Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing
Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.
City of Yakima
City of Auburn
Baylands Development Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.