Re: your questions about the Zicla (plastic) ramps at TTC loading zones: the Bloor West Bikeway extension you are on was done with "quick build" construction aimed at getting bike infra into areas before larger road resurfacing is scheduled. The basic concept for installing more "proper" bike lanes in line with Toronto's complete streets ideals, means they have to wait for a planned road resurfacing to justify putting in more permanent features such as raised/elevated bike lanes. Some of those raised lanes exist on the newly redone parts of Bloor around the Annex and ROM, as well as on College right outside your shop! The loading zone ramps have been redesigned after initial versions using metal ramps sustained a lot of winter plow damage. Other attempts used actual paving for the ramps, but that can cause issues with flooding in the rest of the lane, which becomes ice in winter. Lots of difficult challenges to overcome for the city's cycling team! I personally think the Zicla ramps are a reasonable compromise for now, though I don't love riding over so many of them and I worry about them in winter.
We kind of addressed some of these ideas in a previous comment (might be missing now!) but something I want to also speak on quickly is that we super do need these ramps for folks to get around, for sure, but we're hoping to point out that it's a little uncomfortable in this current iteration for everyone - not just from a cyclist's perspective, but also for folks using mobility devices, or strollers! They're more than a little rough to roll over for anyone with wheels and we're mostly saying we'd love to see permanent raised infrastructure there instead as a priority for moving folks. Heard on the iciness issues though on the paved ones for sure!
16:41 YES! It's scary when you are crossing, especially with kids, and cars don't do a full stop. Due to the glare on the windshield it's often impossible to make eye contact and determine whether they have actually seen you or they are just distracted on their phone. By law drivers can't enter an intersection when there are pedestrians crossing it, but VERY few drivers do that. If they are rolling, their foot is not on the brake pedal and they could run over you so easily.
Great video! Regarding the discussion about accessibility and car-centrism/bike infrastructure: It's also worth noting that A LOT of disabled people either can't drive due to their disabilities (eg. blind/visually impaired people) or don't drive because they can't afford to (because driving is expensive and disabled people generally have lower incomes than non-disabled people). Car-dependency greatly limits the mobility and independence of disabled people who either can't or don't drive. Disabled people are also disproportionately likely to be killed or seriously injured in pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions. Creating walkable and cyclable streets that prioritize the mobility and safety of vulnerable road users is absolutely an accessibility issue. And as someone who is passionate about accessibility advocacy, it really annoys me when people who clearly don't actually care about accessibility bring it up to defend a status quo that harms so many disabled people.
As a disabled person who doesn't drive, THANK YOU! It's obvious that they don't care about disabled people when they imply that we only use cars, rather than advocating for multiple modes of transport.
Yes! Totally this! Veronica very lightly touched on this same point in discussing how cities are EXCLUSIVELY designed for able bodied folks within a certain income bracket and within a very narrow age range but this is fully part of the exact same discussion! The idea that it is often not viable just to exist somewhere outside of a certain experience range is so heartless... but also super deeply rooted in how our societies are structured. Really glad you took the time to point this one out, especially the big idea at the core of this, which is that "access" is often brought out as a defense FOR cars, when in reality it is being hindered by cars!!!
2:01 It's eye opening to look at all the bollards that protect municipal and utility assets along streets, like padmount transformers, communication boxes, and gas lines. So many are knocked askew from collisions. The legacy of incompetent driving laid bare smh
You guys didn't even get to Kipling station and turned around because you thought it was Mississauga 😂 For context the 26 Mississauga Bus has a drop off at Islington station which is why you saw it. The lane itself continues to Kipling! Fun video.
Haha to be fair...its a long ride as a loop and the 360 Camera only has so much memory/battery life! Also it was hot as heck on our shoot day- it was over 2 hours round trip! -Owen
For sure, I found it a bit more funny because you turned around almost exactly where I live, so if that was Mississauga suddenly I would be in for a heck of a surprise!
19:53 The High Park plan is still to make it car free. Part of that will be a TTC bus into the park from High Park station. I had one of the park delivery drivers ask me about my cargo bike. Are there any bike logistics companies starting up in the city? That'll be a crucial piece for making the park car free.
Obviously having SOMETHING is better than having nothing. But surely having something SUPER AWESOME would be better than having something that merely exists?
I think they seem temporary because the city is trying to get as much bike infrastructure built as quickly and cheaply as possible. And upgrading in the future like they are currently doing on bloor
The irony is...bike lanes are CHEAP compared to car infrastructure. Look at the budget to create a singular highway overpass for reference. We are glad to have a bike lane extended but we should be creating safe streets from the ground up not just slapping ramps everywhere and patting ourselves on the backs. A good measure of safety in bike infrastructure is "can kids use this without being in mortal danger" and generally in Toronto I would say that would be a resounding "NO" therefore....we could do much better. Bloor is good - College is good BUT still have many possible improvements to make them *GREAT* -Owen
@@urbane-cyclist I totally agree! The city did do some outreach to ask if they should prioritize more kms of quick build lanes or less kms of permanent lanes. I think the outcome of that was ppl wanted more kms of quick build to build out the network as fast as possible. Great video btw!
I deleted my previous comment as the tone was a little aggressive, and I do think more advocacy for better bike infrastructure is always great! I apologize for any offense from the previous comment.
