The Cycling Network Plan: Beyond Avenue Road

Police tape and vehicles line an intersection

Avenue Road just north of Bloor Street. Photo courtesy of Michael Aitkens/CBC

After we asked you to write to your elected officials following the death of Miguel Joshua Escanan on Avenue Road, hundreds of emails were sent asking for safety improvements to Avenue and every road like it. This, along with the efforts of other organizations and our staff, is how a motion to study a complete street pilot on Avenue as well as an examination of all dangerous roads, construction sites, and heavy trucks in Toronto ended up approved at City Council earlier this week. Thank you for helping make that happen.

City staff will study how to expedite safety improvements along Avenue Road, and they will report back in December on:

  1. a broad based, systemic, street-by-street approach to proactively address dangerous roads (6+ lane arterial roadways with high speed limits);
  2. implementation of greater safety measures for cyclists during construction activity; and
  3. implementation of safety mandates for heavy trucks and downsizing fleets.

Too often, studies and reports are delayed, and there is no substitute for real action: implementation. We need more staff in City Hall that can advance these projects, and a streamlined process to actually get things built.

How can you help?

As City Council prepares for critical votes on the Cycling Network Plan and on whether to make ActiveTO permanent, we need your help to ensure our elected officials:

  1. fully fund an ambitious plan;
  2. allow for hiring of staff to design and implement the plan;
  3. streamline the approval process, so there aren’t multiple Council votes for every metre of bike lane

Please, take a moment to thank local Councillors Layton & Matlow, Mayor Tory, and Infrastructure Committee Chair McKelvie. Please ask them to ensure that the Avenue Road study and complete street pilot happens quickly, and that action is taken proactively on dangerous roads throughout Toronto, safety measures for cyclists at construction sites, and safety mandates for heavy trucks.

You can use the template at the bottom of this email, or click the button below.

Show your support for a better cycling city

Your support is helping us make Toronto a safe, healthy, vibrant cycling city for all. Thank you.
 

Sample Email
 

TO:

mayor_tory@toronto.ca, councillor_mckelvie@toronto.ca, councillor_matlow@toronto.ca, councillor_layton@toronto.ca

CC:

info@cycleTO.ca

SUBJECT:

The Cycling Network Plan: Beyond MM36.18 Making Immediate Safety Improvements to Avenue Road

BODY:

Thank you Councillors and Mayor Tory,

 

The passage of “MM36.18 Making Immediate Safety Improvements to Avenue Road” is a good step forward toward safer streets across Toronto.

 

Proactive measures are needed across the city to prevent tragedies like those I have seen on Avenue Road. Many roads in Toronto have similar if not worse conditions to Avenue (especially in low-income and racialized communities) that prevent people from walking and biking safely in their neighbourhoods — increasing transportation costs, increasing environmental effects, and reducing health outcomes.

 

Your continued vigilance on road design, construction sites, and heavy truck regulation is needed in the short and long term.

 

As the next near term implementation program for the Cycling Network plan approaches, I need your help so that Toronto can meet its climate, health, and road safety goals. Please:

 
  • fully fund an ambitious plan;
  • allow for hiring of staff to design and implement the plan;
  • streamline the approval process so that there aren’t multiple Council votes for every metre of bike lane
 

Thank you,

 

[YOUR NAME]

[YOUR POSTAL CODE]

By ry.shissler@cycleto.ca on Oct 08, 2021

  Avenue Road, Cycling Network Plan, action alert