College Street bike lanes as it exists now. Photo courtesy of Google Maps.
College Street Bikeway Upgrades Could be Coming - Show your support
Upgrades are being proposed to one of Toronto’s oldest and busiest bikeways — College Street between Manning Avenue and Bay Street. Proposed to coincide with TTC streetcar track replacement work in 2022, the project would see the painted bike lanes replaced with a physically separated bikeway. This will make the area safer and more comfortable for people riding bikes resulting in healthier, more affordable lifestyles.
Two easy ways to support the project:
Fill out the City’s survey in under five minutes.
Take the survey before November 29
Attend the City’s virtual public meeting.
Date: Monday, November 15
Time: 6-8PM
More details
A protected bikeway on College from Manning to Bay is long overdue, and brings many benefits:
- More people cycling — healthy and affordable transportation
- Improved winter maintenance — more visitors to businesses all year long
- Increased road safety for people using College — less collisions
- Reduces risk of dooring and obstructive parking — better movement
Through this project, we would like to see:
- Dedicated areas for accessible parking, and loading and delivery
- Space for greenery, CaféTO, public art, and other flexible uses of the street
In the future, we would like to see:
- A protected bikeway along College that extends west and east, to connect from the West Toronto Railpath to Yonge Street
- Transit priority improvements similar to those already in place on King Street downtown
- Wider bike lanes east of Spadina
While we’re continuing to push for the bikeway on College to be extended west and east, the City is only able to upgrade the existing bikeway between Manning and Bay at this time coordinating with TTC track work happening along this specific stretch of College.
Due to the different characteristics of the neighbourhoods and existing road layout, one design is proposed for west of Spadina Avenue, and another east of Spadina.
West of Spadina
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Raised bike lane on Bloor Street in the Annex. A similar design to this is proposed for College Street.
West of Spadina, the City is proposing a similar design as the eastbound raised bikeway on Bloor Street in the Annex, but with a wider raised bikeway and better separation between the sidewalk, bikeway, and roadway.
East of Spadina
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Bike lane at street level on Wellesley Street separated by a concrete curb. A similar design to this is proposed for College Street. Photo courtesy of the City of Toronto.
East of Spadina, College is much narrower so while the bikeway cannot be widened or raised as part of this project, it can be protected by a concrete curb similar to Wellesley Street between Queen’s Park Crescent and Yonge Street.
Please support upgrading the College bikeway from Bay to Manning using one of the links above.
It’s important to encourage the City to take advantage of construction opportunities to upgrade, expand, and connect the cycling network so we can have a more livable, vibrant city. Please help support our work toward this by making a charitable donation.