{"id":69700,"date":"2025-01-16T08:15:37","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T13:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/?p=69700"},"modified":"2025-01-15T17:28:34","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T22:28:34","slug":"op-ed-taking-another-look-at-whos-using-bike-lanes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2025\/01\/16\/op-ed-taking-another-look-at-whos-using-bike-lanes\/","title":{"rendered":"OP-ED: Taking another look at who’s using bike lanes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Toronto\u2019s bike lanes have always been about more than just cycling \u2013 they are about building a city that moves smarter, cleaner, and safer. As someone who currently rides a pedal-assist e-bike, both for work as the Urbanist-in-Residence at the University of Toronto\u2019s School of Cities and as a parent committed to ensuring safe transportation for my children and their peers, I feel compelled to challenge Martin Regg Cohn\u2019s recent piece<\/a> in the Toronto Star<\/em> dismissing the value of bike lanes.<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s address the core misconception that bike lanes are an over-investment used by too few. This narrative not only misrepresents who benefits from bike lanes but also misses the broader societal gains they enable. The reality is that safe cycling infrastructure is about choice and access. When people know they can travel safely by bike, they are far more likely to do so. Data from studies by University of Toronto engineering faculty<\/a> confirms this: for every 100 additional workplaces accessible via safe bike infrastructure, cycling increases by 40%. This isn\u2019t anecdote; it\u2019s evidence that when we build it, people bike.<\/p>\n

But cycling isn\u2019t just about commuters like me; it\u2019s about creating a network that benefits families, local businesses, and even drivers. Studies worldwide \u2013 and in our own backyard \u2013 show that bike lanes boost economic activity. People on bikes frequent local shops more often and spend more per trip than drivers. These lanes are not drains on public funds; they are investments in community vitality, public health, and climate action.<\/p>\n

Cohn\u2019s argument also glosses over the immense value bike lanes provide to the gig workers he dismissively labels as \u201ce-bikers with pretend pedals.\u201d These workers, often recent immigrants, rely on safe cycling infrastructure to make a living. The issue isn\u2019t the existence of bike lanes; it\u2019s the exploitative nature of gig economy work. Let\u2019s be clear: tearing up bike lanes won\u2019t solve precarious employment, but it will make the lives of these essential workers even harder and more dangerous.<\/p>\n

The article\u2019s fixation on underused bike lanes during winter also misses the point. Infrastructure isn\u2019t judged by seasonal peaks but by the long-term benefits it delivers. Highways aren\u2019t dismantled because traffic decreases at night, and sidewalks aren\u2019t removed because they\u2019re less crowded in January. Toronto\u2019s bike network is a vital artery that keeps people moving year-round, and its maintenance reflects the city\u2019s commitment to equitable mobility.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s also dispel the notion that bike lanes exacerbate gridlock. The \u201cwar on the car\u201d rhetoric ignores the fact that cities around the world have proven that reallocating road space to bikes reduces overall congestion. A leaked provincial report even acknowledged that bike lanes encourage cycling and discourage car use, alleviating traffic. Why is this data ignored in favor of divisive, anecdotal narratives?<\/p>\n

Finally, as a father of two and someone deeply engaged in urban issues, I see bike lanes as an investment in our future. My kids and their friends should be able to navigate this city safely, whether they\u2019re biking to school, walking to a park, or taking transit to extracurriculars. Building a city for cars alone leaves them \u2013 and all of us \u2013 with fewer options, more pollution, and less community connection.<\/p>\n

Rather than tearing up bike lanes, we should be expanding them, integrating them with transit, and ensuring they serve everyone equitably. The conversation shouldn\u2019t be about whether bike lanes are worth it but how we can make them work even better for all Torontonians. This means addressing safety concerns, ensuring year-round usability, and tackling the systemic inequalities faced by those who depend on cycling the most.<\/p>\n

Cycling isn\u2019t about taking the \u201cwrong space\u201d; it\u2019s about making the best use of the limited space we have. It\u2019s about moving efficiently, sustainably, and inclusively. And it\u2019s about standing up to narratives that pit one group of road users against another instead of focusing on building a city that works for everyone.<\/p>\n

Lanrick Bennett, Toronto’s first Bicycle Mayor and Urbanist-in-Residence at UofT’s School of Cities, is a passionate advocate for sustainable urban mobility, active transportation, and community-driven city building, with extensive experience in leadership roles across urban design, placemaking, and climate action<\/i>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Toronto\u2019s bike lanes have always been about more than just cycling \u2013 they are about building a city that moves smarter, cleaner, and safer. As someone who currently rides a pedal-assist e-bike, both for work as the Urbanist-in-Residence at the University of Toronto\u2019s School of Cities and as a parent committed to ensuring safe transportationContinue reading “OP-ED: Taking another look at who’s using bike lanes”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8588,"featured_media":69703,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bikes"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOP-ED: Taking another look at who's using bike lanes - Spacing Toronto<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2025\/01\/16\/op-ed-taking-another-look-at-whos-using-bike-lanes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"OP-ED: Taking another look at who's using bike lanes - Spacing Toronto\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Toronto\u2019s bike lanes have always been about more than just cycling \u2013 they are about building a city that moves smarter, cleaner, and safer. 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