The Ontario budget reveals Premier Doug Ford’s government is proceeding with plans to remove additional bike lanes in Toronto’s downtown core.
Thursday’s provincial budget included the removal of cycling infrastructure along Queen’s Park Crescent and Avenue Road, both major corridors connecting the downtown core.
“The government is working to reinstate vehicle lanes on Bloor Street West, Yonge Street, University Avenue, Avenue Road and Queen’s Park Crescent, while maintaining bike lanes where possible or moving them to secondary roads,” reads the budget.
During an unrelated news conference on Wednesday, Ford responded to questions about the future of Toronto bike lanes, initially denying that they would be removed.
“Not right now,” Ford said when asked if he was targeting additional routes. He reiterated his view that while bike lanes are necessary, they should not be built on main arterial roads.
“That’s the right thing to do and let’s start moving on it and get traffic moving as well,” he said.
The specified route encompasses University Avenue, which subsequently becomes Queen’s Park Crescent, running from College Street to Bloor Street, and continues as Avenue Road northward.
The province has already initiated the removal of bike lanes on University Avenue, Bloor Street and Yonge Street.
However, that was paused on April 22nd after a judge granted an injunction halting the removals until they could further inquire on the constitutionality of the measures.
The government is challenging the courts to push through the expanded removals to remove street bottlenecks on major roads.
The Ford government maintains that removing bike lanes on major downtown thoroughfares will reduce traffic congestion and improve vehicle flow.
The government news release highlights the government’s measures in the budget such as corporate subsidies for manufacturing, cuts to gas tax, and expanding funding for the Indigenous Opportunities Financing Program.