Just got this in my email from the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation - if you can make it to City Hall this afternoon, the Cycling Budget needs your support!
I highly recommend signing up for the TCAT newsletter, if you're into this kind of thing. :)
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I highly recommend signing up for the TCAT newsletter, if you're into this kind of thing. :)
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Yesterday, two members of the TCAT Steering Committee attended a Budget information session at City Hall. We gathered information on what the proposed 2007 Capital Budget includes for Active Transportation and the news is mixed. In terms of pedestrian issues, the 2007 Capital Budget is quite positive in fulfilling some of our platform/questionnaire demands. In terms of cycling the news is not so good, some major cycling items remain underfunded. The one bright spot for cycling is the addition of staff to work on the cycling infrastructure. More detail on the status of all items is listed below and at the bottom of this email is a letter that could serve as a model.
On Wednesday Feb 14th, starting at 2 p.m. the Budget Committee is hearing deputations from the general public. Please contact the members of the committee to ensure that cycling plan is fully funded.
Deputations in person: call 416-392-6662 to get on the list.
Deputations via e-mail: send to clerk@toronto.ca
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Letter submitted by the Ontario Smart Growth Network
February 8, 2007
Subject: Build Active Transportation in the 2007 Capital Budget
Dear Councillor Carroll and Members of the Budget Committee:
On behalf of the Ontario Smart Growth Network (OSGN), I am writing to ask you to support the following investments in Active Transportation in the City of Toronto Capital Budget. During the 2006 municipal election campaign, you completed the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation (TCAT) election survey and did support the following items. It is critical that projects that support walking and cycling are properly funded in the 2007 budget.
1) $6.0 million to the Transportation Services cycling infrastructure budget for the implementation of the Bikeway Network on urban streets
2) $1.5 million in the Parks Forestry and Recreation budget for Bikeway Network expansion on parks and trails.
3) $3.63 million for the Crosswalk Improvement Program to improve the safety of crosswalks on major arterial roads.
4) Increasing the budget of the "Missing Sidewalk" program to account for inflation over the period since the date the program was initiated.
The city needs follow through on its commitment to improving crosswalk safety and to providing sidewalks on all major roads to encourage walking as a form of transportation. Unsafe crosswalks and missing sidewalks reduce accessibility and are a danger to public health.
In 2005 over 29 kilometres of bike lanes were planned in Toronto, but only 1 km got built. The Toronto Bike Plan has been consistently underfunded since it was adopted in 2001. It is time to turn words into action by providing adequate funding for cycling as recommended by City staff in the Toronto Bike Plan 3-year implementation strategy released in August 2005.
The failure to adequately support cycling and walking in Toronto's budgets is inexcusable. More pedestrians and cyclists on our streets would improve air quality, decrease gridlock, decrease the costs to maintain roads and make our streets safer. On behalf of the 57 member organizations of the Ontario Smart Growth Network, I urge you to invest in cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.
Yours sincerely,
Janet May
Network Director
Labels: politics
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