I let most inaccurate things I read about cycling in Toronto in newspapers slide... but when the Sun wrote about the Toronto Criterium being an anti-car move by City Council (who would dare block of city streets on a Friday night! For a silly race!) and that putting bikelanes on Jarvis would cost $6 million... I had to write the columnist. I've copied it for you:
Dear Mr. Warmington,
Interesting article the other day about the Toronto Criterium bike race. I don't necessarily agree with you, but I'm assuming you are going to write a similar article when the Honda Indy shuts down the Lakeshore from Friday, July 10 to Sunday, July 12?
There is and error in your article as well... the Jarvis bikelanes will not cost $6 million. The removal of a lane of Jarvis (which was not up for debate) to make wider sidewalks and beautify the streetscape was budgeted to cost $6.3 million. The decision to put in bikelanes instead of widen sidewalks actually has saved the city $1.3 million, as city staff estimate that because the curbline does not have to be moved to make wider sidewalks, the project will only cost approx. $5 million. The re-striping of the street to accomodate bikelanes on each side is estimated to be $50,000-100,000.
Anyways... if you ever need a responsible cyclists point of view... get in touch. I'm a tax-paying, home-owning, rule-abiding, helmet-wearing cyclist and I have the same rights to a safe journey as any driver.Joe
http://www.bikingtoronto.com
http://www.ibiketo.org
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