Bikeway network approved but University bike lane in limbo

City Council debated late into the night on the bikeway network plan for 2010, which was passed 26-8, with one caveat: it was amended by Councillor Hall (Ward 1) to remove the pilot University Ave bike lanes from the motion. The vote to amend was 15-13, but apparently Councillor Fletcher, who has been quite pro-bike lane, made an error in her vote (or some have said there was a technical glitch). A re-vote was requested but apparently there is a bizarre council rule that a re-vote cannot take place if it will change the result (one is not sure why else someone would want to re-vote). So no re-vote and this council session is now complete. The next one is June 8 and 9.

Damn council. Not even willing to try something out. You could have voted to take it out after the pilot project. We've tried the whole car thing, folks. Just look how well that worked. Just look.

It was a very close vote to remove it, but it doesn't mean that it might not show up in June. The chances are that it will be a close vote again if it is put on the agenda of the next council session. The results of the vote are here, start calling your councillors to get them to wake up and support it.

herb : 13 years 11 months ago
Tags: bike infrastructure, bike lanes, city hall, politics

Bixi one major step closer to reality - now we only need 1000 members to start up

After a long debate at city council (see a photo of councillors looking at the blue Bixi bike), Bixi public bikes are getting so close to being a reality that I can almost feel myself riding around on these elegant, cruising, commuter machines. The final vote at Council was 33-8 as councillors approved the plan provide a loan guarantee of $4.8 million to Bixi so that they can borrow money and roll out 1000 bikes at 80 stations, spaced 300 metres apart across the core. It's anticipated to be popular enough that the bikes will need to be expanded quickly.

Under the deal, Bixi will need to raise $600,000 in sponsorships and 1000 annual, paying memberships by November 30, 2010. (I will be helping to promote membership in Bixi so we can achieve that target. I'd buy all 1000 memberships myself if I could, but I don't have $78,000 sitting around.)

If all goes to plan the target launch date is May 1, 2011. From the Star:

Membership fees haven’t been finalized but are expected to be $78 a year, $28 a month, or $5 a day, allowing members to take a bike out whenever they want, up to 30 minutes at a time, for no extra charge.

The program, called Bixi (bicycle-taxi), was popular when it rolled out in Montreal last year with 3,000 bikes and 300 stations. It’s expected to be a hit here as well. The Canadian-made bikes are described as rugged and lightweight, with a rack that can handle a briefcase or a case of beer.

“This really is an active extension of our public transit system,” said Yvonne Bambrick, of the Toronto Cyclists Union. “This is another option for people to choose, and I think they’re really going to enjoy it.”

According to Spacing's Twitter feed, these are the 8 councillors (out of 41 voting) who voted against Bixi: "DelGrande, Ford, Holyday, Minnan-Wong, Nunziata, Ootes, Thompson & Ainslie".

herb : 13 years 11 months ago
Tags: bikesharing, Bixi, public bikes

Bixi Toronto and University bike lanes: tomorrow is decision day at City Hall

Tomorrow is do or die. Either council approves the loan guarantee and contract with Bixi, or it will be a long, long time before Toronto gets its own bikesharing program. Please go to City Hall at 10 am with your bike helmet on to show your support. The Mayor is making a special push for it!

The 2010 Bikeway Network will be coming up at a later time, possibly on May 12th. That's when the University bike lane pilot will up for vote. This item will be likely even more contentious than Bixi. Follow the bike union's Twitter feed @bikeunion to see when the item is coming up, then rush down to City Hall with your helmets!

I've got a lot of hope riding on Bixi. Way back in 2000, my roommate Todd Parsons first brought back the idea of yellow bikesharing back from his trip to Austin, Texas. This brought forth Bikeshare, which populated Toronto with lots of yellow bikes for 6 great years. Now I'm hoping that Bixi will more than fill the hole that Bikeshare left. I hope that all cyclists and other folks can jump to show the politicians that this is a great idea! We can't let Montreal have all the fun.

From Yvonne at the bike union:

As per my email last week about the City Council meeting taking place May 11th & 12th in Council Chambers - you are invited to attend whenever you are able.

Although I don't have specific details around timing, I now know that Item PW 32.8 – The Public Bike (Bixi-Toronto) Program (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-28853.pdf) will be one of the Mayor's items! Good news indeed.

I believe this means that it will come up in the late morning on Tuesday May 11th - I therefore ask that you please attend from 10am tomorrow if you are able. Please wear your helmet if you have one.

We do not have information about the timing of Item PW 32.9 – The 2010 Bicycle Network Program (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-28856.pdf) - I think however that it will still be effective to have cyclists stop in to observe the Council meeting, with hel mets on, at any part of the day as a sign of support for this item.

I will update our website's main page if/when timing details become available. I will also update our Facebook group (Toronto Cyclists Union) and will send tweets about decisions, and timing. If you are on Twitter, you can follow us via @bikeunion. Also, feel free to text my cell phone for information - 416 826 2964.

If you are able to attend the City Council meeting, an interesting experience you should try at least once, please wear your helmet if you have one, and remember to maintain a respectful silence while Council is in session.

Thank you for taking the time to help make Toronto a more bike-friendly city!!

Sincerely,
Yvonne Bambrick & the bike union team

herb : 13 years 11 months ago
Tags: bike lanes, bikesharing, Bixi, city hall, politics