Looking for suggestions

Have you considered taking the Glen Stewart Ravine down to Queen and then taking the Martin Goodman/Waterfront/Queens Quay to York?

Or Corley/Eastwood/Gerrard to River, Shuter and then down any of Church, George, Sherbourne or Jarvis to King?

I come in from that direction daily, in two ways depending on whether I'm dropping off kids at daycare: from Queen and Lee I take Martin Goodman trail, crossing to trail on north side of Lakeshore between Coxwell and Leslie, in to Parliament, then Esplanade to Church and up to King. Second route from Kingston and Main follows Kingston to Dundas, down River to Shuter to Yonge. Kingston RD traffic is OK - i find the worst part is the horrendously bad pavement condition approaching Woodbine.

I ride from Kinsgton and Main to downtown regularly and have recently given up on Kinston Road (both ways) primarily because of the condition of the road.
I now take Gerrard and once past Woodbine, make my way to the Dundas bike lane

I live just off the Dundas bike lane and work on Front. Most of my route is Lakeshore/Parliament/Esplanade/Scott/Front. I used to ride Dundas/River/Shuter/etc. but discovered that Lakeshore delivers me with greater bliss in only slightly longer time. I guess there are fewer traffic lights even if it is less direct, and getting away from the motor traffic is a definite advantage.

It will be better still when Cherry St. is back in service and I can use Cherry/Mill for the middle part, rather than the detour onto Parliament.

Queen's Quay I find to be too much out of the way, and some pretty ugly road and traffic conditions just now. When it is rebuilt it might become an option.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I took a ride along the Martin Goodman yesterday and it was a very pleasant route downtown. I look forward to trying all of the suggested routes.

Jim,
I found that that Danforth is the best option to get downtown fast from Kingston Rd. and Main.
And it's mostly downhill... My only prob is cyclists that no f''n idea. See vid:
http://youtu.be/IzxVzpplbnE
Cheers...

To all Commuters, Couriers, & other cyclists:

The only solution to the endless problems of our infrastructure is to introduce Legislation for Alternative Transportation in Ontario to over-ride the ongoing ineffective policies at the Municipal level, to constitute the bicycle a legitimate component of traffic.

So, please, Sign & Share:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/legislation-for-bicycle-infrastructur...

What about organizing all those that support cycling and directing that collective interest at City Councillors?

I agree that Toronto's record of building bike infrastructure is pathetic, but I'd argue that the case has never been made with the right strategy.

Politicians need to managed like dogs - if they fear you they are more sure to act

(forgive me for returning to topic...)

Mapping routes - Ride the City
not always followed to the letter, but good for a start when unfamiliar.
street-legal: one-ways / doesn't account for current conditions/construction.
Safer-Safe-Direct options (in this specific example, not much diff,)

accord to Google, only 800m saved by going directly by Kingston-Dundas - http://goo.gl/maps/V4qUQ

Hope this is helpful to all.

oops, insert-link html didn't take...
Ride the City route: http://www.ridethecity.com/toronto?rid=2262329

The TDSB has started a bicycling committee. Right now they are beginning to look at the types of bike racks in their schools and are installing new racks at some schools. Part of the long term goal is Safe Routes to School. They want to map the safe routes to their schools. Considering there are 535 schools throughout the city, that is a major mapping project.

Some trustees, like Pamela Gough in my ward are vocal supporters of this initiative. They are a resource that is often ignored by the bicycing community when we talk about cycling infrastructure. Write to them, provide them information if you have it on the state of cycling in the schools in their ward. They talk regularly to the City Councillors and can involve constituents who might not have any involvement otherwise. It is one thing to ignore me, it is quite another to ignore a parent asking why their 10 year old can't get to school safely because a 200 meter piece of promised bike lane is missing.

Finally, we did a survey of bike parking in our ward. Only one Catholic school even had a bike rack, It might be interesting to contact Catholic trustees and find out their views on Safe routes to School.