gtta

Metrolinx, our former GTTA, released two "green papers" today. Both of them take an active interest in cycling as a commuting mode in the Greater Toronto Area.

The papers are available and the consultation is taking place through this website.

"Green Paper #2" looks at mobility hubs.

"Creating easier links between walking, cycling, auto use and public transit is a key element in improving people's ability to get around," MacIsaac said. "These hubs often foster vibrant employment and residential areas, and draw amenities such as entertainment, shopping and family services to their vicinity. This mix of land use and transportation can be mutually supportive and should be encouraged."

"Green Paper #3" is specifically interested in cycling and pedestrian issues.

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blockquote>"We have engineered walking and cycling out of many parts of our region

The following article was submitted by veronica, I Bike TO's intrepid, undercover reporter.

Having spent the last dozen years cycling around TO, I think I've hit just about every inch of the city from North York to Kingston Road, to the Island to Royal York, - been there/know those potholes. Lately, I've been itching to expand my range. So when an invitation came my way to have dinner at the Glenn Abbey in Oakville, I figured it was a perfect opportunity for me and my folding bike to go exploring.

Oakville Welcomes You

I knew, from a previous driveby of Oakville, that there are some nice looking, totally separated from road and sidewalk, bike lanes that criss cross through Oakville. So my first step was to get hold of one of their cycling maps. Nothing on the Town's website, so I phoned up city hall and after bouncing around to a few places finally got transfered to the correct department. The conversation went something like this:

me: I'd like to get a cycling map for Oakville, please.

Oakville staff person [OSP]: Certainly, our maps are for sale at the Town office.

[me thinks: For sale? You mean I've got to pay money for this thing? But I'm a cyclists a.k.a. cheapskates! Oh well, never mind.]

Over the weekend, the GTTA (yes, that's a real link to their website) announced a short term plan to improve transit use in Toronto and the surrounding area. The main features of the plan are additional train coaches, increased track capacity and new buses (including double deckers, which will be good, if not a little strange, to see here).

On the cycling front, the plan includes bike lockers throughout the GTA and racks on buses. The press release indicates the racks will be on municipal buses.

Bicycle Promotion Initiatives
-----------------------------
$2.1 million to $3.2 million for safe/secure bike storage

Installation of 1,000 new safe, secure, weather-proof bicycle storage
spaces at strategic locations across the GO Transit inter-regional
network, to compliment current bicycle storage initiatives by GO
Transit and the City of Toronto, City of Burlington, and City of
Hamilton.

$1.0 million to $1.8 million for expanded bike/bus rack program

In a move toward the goal of 100 per cent bicycle accessibility for
all bus routes, bicycle-carrying devices will be installed on 1,000
new-order and existing municipal transit vehicles.

It's encouraging that cyclists are at least being considered by the GTTA. It must be apparent to them that people cycling to the train stations would ease GO's big parking problem.