Fill in survey on plowing MG Trail

Update: the URL was wrong. This corrected one will work.

From the desk of the bike union, there's a survey on the maintenance of the Martin Goodman Trail (waterfront trail) through this last winter. Fill in the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=2YB5Jp2tFqQzWsyEj4aB3Q_3d_3d

Last fall, the Toronto Cyclists Union gave deputations in favour of a winter snow clearing pilot project for the Martin Goodman Trail. Once it was approved to go ahead, we agreed to help the Transportation department gather feedback from cyclists about how successful they felt the initiative was.

If you used the Martin Goodman Trail over the winter, now is your chance to let the City know what you thought of their winter trail maintenance efforts.

Transportation Services maintained the Martin Goodman Trail in wintertime from the north side of Northern Dancer Blvd to Sherbourne Street and Stadium Road to Windermere Avenue from January 2009 onwards, for the first time. If you used the Trail during that time, please complete this short survey (one survey per computer).

herb : 16 years 2 months ago
Tags: bike paths, winter

More cyclists riding to work in Toronto

The City staff in planning has analyzed Census of Canada 2006 commuter information to give an update on the number of people cycling in Toronto.

Cycling is also more common among people who live closer to downtown. For example, the bicycle mode share for the census tract located at College St. and Bathurst St. is 17%, while most suburban areas of the city have a bicycle mode share of less than 1%.

In 2006 1.7% of Torontonians rode their bicycle to work. The average in Canada of 1.3% is higher than Toronto suburbs' and the Golden Horseshoe region's modal share of 0.5%. Why is that? There is the obvious answer that outside of urban centres cycling requires riding long-distances with high-speed traffic. But Hamilton is fairly urban. The other likely factors are that cycling infrastructure in these regions is not adequate and there is a weak cycling culture.

But we still need to have a sense of perspective that 1.7% is not that much higher than 0.5%, especially compared to locations with about 30% of all trips made by bike such as Denmark or The Netherlands. In Toronto the West-end and Toronto Islands are approaching those numbers. The Toronto Islands allow no personal cars so that makes sense. As for Toronto's west-end there's still a lot of work to make cyclists feel as if the City cares.

herb : 16 years 2 months ago
Tags: bike culture, bike infrastructure, commuting, map, statistics

City spring cleaning derelict bikes

Take this as a warning. If you parked your bike outside for the winter and some jerk took your wheel or seat, the City will now take the rest of the bike unless you park it indoors. Save your bike, or donate it to the Community Bicycle Network or Bike Pirates before the City throws it in the garbage.

From the City's Cyclometer newsletter:

The cycling public should be aware that the annual sweep of abandoned derelict bicycles from the City's post-and-rings is now underway. Post-and-rings are short-term parking, and those derelict bikes left locked to them for months at a time must be removed as they take up much-needed parking spots. Normally bikes are tagged by Bylaw officers for removal in seven days, but in order to complete a spring cleaning of post-and-rings, Right of Way Management enforcement staff will be patrolling the main streets and initiating enforcement on the removal of derelict bikes.

herb : 16 years 2 months ago
Tags: bike parking, derelict bikes