Stop Physical Separations for Bike Lanes In Etobicoke along Rathburn & Martingrove Roads

The City of Toronto is aggressively pursuing physical separation of bike lanes in Etobicoke, only providing a short one month notice for public consultation, and in the month of December when folks are busy planning for the holidays.  A link to the notice for public consultation can be found here:  

https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/904e-2020-11-23_Martin-Grove_Notice-of-Commencement_AODA.pdf  

Adding physical separation for bike lanes along Rathburn and along Martin Grove road to the south of Rathburn is not necessary nor desired for the following reasons:

a) The city of Toronto is using a one-size fits all model to its use of bike lanes. Etobicoke is a community that relies on road access for both the summer and especially the winter months; 

b) The number of bicycles are few and the investment is not worth the inevitable loss of space and convenience to cars;

c) It will increase costs of maintenance as two lanes need to be cleared for snow instead of one;

d) It will cause incremental inefficiencies in relation to waste collection.  Namely, with the barrier in the way, it will make it harder to collect the waste, and the incremental time will lead to further traffic disruption as waste collection vehicles will not be as efficient in collection activities;

e) They are not visually appealing and reduce the visual beauty of our community;

f) This will increase traffic for cars along both Rathburn and Martingrove and restrict a greater natural flow of traffic.

As it relates to Rathburn, the width of the road is already of a size that bicyclists are already well protected.  As for Martingrove road, road concerns to do with automobile safety can be addressed through other means that have nothing to do with bike lanes.

Once we allow this first bit of bike lane separation in our community, it will just keep going.  Trust me.  I've worked a public service job at the City of Toronto, and the bureaucracy there look unfavourably at burroughs like Etobicoke.  We are their enemy.  Please sign this petition and do not let them try to forcefully change our way of life.  We are proud of Etobicoke and how it functions.  It is a safe and beautiful community.  We do not need these changes to disrupt the beauty and natural flow of travel in our community.

To quote the late Rob Ford, former Mayor of the City of Toronto:  "Cyclists are a pain in the a$$ to the motorists."... "Etobicoke people use cars all the time (not bikes)."

Please watch this video to see how the late Rob Ford defended the interests of Etobicoke residents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwxiv2aznB0  

(Signed) Jason Gorel, Central Etobicoke Resident