Toronto city council to vote on Bloor bike lanes pilot project

Toronto city council is expected to decide today on a pilot project that would create five kilometres of temporary bike lanes on Bloor Street.

• As Bloor Street bike lane debate looms, Matt Galloway reviews the route

• Bloor bike lanes proposal heads to Toronto city council following split committee decision

The project would creatededicated lanes between Shaw Street, east of Ossington Avenue,and Avenue Road.

If city council votes in favour of the proposal, the temporary bike lanes could be in place as early as this August.

According to a staffreport, the pilot project aims to improve safety forboth motorists and cyclists on that stretch of Bloor, encourage cycling and provide information for future bike lane projects.

If the proposal goes ahead, motor vehicle traffic along Bloor Street between Shaw Street and Avenue Road wouldbe reduced to one lane along"parking-protected" bike lanes in both directions, which would buffer cyclists from live traffic with a parking lane separating the two.

The area proposed for the bike laneshas an average history of 22 collisions per year from 2008 to 2012, according to the report.

Last month, the city's public works and infrastructure committee voted 2-2 on the proposal.