Toronto city councillors voted Tuesday evening 36-6 in favour of making bike lanes a permanent fixture on Bloor Street.
The separated bike lanes, a 2.4-kilometre stretch which run from Shaw Street to Avenue Road, were approved by city council in May 2016 and subsequently installed several months later for a one-year test phase. In addition, there’s already been talk of stretching these lanes eastward onto the Danforth.
Councillors expressed mixed opinions going into the vote, though despite the opposition, the plan was approved.
Toronto City Councillor Mike Layton told Global News ahead of the vote that “This demonstrates that if you do build the infrastructure, they will come.”
Councillor Georgio Mammoliti on the other hand said that “most people in the city of Toronto do not want this thing to go through, but it’s being rammed through.”
Data released on the Bloor bike lanes as of June 2017 revealed that cycling volume increased by 49 per cent after the routes were installed.
READ MORE: City staff recommends Bloor Street bike lanes be made permanent
A feedback survey conducted between Dec. 2016 and May 2017 also found that 75 per cent of people living near the bike lanes believe the cycling corridor provides a safer and more comfortable environment for cyclists.
Also ahead of the vote, Mayor John Tory expressed his support for the motion.
“I think I sense a growing acceptance of the fact that we have to have a more balanced transportation system which takes greater account of the need for active transportation.”
The bike lanes, however, have been a contentious issue for businesses in the area as some have argued the lane reductions take away parking spaces, delivery options and convenience for customers.
LISTEN: Jared Kolb of Cycle Toronto joins The John Oakley Show on AM640
But city staff said data collected by Moneris Solutions Corporation to gauge customer spending habits proved average transactions only decreased marginally in the pilot area.
READ MORE: Some businesses not in favour of proposed Bloor Street bike lanes
As for motor vehicle traffic, volume decreased by 16 per cent on Bloor Street, but travel times increased between two to four minutes during the morning and afternoon rush hour.
LISTEN: Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti joins The Kelly Cutrara Show on AM640
Statistics show that Bloor Street is the second busiest bike route in the city — second only to Richmond and Adelaide, with Bloor having more than 5,000 cyclists using the route each day.
VIDEO: Tension runs high over Bloor Street bike lanes