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Coronavirus: Toronto starts closing streets to give cyclists, pedestrians more room

Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: City of Toronto closes additional roads to make room for pedestrians to safely distance'
Coronavirus outbreak: City of Toronto closes additional roads to make room for pedestrians to safely distance
WATCH ABOVE: Toronto Mayor John Tory on Thursday announced the closure of 57 kilometres of major roadways near popular recreational areas in the city as part of the ActiveTO program. Tory also announced the deployment of further traffic calming measures in parts of the city to increase space for pedestrians and cyclists, as physical distancing measures remain in place and vehicle traffic is at an all-time low. – May 14, 2020

Toronto Mayor John Tory says more than 50 kilometres of roads will be closed to all but local traffic in an effort to give pedestrians and cyclists more room to move.

He says some of the closures began Thursday and will continue throughout the long weekend in a bid to allow physical distancing while also encouraging people to get active.

The city says it will also be closing portions of major thoroughfares on a trial basis over the weekend.

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Last week, the city shifted its message from staying home to practising physical distancing when outside.

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The mayor says vehicle traffic is now at an all-time low due to the stay-at-home rules.

The city is also expediting its bicycle infrastructure in an effort to help commuters who want to avoid public transit during the pandemic.

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