Ontario moving to restrict bike lanes in municipalities [Video]

Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria says the provincial government is introducing legislation that would require municipalities to receive provincial approval before removing traffic lanes to install new bike paths.

Sarkaria said the plan will bring “informed decision making and oversight to a process that is frankly, out of control.”

Existing bike lanes will not have to be ripped up under the first stage of new legislation, Sarkaria said. However he said that the province will also be asking municipalities for data on projects initiated in the past five years to assess whether the province agrees.

Sarkaria questioned some of the data used to estimate cycling traffic and the impact of bike lanes on congestions, saying he believes very hot and rainy days were not counted.  

“When strategically placed, bike lanes are a vital part of every city, offering residents a safe and a reliable way to move around,” Sarkaria acknowledged. …