Roads closed due to COVID

[Cyklefanatic]

The city of Toronto has closed selected roads to traffic to allow pedestrians, joggers, bikes, family’s to get outside and maintain social distancing. My normal rides take me along the lake where there are several bike paths that are interrupted by residential housing. The city has now connected the paths by closing those connecting roads. The idea is extremely popular. The local residents still use the roads to access their homes but drive cautiously to avoid hitting anyone. All of the illegal parking has been greatly reduced due to more enforcement. I hope this becomes permanent.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

A great many cities are doing things like this right now.

Some cities did this before, like Portland's (OR) bicycle boulevards. And the Dutch had fietsstraats which are similar.

There is a great Wikipedia article about bicycle boulevards.

My suggestion is that if you want to keep some of them open you should contact your city council people now and tell them you think this is a good thing and thank them for doing so. Usually elected officials only hear from people when something bad is happening, so a positive comment usually has greater weight than a negative one.

 

[Alex M]

They might want to make it a permanent bylaw in suburbs where sidewalks are non-existent. Coronavirus is not going away yet, Bejing registered a new record yesterday and had to re-instate lockdown in some districts.
Several US states are also seeing higher numbers after reopening, and there is little awareness and a lot of resistance in North American society, as usual.

 

[CdnShaun]

The city of Toronto has closed selected roads to traffic to allow pedestrians, joggers, bikes, family’s to get outside and maintain social distancing. My normal rides take me along the lake where there are several bike paths that are interrupted by residential housing. The city has now connected the paths by closing those connecting roads. The idea is extremely popular. The local residents still use the roads to access their homes but drive cautiously to avoid hitting anyone. All of the illegal parking has been greatly reduced due to more enforcement. I hope this becomes permanent.

Thanks for sharing Cyklefanatic!

I live about 150kms outside of the GTA and work has brought me into town for the last 20 or so years. I did live in Toronto for a year (Tip Top Condo's if you know of them) and a couple years in Mississauga. I have read bits and pieces about what Toronto is doing and your insight is appreciated!

Respecting the rules from our government I have not traveled into Toronto since February. As things open up and I start finding work in Toronto again later this summer I hope to explore these routes on my rides after work each day.

Any you recommend in particular?

 

[Cyklefanatic]

Thanks for sharing Cyklefanatic!

I live about 150kms outside of the GTA and work has brought me into town for the last 20 or so years. I did live in Toronto for a year (Tip Top Condo's if you know of them) and a couple years in Mississauga. I have read bits and pieces about what Toronto is doing and your insight is appreciated!

Respecting the rules from our government I have not traveled into Toronto since February. As things open up and I start finding work in Toronto again later this summer I hope to explore these routes on my rides after work each day.

Any you recommend in particular?

The Goodman/Niagara trail along the lake is my favourite. If you start at Ontario place you can go out to Port Credit almost totally on trails. Another nice ride is from Spencer’s in Burlington through to Hamilton again running along the lakefront. Happy Trails. Also the Welland canal has bike trails along its sides that nobody uses. About 1 hour out from Toronto.

 

[jaizon]

That looks much safer for cyclist too.

Looks like Velec A2 is on sale in Canada for $1299 Canadian (which is approx $955 US at today's rate)
This is a crazy deal!

https://www.sportchek.ca/categories/shop-by-sport/cycling/bikes/e-bikes/product/velec-a2-e-bike-2020-333241489.html

That is a great deal and but for the wimpy motor I might be interested.

 

[CdnShaun]

The Goodman/Niagara trail along the lake is my favourite. If you start at Ontario place you can go out to Port Credit almost totally on trails. Another nice ride is from Spencer’s in Burlington through to Hamilton again running along the lakefront. Happy Trails. Also the Welland canal has bike trails along its sides that nobody uses. About 1 hour out from Toronto.

Thanks again!

I have friends who regularly go along the Welland canal. I joined them for one ride last year at a mid-way point and it was wonderful. It was this ride, joining them for only part of the full loop (140kms round trip for them) that inspired me to build a proper road bike with ability to carry extra batteries for longer distance.

The trails from Ontario place and going west I have ridden before in bits and pieces. Knowing now they are connected is appreciated! With all that has happened this year I gave up my condo I kept in Mississauga and plan to stay in Port Credit when I start coming back into town - I will for sure have to try the trails out into Toronto and back from there.

Quick last question if I may - how do you find the foot traffic on the trails? I can recall in previous years it can be quite heavy and made the bike rides I was on feel a little like 'stop and go' traffic...how has it been this year?

 

[antboy]

I'm in Toronto as well, and have taken advantage of the Lakeshore shutdown. It's been great.

I'm comfortable with city riding, but my partner in crime was never a fan.

She doesn't like it when there's too many cars, but with traffic decimated, instead of taking the jam-packed Queens Quay mixed-use trail from the Skydome (I mean Rogers Centre ) to Tommy Thompson Park, we just took Front St. to Cherry.

I love that biking is becoming more popular, I just can't wait until more Bike Share people learn how to change gears and adjust their seat, so they aren't wobbling all over the place.

 

[CdnShaun]

I'm in Toronto as well, and have taken advantage of the Lakeshore shutdown. It's been great.

I'm comfortable with city riding, but my partner in crime was never a fan.

She doesn't like it when there's too many cars, but with traffic decimated, instead of taking the jam-packed Queens Quay mixed-use trail from the Skydome (I mean Rogers Centre ) to Tommy Thompson Park, we just took Front St. to Cherry.

I love that biking is becoming more popular, I just can't wait until more Bike Share people learn how to change gears and adjust their seat, so they aren't wobbling all over the place.

I love that biking is becoming more popular, I just can't wait until more Bike Share people learn how to change gears and adjust their seat, so they aren't wobbling all over the place.

Dude! Every time I come up on and pass a rider in my area, I look at how they are fitting on their bike. Seat height, arms, etc. (I only know the basics but thankfully got properly fitted on a couple of my bikes last year, what a difference it makes).

Out in the small town areas and along the highways, I find other cyclists are almost always friendly (as you can tell, so am I, lol). If I see someone who is way too low or high and we start chatting as I ride beside them I will mention it as a soft suggestion. Couple times they asked me to stop for a moment, help them change their seat position and ride with them after - what a difference!

Not sure how well this offer for help would go over in Toronto. ;-) Hopefully as more and more people ride their own bikes and bike shares - they learn how to better adjust/fit for their riding. I see great things coming in the years to come for cycling everywhere.

 

[antboy]

Not sure how well this offer for help would go over in Toronto. ;-) Hopefully as more and more people ride their own bikes and bike shares - they learn how to better adjust/fit for their riding. I see great things coming in the years to come for cycling everywhere.

Riding the mixed-use trails means too much traffic to really engage with other riders, for the most part.

It's funny you mention the seat position, because just a couple of weeks ago at the Humber Arch bridge (a popular rest point) a woman was telling her friend she wanted to exchange her Bike Share bike for another because the seat was way too high.

On the down stroke she was basically on tippy toes, and neither were aware that the seat could be adjusted. She was VERY happy to learn that after doing a lap around the parkette there.

 

[Cyklefanatic]

Thanks again!

I have friends who regularly go along the Welland canal. I joined them for one ride last year at a mid-way point and it was wonderful. It was this ride, joining them for only part of the full loop (140kms round trip for them) that inspired me to build a proper road bike with ability to carry extra batteries for longer distance.

The trails from Ontario place and going west I have ridden before in bits and pieces. Knowing now they are connected is appreciated! With all that has happened this year I gave up my condo I kept in Mississauga and plan to stay in Port Credit when I start coming back into town - I will for sure have to try the trails out into Toronto and back from there.

Quick last question if I may - how do you find the foot traffic on the trails? I can recall in previous years it can be quite heavy and made the bike rides I was on feel a little like 'stop and go' traffic...how has it been this year?

I mainly ride west of Humber river and the foot traffic is no problem. Easily average 21kph without close calls. With closed roads there is lots of room. Mississaugua trails are even less busy.

 

[CdnShaun]

I mainly ride west of Humber river and the foot traffic is no problem. Easily average 21kph without close calls. With closed roads there is lots of room. Mississaugua trails are even less busy.

Thank you!

When work has me back in town for a couple days in a row I will bring my bike and enjoy these paths/trails.

Cheers
Shaun

 

[Cyklefanatic]

I am surprised that nobody picked up on the uniquely Canadian measurement that politicians came up with to make sure everyone would understand. You aren’t Canadian if you don’t extinctively know how far you can hook a faster skater from.