Doug Ford’s beef with bike lanes has Torontonians, GTA city-dwellers livid: ‘A greatly foolish concept’

Doug Ford’s battle on city bicyclists is warming up.

The premier’s workplace has actually been singing over the previous pair weeks in its need to clear significant Ontario cities of bike lanes in an initiative to relieve traffic jam, particularly inToronto It’s a strategy the Progressive Conservative federal government seems going all-in on, in spite of an absence of proof that reducing and getting rid of bike lanes will in fact relieve web traffic, security worries for bicyclists, and a maligned transportation system in hopeless requirement of an upgrade.

Ford recently guaranteed to do away with some bike lanes in significant cities throughout the district, with the federal government particularly referencing Toronto– a significant biker city– a number of times when outlining his strategy.

“Not everybody can use a bike to get around,” Ontario transport priest Prabmeet Sarkaria claimed onMonday “These are some of our major arterial roads, whether it be Bloor or University or Yonge Street. People need to get to and from work. We need to make this city a better place, an easier place to get around.”

Ford, in a speech last Thursday, went off: “It isn’t enough to keep an eye on future bike lanes … We need to and will remove and replace existing bike lanes on primary roads that are bringing traffic in our cities to an absolute standstill.”

The Ford federal government took it one action additionally throughout legislature on Monday, claiming it will certainly examine all freshly set up bike lanes returning 5 years and supplying to pay– with taxpayer bucks, naturally– for the elimination of an existing bike lanes they really feel in a hinderance to car web traffic circulation.

Over the past few years, Ford has vehemently complained about bike lanes on Bloor Street West — about a 10- to 15-minute drive from his home — creating gridlock for drivers.

“Get rid of those bike lanes on Bloor inEtobicoke I think we see one bicycle come through there every single year,” Ford said at a press conference in Milton late last year.

This week’s development has people livid. Many flocked to social media to blast Ford for his intention to use public, taxpayer funds for a project that most deem unnecessary at the very least, especially when the money could be used to help with other essentials across the province like healthcare, or social services, or a million other things.

There’s a serious safety element to this, too, as six cyclists had already died on the streets of Toronto this year as of early September. This concern is something former Toronto city planner Jennifer Keesmaat bluntly pointed out on social platform X on Monday.

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stormed the social system to reveal comparable beliefs as(* ), while some blown up the district over exactly how it is focusing on public cash.This “” penned another.

Citizens aren’t the only ones speaking out over Ford’s intention to meddle in the business of cities, as Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow spoke out passionately against the Premier last Thursday, questioning if Ford’s plan would do anything but make the traffic worse across the city..

“I’ll say it again — I do not support limiting city powers. Let’s not go backwards. It’s always better when we work together. Ripping up our roads will make congestion worse,” Chow said on Thursday.

“Meanwhile, the province’s failure to deliver transit projects on time has led to long construction delays and years of road closures that have made it harder to get around our city. The province should be focused on finally opening the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West LRT and fixing the chaos at Metrolinx,” she added.

NDP MPP for Spadina—Fort York, Chris Glover, along with many others, also called out the Ford government for its inability to fix the pathetic transit situation in Toronto specifically.

Meanwhile visitors disturbed?Association are passing away and he’s stressed concerning damn bike lanes.Municipalities your top priorities ideal @fordnation. Ontario @fordnation vanity job that no one desires and no one desires their tax obligation bucks to spend for,”Chow Ford’s “

“Bicycle lanes are an essential element of urban transportation planning and road safety. Requiring provincial approval would be a significant overreach into municipal jurisdiction,” the AMO said in a statement on Tuesday.

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Upon the Ford government teasing its war on municipal bike lanes earlier this month, many with behind-the-scenes knowledge on the issue and concerned citizens alike took to social media to voice their frustration with the premier’s office over the contentious situation.

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Though the majority of those speaking out think Ford is way out of line with his plan to remove bike lanes, there are plenty of commuters who support the idea, too.

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“Thank extra bus lanes and even more GO train and bus solutions will certainly obtain Premier Ford progressing, not prohibiting bike lanes,” an additional read.

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Wise decision. Canada is not the country for bike riding year round. Winter 8 months of the year, snow & ice on the roads. This woke ideal of taking cars off the road & forcing people to ride bikes is a failure.

— Ms.BORN FREE 🇨🇦🙏 (@LittleMsCujo) Toronto is proposing on X.Avenue”Dupont, some good sense,” an additional X customer in favour of the tabled regulation Wellington.Gerrard By X customer

This “Ford!Under Toronto with the mayhem that’s been produced on Rob Ford!Doug you Jarvis Street!!” an additional remark reportedly cost taxpayers.

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