Cyclists sound alarm over Adelaide Street bike lane, construction debris causing safety concerns

Some Toronto cyclists are calling on the city to look into a stretch of Adelaide Street that they say has been causing confusion and risking cyclists' lives due to the construction and biking infrastructure in the area.

The city announced last October that it would be relocating the bike lane on Adelaide Street, from Bathurst Street to Parliament Street, to the north side — a move that was part of a major construction project to upgrade water, track, road and cycling on Adelaide street. 

Brandin O'Connor was riding his bicycle through Adelaide heading east on his way to work Tuesday, a route that he's taken daily for years. But he says this was the first time using the newly moved bike lane on the north side of the street. 

"[The] signage was poor and the bike lane was very busy," he said. 

O'Connor says he was on "high alert" with no physical barrier separating the cyclists from the drivers, in addition to cars parked along the recently moved bike lane on the north side — blocking the lane for cyclists. But while checking for drivers turning left, O'Connor says a large pylon ring was left on the bike lane, causing him to be thrown off of his bike and sliding along the pavement with his helmet hitting the ground. 

A 'disaster in the making,' cyclist says

"I [was] very, very sore and I was absolutely shocked … I just couldn't believe that something so dangerous could be left in the lane," he said.

The injuries he suffered to his left side including bruising landed him in the hospital for the day.

"It's a disaster in the making … How is it that we can't have a bike lane without a serious obstruction in it, without clear signage?" he said.

"It's baffling to me that we can't even do this basic thing … [to] ensure that we have safe cycling infrastructure for people who need to use it to get around the city."

O'Connor said regular construction site inspection and enforcement can help cyclists avoid these dangerous situations, adding companies carrying out work on the street need to be held more responsible for the safety of road users.

Ashika Theyyil, a spokesperson for the city, said the city understands that cycling on a street under active construction can be challenging and that some cyclists don't feel safe.

"We are working hard to prioritize the safety of our most vulnerable road users and are currently looking at ways to minimize the disruption during construction and improve the experience for people cycling downtown," Theyyil said in an email.

"Ultimately this construction is happening to upgrade vital infrastructure and improve the safety of the cycling track on Adelaide. This project will be complete by spring 2024."

For safety purposes, anyone travelling on Adelaide Street should be mindful of all road users, Theyyil said.

Signage on Adelaide confusing, cyclists say

Other cyclists say the signage on Adelaide is confusing and cyclists having to merge onto the street with drivers in single file is dangerous.

Toronto resident and cyclist Tyler Beatty said he has seen a few accidents happen on bike lanes in the city.

"It's definitely a tricky thing with traffic turning … it takes awareness on both parts … It's unclear for the cyclists what they're supposed to do [on Adelaide]," Beatty said.

"Definitely preference is given to the cars during construction and I think there needs to be more awareness of bicyclists when construction is going on."

Beatty said cyclists are having to be much more cautious in these areas due to concerns about the merging lanes.

Chow asks Torontonians to 'be patient'

According to the city, the bike lanes installed on Richmond Street and Adelaide Street are one of the highest volume cycling areas, with more than 6,000 daily cycle trips reported.

"It's not clear at all, it's random," said another Toronto resident Jason Alexander Kubassek, when asked about the signage posted on Adelaide for drivers and cyclists.

"They need to prioritize bike lanes, make sure they're not full of potholes, make sure there's a divider. The [city] is intentionally, it seems, making it harder to drive a car … so let's make it easier to ride bikes."

Meantime, mayor-elect Oliva Chow says she understands citizens' concerns about bike paths but is asking them to remain patient.

"The construction work is always difficult, especially in the summer, but you have to be patient," Chow said at an unrelated news conference Wednesday.