Key Bloor bike lane vote too close to call
If approved by committee and council, Bloor could have bike lanes by this summer
Years of planning and debate about installing bike lanes on Bloor Street will come to a head at a crucial committee vote today involving just four city councillors.
The executive director of Cycle Toronto, Jared Kolb, worries that if the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee doesn't vote in favour of the Bloor bike lanes, the proposed late summer installation date could be threatened.
"It wouldn't be the end, but it would certainly be a setback," Kolb said.
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Bloor Street bike lanes pilot project one step closer to reality
A staff recommendation for a pilot project setting up separated bike lanes along Bloor between Shaw Street and Avenue Road will be debated at a meeting of the committee Monday.
The committee can vote to adopt the motion, which will then be debated and voted at next week's city council meeting. If the motion passes there, the lanes could be installed by August.
But the vote is expected to be close.
CBC News canvassed the committee members, and the outcome is unclear.
Six city councillors make up the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. Two will likely be absent today.
Chin Lee, who represents Ward 41, is out of the country and Ward 44's Ron Moeser is undergoing cancer treatment.
That leaves Stephen Holyday of Ward 3, Mary-Margaret McMahon of Ward 32, Ward 8 Coun. Anthony Perruzza and Jaye Robinson, who represents Ward 25.
Coun. McMahon says she will support the recommendations for the bike lanes. But Coun. Holyday is unlikely to, according to his executive assistant.
Coun. Perruzza is undecided and Coun. Robinson could not be reached for comment.
City staff estimate the bike lanes would cost approximately $500,000.
If the plan clears these upcoming hurdles and the lanes are installed, the pilot project will be studied and evaluated by city staff, who will report back to council in 2017.