https://mastodon.social/@JasonThorne/115083776485545892

The only thing better than a protected bike lane, is a protected bike lane with artworks by local artists! The new Lansdowne Avenue cycle track murals are looking good.

Shoutout to Street Art Toronto, Cycle Toronto and the City of Toronto Cycling and Pedestrian Projects Unit #BikeTooter

Photo of a Toronto highway-esque street during daylight (Lansdowne Ave). Two protected bike lanes on either side of the street are shown. There's a cyclist and 2 cars, all in motion and using their respective lanes, in the photo. There is a TON of colourful artwork in the photo that demands attention. It's on both sides (car and bike facing) of the half-metre tall bike lane barrier walls. It's also on the 3 or 4 metre high underpass-like walls of the street. About 150 metres of street artwork is capture in the photo
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[–] 3 points 1 year ago (5 children)

I have a hard time accepting that as truly protected with the average size of our vehicles mixed with the speed limits and design of our roads. Large trucks or SUVs would likely jump right over those barriers if hit 60-80 km/hr, which is a common speed people travel on a road like that.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

    Speed limit on Lansdowne, as is the case on many major roads in Toronto, is 40km/h. Of course some do exceed to the excesses you mention, but they are an exceptional rarity, especially on this particular stretch with a blind curve dipping under a train trestle (just out of frame to the right).

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    That's true. That said, I think we need to solve this prinarily by removing these vehicles from the city streets. By perhaps taxing size/power/etc. Similar to how Japan does it. Perhaps not to the extent of putting everyone in K-cars but most single-passenger trucks and SUVs used for commute should go away from most of the city. That would leave more space for tradespeople, supply trucks and vans getting where they need to go in reasonable time. And it would increase the safety on all bike lanes, separated or otherwise. It would also increase pedestrian safety.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    This is a partial solution, but as you said tradesmen and the like would still be driving trucks. Designing barrier that can adequately stop a truck would be the best imo. Barriers like that would also probably reduce road noise for the cyclists.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    It’s not meant to provide 100% protection. If somebody wants to kill a biker, they’re going to be able to. But if somebody isn’t paying attention and hits one of those, it will probably stop them.

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