Last-ditch efforts to save the bike lanes on Jarvis Street failed Tuesday, sealing the fate of the much-disputed lanes which will be removed by the end of the year.
Council voted to remove the lanes in July 2011 and replace them with an extra lane for traffic. The cost of removing them and installing the extra traffic lane is around $270,000.
The Jarvis bike lanes were slated to remain until replacement lanes on Sherbourne Streeet are built. The Sherbourne lanes, which are currently under construction, will be separated from vehicles by a concrete barrier.
The Sherbourne lanes were one of the items before city council Tuesday evening and some councillors who opposed removing the Jarvis lanes were hoping to re-open the debate.
Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong, a supporter of removing the Jarvis lanes and building separated bike lanes on Sherbourne, told reporters the issue continues to divide council.
“There are people on the ‘for side,’ there are people on the ‘against side,’” he said. “Everyone knows what the issues are, everybody’s taken a position.”
With a report from CTV Toronto’s Natalie Johnson
