'If you build it, they will come': study says new bike lane doubles chances people will cycle
Building a new protected bike lane makes people nearby more than twice as likely to cycle more, according to a new study out of Ryerson University that looked at bike lanes in and around Toronto.
And the reason for that pattern is very likely because cyclists simply feel safer when they’re not risking a serious and possibly deadly collision with a vehicle just to get around, advocates say.
“It confirms what people have suspected for a long time: if you build it, they will come,” said Kevin Rupasinghe of CycleTO. “You build high-quality infrastructure, something that people feel safe on, they’ll come out and ride.”
A team led by Dr. Raktim Mitra surveyed people around newly constructed bike lanes in and around Toronto. For example, he noted cycling rose 4.9 per cent in the area around the Woodbine lane, and around the Bloor lane, it rose 7.42 per cent.
The results were even true in many suburbs — around a new lane in Markham, cycling rose 6.45 per cent.
“Cycling is becoming more popular, but in neighbourhoods with newer bike lanes, the growth in cycling has happened at a much higher pace,” Mitra told CTV News.
In all, he found people are 2.26 times more likely to cycle with a new on-street protected lane. An interactive website allows people to explore the data themselves.
It should be obvious to policymakers how much safety will impact whether people choose to cycle, said Jess Spieker of Friends and Families for Safe Streets.
“If you build it, people will come, you save lives,” she said.
Spieker said she has no doubt that a separated bike lane would have prevented a crash that nearly killed her when she was hit by an SUV on Bathurst Street in 2015.
“She broke my spine, inflicted a traumatic brain injury, and such extensive soft tissue damage I nearly died a second time because of a complication related to blood clots,” Spieker said.
“A bike lane would have saved me. I wouldn’t have had to go through that,” she said. “It was the worst day of my life. It was six years ago, it’s affected me every day. Every day I look at a streetscape and wonder why we can’t do better. We know how to fix this. We just don’t.”
The pandemic has changed the calculus at Toronto City Hall and allowed a larger network to be built that proved it won’t cripple the city’s transportation network, said Toronto City Councillor Gord Perks.
“All those theories, chaos, caused on our streets, it’s not real,” he said. “I hope the moment means a much faster buildout of a really first-rate cycling infrastructure.”
Places where there is a network of bike lanes grew ridership even faster than a single lane, said Mitra.
“It’s important that when we are planning cycling it must contribute to a continuous network, rather than building in a fragmented way,” Mitra said.
Stopped on the Danforth bike lane, Gayle McEurnie said she would not be riding there if there was no bike lane.
"I used to drive it all the time," she said. "I knew how dangerous it was."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
IN PHOTOS Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Cyclist issued fine for striking four-year-old girl crossing the street
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.