Petition calls for pedestrian and cyclist safety on Toronto’s west-end trails
A Toronto mother is petitioning the city to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists in High Park and along the Martin Goodman Trail.
Every day, Coline Berbesson pushes her son’s stroller in High Park and said she sees problems with some cyclists going on the sidewalk, missing stop signs, biking outside lanes, and speeding over the 20 kilometre limit.
Berbesson said it’s especially endangering for pedestrians and children learning to ride their bikes.
“I saw an accident with a little girl a week ago. She was training and hit the cyclist because he was going way too fast and he couldn’t brake to avoid her,” Berbesson told CTV News Toronto on Tuesday.
“She got scared and I was really scared as well,” she added. “Her head hit the pavement but luckily she was wearing a helmet.”
Berbessson said problems with speeding cyclists also exist along the multi-purpose Martin Goodman Trail along Lake Shore Boulevard West.
Her petition calls for more car-free hours in the area, separate lanes for faster and slower cyclists and wider bike lanes.
“We have to improve the cohabitation between pedestrians and cyclists because today the cyclists don’t have the infrastructure to practice,” she said.
The City of Toronto told CTV News Toronto that it has received several complaints about cyclists in the area, mostly regarding their speed. The city said it’s working with Cycling Toronto to help with public education and a visual presence.
Parkdale-High Park City Councillor Gord Perks said when it comes to the Martin Goodman Trail, parts have already been reconfigured, some have safety barriers and it’s the network that needs a re-think.
For High Park, a city survey is underway to improve travel, prioritize safety and accessibility, but a solution is not expected until 2023.
“Maybe taking automobiles off more often, organizing the relationship between pedestrians and cyclists. It’s part of a whole lot of work we are going to have to do for an entirely different city,” said Perks. “Our population is growing but our road space is not.”
Some advocates said while making more space for pedestrians and cyclists long-term without vehicles is a good start, there are things that could be done right now to make trails safer for everyone.
Berbesson said education, people simply following the rules, along with more and better signage, would make a big difference.
Philip Chan has been cycling along the Martin Goodman Trail for 30 years and believes it’s safe. He said he makes sure to slow down and give children a wide berth.
“There’s close encounters, there’s people walking, and during the pandemic, it’s a little bit worse,” said Chan. “But you have to respect, it’s a multi-use trail, you have to be careful around the young ones, but I don’t see a problem with it.”
There is a hope encounters and close-calls can be prevented with the return of ActiveTO along the Lake Shore West on several weekends this summer.
“Cyclists are reminded to always travel at safe speeds, especially when using ActiveTO locations and other cycling infrastructure where the space is shared by pedestrians, other cyclists and other vulnerable road users,” a city spokesperson said.
Across Toronto, the city said the bike network is rapidly growing and is becoming more connected than ever.
“In 2020, for example, the City of Toronto installed 40 km of on-street bike lanes – through both ActiveTO and planned permanent bike lane projects – which was the most for a single year in Toronto’s history.”
More kilometres of new and upgraded permanent bike routes have already been installed this year with more to come. This complements the hundreds of kilometres of safe cycling infrastructure already available in Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE AT 2:30 MT Evacuation order issued for some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods as wildfire nears
Four Fort McMurray neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate as a wildfire gets closer to the city.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
BREAKING Toronto's top doctor Eileen de Villa announces resignation
Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health is stepping down.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
BREAKING Sask. man faces 60 charges in child exploitation investigation, with crimes dating back to 2005
Saskatchewan RCMP have revealed that a historic sexual assault investigation has led to the discovery of alleged crimes against children dating back to 2005.
American sought after 'So I raped you' Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.