January 25, 2024 - Construction is inevitable in a growing city like Toronto. Without it, new housing could not be built, roads could not be repaired, and transit could not be expanded. More housing and transit upgrades are essential to the growth and vibrancy of our city. But none of this should come at the expense of safety and mobility.
We’ve increasingly heard from folks who are concerned that vulnerable road users including bikes are being put at risk by poorly planned or poorly managed work zones without providing a safe passage for people walking, rolling, or biking.
Through Cycle Toronto’s work to bring awareness to and address these issues, the City of Toronto is hosting a Virtual Construction Work Zone Safety Town Hall on Tuesday, January 30th at 6:00 pm.
Enough is enough. Last summer, we saw construction chaos along Adelaide St. Last month, bikeways on Yonge were under threat as construction hoarding would have closed a section in midtown for over a year. And just yesterday we worked with the city to find solutions to prevent the total closure of the Bloor W bikeways near Dufferin St.
The Town Hall will focus on the work that has come out of the stakeholder consultations with groups like Cycle Toronto, and what the City is doing to make construction zones safer and more accessible to vulnerable road users. Attendees will have the opportunity to share their experiences in navigating the city’s dangerous construction zones and discuss possible solutions to this ongoing issue.
Toronto has made historic progress on the expansion of its cycling network over the past three years. We know that a safe, connected network is essential to enable more people to choose to ride a bike. And because of unsafe construction zones, too much of that network is unsafe and uncomfortable for people of all ages and abilities. Even a short trip can feel unsafe or impossible.
LET US KNOW IF YOU’RE ATTENDING
Help us call on the city for systematic solutions that will make our streets and sidewalks safe throughout construction zones, and help keep our city moving.
Thank you for your advocacy and support.
Alison Stewart
Director, Advocacy & Public Policy / Directrice Sensibilisation et politique publique
*Je suis bilingue et vous invite à communiquer avec moi en français.
Read more on Cycle Toronto here.
