Cycle tracks to be extended along Richmond-Adelaide corridor

City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:

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News Release:  August 31, 2015

Cycle tracks to be extended along Richmond-Adelaide corridor

The City of Toronto is extending the cycle tracks – separated bike lanes – that are currently in place along Richmond Street and Adelaide Street in the downtown area extending west from the vicinity of University Avenue. The new extension eastward from the University Avenue area is part of a pilot project to improve cycling infrastructure and enhance safety for all road users in the downtown core.

The new work will result in the extension of cycle tracks on Richmond Street, which is one-way westbound, from Parliament Street to York Street, and on Adelaide Street, which is one-way eastbound, from Simcoe Street to Parliament Street. Cycle tracks will then be in place on both Richmond and Adelaide between Parliament Street in the east and Bathurst Street in the west.

In addition, bicycle lanes will be installed on both sides of Peter Street, from King Street to Queen Street.

"The extension of these cycle tracks is an important step toward improving the connectivity and safety of cycling in Toronto," said Councillor Jaye Robinson (Ward 25 Don Valley West), Chair of the City's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee.

Beginning this week, the following work will be initiated as part of the cycle track extension:

• minor pavement repairs on both Richmond Street and Adelaide Street 

• changes to on-street parking and stopping regulations, and 

• installation of signage, pavement markings and flexi-post bollards (posts that bend when struck/contacted) to extend the cycle track on the north side of Richmond Street and the south side of Adelaide Street.

The installation of the cycle tracks is expected to be completed by the end of September, weather permitting. A map of the changes can be accessed at http://bit.ly/1FcenUo.

These changes are part of the Richmond-Adelaide Bikeway Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to evaluate the feasibility of cycle tracks and other cycling infrastructure in this area. 

The pilot project evaluation will focus on the effectiveness of the cycle tracks, options for the design of the separation between the cycle tracks and traffic lanes, the impacts on parking and loading for area businesses, and the effect on traffic flow.

More information about cycling in Toronto is available at http://bit.ly/1JrHGnB and by following us on Twitter @TO_Cycling.

This news release is also available on the City's website: http://bit.ly/1X5IRT6

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

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Media contact: Rosalynd Rupert, Strategic Communications, 416-338-3379, rrupert@toronto.ca