The PenOpticon

A week ago or so I was bemoaning the loss of a bike lane – an 18-inch strip of pavement that made commuting by bike feel a little safer. Well, it seems I’ve been asleep at the switch. In truth, I’m not allowed anywhere near the switch, but I must have been sleeping ’cause I missed the fact that a number of GTA regions are currently conducting “Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan” studies. As part of this process, the Town of Markham has added 100 Km of urban bike/pedestrian trails over the past year and has plans to connect most schools, libraries and community centres. More power to them. This contrasts with the City of Toronto’s grand plan to add 1000 Km of new bike lanes and trails. With a budget of over 2.5 million dollars, the city managed to add one — yes “1″ — kilometre of new bike path over the past year. Perhaps Toronto City officials are spending too much on the three “C”s: Conferences, Computers and Catering?

In spite of my previous gripes, things may soon get better for cyclists north of Toronto. York Region, is apparently coming to the conclusion that it is not healthy to cede absolute control of the landscape to roads and automobiles. Development in this region has proceeded so quickly that there are areas where walking (never mind cycling) is all but impossible. The Region has now taken a baby step to fix this problem by unveiling its own Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan Study. This was introduced to the public at the end of May, but it is still early days, so it is possible to get involved. If you happen to live here or have cycled the Region’s glacier-made, rolling countryside, then you can provide direct feedback through an online survey.

It’s too easy to be cynical about efforts such as these — especially when you live in a region where the developer has reigned supreme for so many decades. But an expanded network of bike lanes and bike/pedestrian paths is just too important for this region to allow for cynicism. In any case, there are a few reasons to remain optimistic. Cyclists are known to be unusually stubborn and persistent and they rarely give up. Consider the number of Canadians and Americans who cycle coast to coast each year. Or consider the recent attempt to break the world cycling speed record in Casa Grande, Arizona. The recumbent bicycle is the preferred human-powered vehicle for these races in which top spinners sustain average speeds of over 80 Km/hour. The world record-holder, Sam Whittingham, is Canadian from British Columbia and the proprietor of Naked Bicycles, “a custom bicycle and accessory fabrication company based on Quadra Island, B.C.” Are you lobbying for an expanded network of bike lanes, Sam?