Jarvis bike lane removal protest…continued

Photos by Martin Reis and story by Sarah Greene

Photographer and cycling advocate Martin Reis was on the scene on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as protesters and activists concerned about safety for cyclists tried to halt the removal of the Jarvis bike lanes.

The lanes were installed in 2010 under former mayor David Miller, and are slated for removal by December at an estimated cost of between $280,000 and $300,000 (installing the lanes, by contrast, cost $86,000).

In early October, council voted 24 – 19 against a motion to repeal Mayor Rob Ford’s plan to remove the lanes, which have been there for two years.

According to a count done by City staff, the number of trips cyclists took along Jarvis increased dramatically (from 290 to 890 over the eight hour peak period) after the introduction of the lanes; the number of car trips, meanwhile, did not change dramatically.

Yesterday (Tuesday, November 13) local doctor Tomislav Svoboda was arrested for protesting the removal of the Jarvis bike lane. He has since been released from police custody, on the condition that he agree not to participate in any further Jarvis bike lane removal protests. Svoboda has retained Peter Rosenthal as his lawyer.

Last week, 56-year-old bike courier Michael Rankin died after being hit by a taxi at Richmond and University. Yesterday, Tuesday, Nov. 13, a 38-year-old female cyclist was hit by a garbage truck at Yonge and Gerrard and was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

dandyhorse is extremely disappointed that the City of Toronto is not supporting infrastructure that contributes to safe cycling.

We encourage you to write to your councillor to ask that they encourage safe cycling and install infrastructure that will better help motorists and cyclists to share the road in your ward.

Ride safe out there!

Thank you again to Martin Reis for his dandy contributions and important documentary photography. More of his commentary and photos about the Jarvis bike lane removal can be found here with links to his Flickr sets directly below: