"Road Diet" in Toronto creates calmer traffic, better cycling

There has been quite a controversy recently in Toronto, Canada, about proposed bicycle lanes on Dundas Street East.

The controversy revolves around the fact that the number of through lanes for motorists was reduced from 4 to 2. This creates room for a center turn lane for motorists and bicycle lanes on both sides of the road, without requiring any additional pavement width--a type of re-configuration known as a "road diet" [Dan Burden's web site has a pamphlet explaining the advantages of road diets--PDF format].

Most bicycle accommodations in Toronto have not required reduction in motor vehicle lanes--and so the controversy about this project.

For most people, what is very difficult to understand about road diets, is the reduction in through lanes for motor vehicles actually results in better traffic flow and less congestion. A well-designed road diet is a triumph of good road design over the brute force approach--"brute force", in this case, being more lanes. Fewer lanes can do more work if they are properly designed--that is the basic idea behind road diets.

A road diet can actually increase the level of service for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians--and all that without requiring even one extra inch of pavement.

Toronto cyclist Martin Koob rode the new Toronto bike lanes recently and gives this report of the results:
The bike lanes were completed two weeks ago in spite of attempts of councillors Case Ootes Ward 29 Toronto-Danforth and Brian Ashton Ward 36 Scarborough Southwest to block their completion. Even the Toronto Star published an editorial condemning these bike lanes. They opposed the reduction in car lanes from 2 in each direction to 1 in each direction. They spoke of fears of grid lock, congestion traffic chaos. . . .

How were the motorists reacting to having two west bound lanes reduced to one. Would frustrated motorists, used to racing along at 70 km per hour, be tempted to pass on the right in the bike lane? Would they cut me off as they fled the feared congestion? What I noticed was that traffic was moving slower, possibly even at the 40 km posted limit. Drivers were well behaved and waited patiently at the lights. I felt quite comfortable in the bike lane, much more safe than I felt prior to the lanes being installed.

One thing that I noticed was that a different type of cyclist was using Dundas Street East. . . . . A broader range of cyclists was taking to the street. This illustrates the vision of the Bike Plan to “Create a safe, comfortable and bicycle friendly environment in Toronto, which encourages people of all ages to use bicycles for everyday transportation and enjoyment.”

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