Work began Friday on the Jarvis Street (or
Ted Rogers Way) bike lanes that have been the source both of great anticipation and controversy over the past several months, since an environmental assessment resulted in the recommendation.
The project, which should be finished by the end of the week of July 26, will result in north- and south-bound bike lanes, and the elimination of the reversible middle lane of the formerly five-lane thoroughfare.
The environmental assessment was done to look into ways of
improving the Jarvis streetscape and according to Daniel Egan, the city's bike infrastructure man, "there was such an overwhelming response from the bike community to add bike lanes" that they were included in what will ultimately be a larger improvement project, involving sidewalk improvements. "We're sticking with bike lanes now because it's a simple re-striping job," Egan says.
Egan also adds that there is expected to be little impact on car traffic as a result of the elimination of the fifth lane.
The budget for adding the bike lanes is $65,000.
Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Daniel Egan
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