As the fight over cycling infrastructure in Toronto simmers, the city took its last steps towards finalizing bike lane upgrades on Sherbourne Street Thursday.
The city's transportation services presented a plan for the lane improvements at an open house to allow the public a chance to give input before construction begins this spring.
The plan includes constructing physically separated bike lanes – using a concrete divider north of Gerrard Street and a raised cycle track south of it – that would eliminate most curbside parking on the street. As well, left turn lanes will be removed at Isabella Street, King and Shuter, with left turns not permitted during rush hours on King and Shuter.
Last summer, council voted to scrap the Jarvis Street bike lanes to the hue and cry of the cycling community, but in the same stroke approved the upgrades to the cycling infrastructure on Sherbourne with separated lanes.
Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, chair of the public works committee, proposed the revamped bike lanes. He noted the plan took into consideration garbage collection, public transportation and private driveways.
"This is the city's first attempt at putting in separated bike lanes," he said. "So it's important that we get it right."