The Ontario government has announced if legislation is passed that municipalities will needs its approval before installing new bike lanes, if those lanes remove a lane of vehicle traffic.
Municipalities would have to demonstrate that the proposed bike lanes “won’t have a negative impact on vehicle traffic,” the government said.
The changes are part of legislation that will be tabled to kick off the fall sitting of the Ontario legislature next week on Oct. 21. The government said the legislation will focus on tackling gridlock and getting drivers and commuters across Ontario out of traffic.
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The law, Global News has learned, is currently set to be titled the Reducing Gridlock and Saving You Time Act is primarily aimed at drivers, and it will include the new provincial requirements on bike lanes.
Ontario’s minister of transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria made the announcement at a news conference on Tuesday morning.
“Cities in Ontario have seen an explosion of bike lanes, including many that were installed during the pandemic when fewer vehicles were on the road and their impacts on traffic were unclear,” said Sarkaria.
“Too many drivers are now stuck in gridlock as a result, which is why our government is bringing informed decision-making and oversight to bike lanes as well as taking steps to increase speed limits safely and clean up potholes,” Sarkaria said.
More to come.
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