$22 million Victoria Bridge replacement span panned by cycling advocates
Avid cyclist Paula Coutinho takes a full traffic lane when crossing the Victoria Bridge on Ridout connecting Old South to the downtown.
She says because the bridge’s lack of bike lanes makes it a pinch point that can intimidate less experienced cyclists.
“They’re afraid to cycle on the road with the traffic,” Coutinho explains. “So if we can do more things to make it safe we’ll get more people out riding.”
City hall will be replacing the 96-year-old bridge this year, but details of the $22 million project is sparking pushback from some cycling advocates.
“I actually feel less safe with these designs,” says Andrew Hunniford, general manager of the London Bicycle Cafe.
The new span will be divided into a sidewalk, a one-direction painted bike lane, a multi-use pathway that pedestrians and cyclists must share and two 3.5 metre wide driving lanes.
Hunniford believes the wide traffic lanes will encourage even higher vehicle speeds, “In that future state, those lanes are wider, that traffic is faster, and I don’t have protection (cycling in the bike lane).”
The city’s engineering department says the design is now finalized.
Garfield Dales, managing director of transportation planning and design, explains that the lane configuration was developed during the 2017 environmental assessment which included opportunities for public input.
“It was trying to find the best way to accommodate all those users and also balance some practical limitations like the amount of right-of-way that’s available,” Dales tells CTV News.
Pending city council approval, construction of the new bridge will begin this spring, and be completed in mid-2023.
Replacement of the Victoria Bridge is scheduled to avoid conflicting road closures with replacement of the CN Rail overpass at Wharncliffe Road.
An online public meeting about the bridge replacement will be held by city hall on Jan. 27.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.