Yesterday Council voted against Councillor Ootes motion to reopen the debate on the Dundas Street East bike lanes. The motion recieved 17 votes in favour with 22 votes against. Not even half of council voted to add a new step in the approval process for this project and other bike lanes projects. It is being hailed as a victory for cyclists and local residents and that is true. It is also a victory for those who are not yet cyclists but who have said they would bike more if they could ride in a bike lane. It is also a victory for those who support the goals contained the Toronto Official Plan and would like to see them actually implemented.

One of the directions of the Official Plan is to reduce car dependancy in Toronto. the report contains a section called Campaign for Next Generation Transportation - Moving Ahead. It calls for shifting to alternate forms of transportation. It talks about improving these alternate forms of transportation such as mass transit, walking and cycling so people have options for travelling around the city. The Toronto Bike Plan outlines how to improve the transportation system to accommodate cyclists. The Dundas East Bike lane project is one step in that process. Yesterday's strong vote of support for this project going ahead is a vote supporting the Toronto Bike Plan and also a vote supporting the implementation of the Toronto Official Plan. Had Councillor Ootes' plan succeeded it would have been a stick in the spokes of the Bike Plan and a piece of dust settling on the Official Plan.

Thanks to everyone who made it happen.