At the last Toronto and East York Community Council meeting on March 27th, 2007 a proposal was on the agenda for Proposed Bicycle Lanes on Eastern Avenue from Logan Avenue to Leslie Street. The agenda item was not voted on and discussion of it was deferred to the Community Council meeting on May 1st, 2007. This motion was deferred in response to demands from a local bike user group to look at the cycling infrastructure needs of a broader area. The South East Toronto Bicycle User Group which is also known as Dundas EAST has been asking for bike lanes on Leslie Street from Dundas Street to Lakeshore Boulevard. This would create a north-south link between the existing lanes on Dundas Street (Bike Route 10) to the Boulevard Path on the north side of Lake Shore Boulevard (Bike Route 4) and the Martin Goodman Trail (Bike Route 2).

The proposed bike lanes on Eastern Avenue are outlined in orange. The areas of the study requested by Councillor Fletcher are circled in orange.

According to a story In NOW Magazine, on March 23rd Can bike lanes save the east end from mega-store takeover? this proposal has the support of Councillor Paula Fletcher Ward 30 Toronto Danforth (TCAT survey response), but not of Councillor Sandra Bussin Ward 32 Beaches-East York (TCAT Survey Response). At the March 27th Community Council meeting Councillor Paula Fletcher made a motion asking for a report on the feasability of bike lanes on Leslie Street from Dundas from Lake Shore as she stated in a March 22nd letter. The text of the motion is below.

Study on the feasibility of Bike Lane on Leslie Street and Carlaw Avenue
(March 22, 2007) letter from Councillor Fletcher Summary
Requesting that City Council direct staff include in their plans in the existing bike network for a North-South connection to the east of the Eastern bike lane on Greenwood Avenue, through to Knox Avenue, to prepare a study on the feasibility of a bike lane on Leslie Street and Carlaw Avenue.

Background Information
Letter from Councillor Fletcher
Decision Advice and Other Information
The Toronto and East York Community Council requested the Director, Transportation Infrastructure to report to the Toronto and East York Community Council with a study on the feasibility of:
1. installing bicycle lanes on Leslie St from:
a. Dundas St to Lake Shore Blvd. and the Port Lands; and
b. Queen St E to Lake Shore Blvd. and the Port Lands;
2. installing bicycle lanes on Carlaw Ave from Dundas St E to Lake Shore Blvd;

and include in the report a full assessment of traffic infiltration on local streets and identify capacity constraints, the impact of TTC and safety issues.

The motion does not state when the report will be back to the Committee. The issue could be on the Community Council's Agenda on May 1st. This week is your opportunity to support making the connections in the Bikeway network by contacting Councillor Bussin sbussin@toronto.ca and Councillor Fletcher councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca.

Making the various routes of the Bikeway Network connect is an important principle to uphold as the network is developed. Leslie is a very important street for cycling as it is the gateway to the Leslie Street Spit, one of the best places for a quiet, car free, ride in the city. It will also be the gateway to the new Lake Ontario Park and the new Portlands community so cycling traffic will only increase. Families and individuals use Leslie to to ride from East Toronto and East York to get to this section of the waterfront. Councillors should ensure their ride linking to that important piece of the City's Waterfront is a safe one.