Urgent Update Regarding the Marlee Avenue Beltline Extension Petition

First, we want to thank everyone who has supported this cause by signing both the online and written petitions. Your voices are invaluable. However, we must express our deep disappointment with the City of Toronto and, in particular, our city councillor Mike Colle for their lack of communication to our numerous requests for updates regarding the proposed Marlee Beltline Extension between Roselawn Avenue and Eglinton Avenue West.

It has been over six months since June 27, 2024, when City Council approved this project with an amendment proposed by Councillor Vincent Crisanti. This amendment directed the General Manager of Transportation Services to engage with affected property owners along the west side of Marlee Avenue to address concerns and minimize private property encroachment within the public right-of-way. Unfortunately, no such engagement has occurred to date.

We strongly oppose the proposed bidirectional cycle track for significant safety and logistical reasons. Our concerns are supported by expert guidance from the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Both organizations advise against installing bidirectional cycle tracks on streets with frequent conflicts, such as driveways and cross-streets, particularly when concentrated on one side of the street, as is the case on Marlee Avenue.

Key Safety and Practical Concerns with References:

1. Conflict with Driveways and Intersections
   Reference: AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities (2012), p. 136-138 and NACTO Two-Way Cycle Tracks Guidelines:
   “Motorists entering or crossing the roadway often will not notice bicyclists approaching from their right, as they do not expect wheeled traffic from this direction.”
   “Motorists waiting to enter the roadway from a driveway or side street may block the sidepath crossing, as drivers pull forward to get an unobstructed view of traffic.”
   NACTO advises against bidirectional cycle tracks “On streets with many conflicts such as driveways or cross-streets on one side of the street.”
   
   
2. Limited Sightlines and High-Speed Approaches:
   Reference: AASHTO, p. 136:
   “Bicyclists traveling on sidepaths are apt to cross intersections and driveways at unexpected speeds (i.e., speeds significantly faster than pedestrian speeds). This may increase the likelihood of crashes, especially where sight distance is limited.”
   
   
3. Wrong-Way Travel and Confusion
   Reference: AASHTO, p. 137:
   “Where the sidepath ends, bicyclists traveling in the direction opposed to roadway traffic may continue on the wrong side of the roadway. Wrong-way travel by bicyclists is a common factor in bicycle-automobile crashes.”
   
   
4. Signage and Signal Issues
   Reference: AASHTO, p. 137:
   “Signs posted for roadway users are backwards for contra‐flow riders, who cannot see the sign information. The same applies to traffic signal faces that are not oriented to contraflow riders.”
   
   
5. Reduced Accessibility and Increased Road Crossings
   Reference: AASHTO, p. 137:
   “Depending upon the bicyclist’s specific origin and destination, a two-way sidepath on one side of the road may need additional road crossings (and therefore increase exposure).”
   
   
6. Space Constraints
   Reference: AASHTO, p. 138:
   “Sidepath width is sometimes constrained by fixed objects (such as utility poles, trash cans, mailboxes, etc.).”
   
   
7. Encouraging Road Use and Tension with Drivers
   Reference: AASHTO, p. 138:
   “Some bicyclists will use the roadway instead of the sidepath because of the operational issues described above. Bicyclists using the roadway may be harassed by motorists who believe bicyclists should use the sidepath.”
   
8. Impact on Left Turns
   Reference: AASHTO, p. 137:
   “Bicyclists using a sidepath can only make a pedestrian-style left turn, which generally involves yielding to cross traffic twice instead of only once, and thus induces unnecessary delay.”
   
   
9. Overall Crash Risk at Crossings
   Reference: AASHTO, p. 138:
   “Even if the number of intersection and driveway crossings is reduced, bicycle–motor vehicle crashes may still occur at the remaining crossings located along the sidepath.”

Find attached the examples of safety issues provided from AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities (2012), p. 138.
 
The proposed design fails to meet essential safety standards and creates more risks than benefits for both cyclists and motorists. We call on the City of Toronto and Councillor Mike Colle to honor their commitment to community consultation and reconsider this unsafe and impractical project.

We firmly believe that City Council did not have all the relevant facts when they voted to approve this project. Therefore, we are urging members of City Council to make a motion to reopen this project for reconsideration.

Your continued support is crucial. Please share this update widely and encourage others to join us in advocating for safer, more effective infrastructure solutions. Together, we can push for a better approach that prioritizes the safety and needs of all road users.