What happens when you remove over half of the on-street parking on a vibrant commercial downtown main street to install a bikeway? In 2016, this is what the City of Toronto did on Bloor Street West between Avenue Road and Shaw Street.
The Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT), in partnership with the University of Toronto, conducted a comprehensive research study to investigate the economic impacts – positive, negative, or neutral – of the bike lane, as well as its effects on the travel patterns and attitudes of visitors and merchants.
In this webinar, we take a deep dive into the research, hearing from a panel of researchers, a representative of one of the BIAs, and city staff.
Topics & Speakers:
Brian Burchell, Bloor Annex BIA Chair
- Why and how the BIA was involved in the study; words of wisdom for other BIAs
Nancy Smith Lea, Director, The Centre for Active Transportation, Clean Air Partnership
- Study overview; six key results and nine common questions
Lee Vernich, Director, Office of Research, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
- What was the study methodology? What data was collected and how?
Dr. Steven Farber, Assistant Professor, Geography & Planning, University of Toronto
- How was the data analyzed? What are the most interesting findings?
Adam Popper, Project Manager, Cycling Infrastructure & Programs
- What does the City have in store for extending the Bloor bikeway? What are the opportunities for public consultation on the extension?
Access the Webinar
Watch the webinar, recorded live on January 23, 2020: Bikeways & Business on Bloor: What are the Economic Impacts?
This webinar was hosted by TCAT, the City of Toronto and the University of Toronto.
Learn More
TCAT and the City of Toronto have both released reports evaluating the Bloor St W bike lanes from the perspective of safety and mobility, as well as economic impact. Check them out at the links below:
Bloor St Bike Lanes: City of Toronto
Bloor Street Bike Lane Economic Impact Studies (2009-2017): TCAT