People in cities all over the world are choosing the bike as their preferred mode of transportation as the coronavirus shakes up work and travel patterns. Residents of the largest city in Canada are no exception.
"Some city planners in Ontario say the renewed interest in cycling during the pandemic could spark long-term change in public attitudes toward bicycles as a means of transportation, as more people try it for the first time," reports Salmaan Farooqui.
The data contributing to this assessment are multiple: bike sales are up at bike shops in the city, trips on the Bike Share Toronto system recently set a record, and planners and city officials are making space for the new interest in this form of active transportation:
In Toronto, city council has approved 25 kilometres of temporary bike lanes to accommodate the increased demand during the health crisis, meaning a total of 40 kilometres of lanes are set to be built in 2020.
Kornel Mucsi, a program manager for transportation policy and networks in Ottawa, is quoted in the article arguing for permanent changes to the street to maintain the momentum created by the temporary circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic.
FULL STORY: City planners, bike shops say COVID-19 could shift culture of cycling
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research