Category Archives: Roads

Pedestrian flags at crosswalks are not a solution

Posted on March 10, 2018 by

Pedestrian crossing in Dartmouth Nova Scotia equipped with pedestrian flags A Toronto Star article this weekend profiled three elementary school students installing pedestrian flags at local residential intersections near their school in Leaside. Pedestrian flags are not a new idea; they … Continue reading →

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The wrong answer to a tragic death of a boy walking home from school

Posted on March 4, 2018 by

Kennedy Public School, where 11-year old Duncan Xu was in Grade 6. He was struck and killed on an adjacent residential street while walking home on Tuesday, February 27.  On Tuesday, February 27, around 3:30 PM, Duncan Xu, an 11-year … Continue reading →

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The John Tory Way

Posted on February 27, 2018 by

Yonge Street looking south from Richmond Hill There’s an episode of The Simpsons where Homer Simpson changes his name to Max Power, after he’s ridiculed for sharing the name with a buffoonish television character. It’s not a great episode — … Continue reading →

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Toronto’s killing streets

Posted on November 25, 2017 by

A collision involving a pedestrian on Jarvis Street, 2017 If there’s a “war on the car” in Toronto, the car is still winning. On Tuesday, Gideon Fekre was acquitted of dangerous driving causing death, after he sped on Dundas Street … Continue reading →

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Toronto’s Zero Vision and the folly of Seniors Safety Zones

Posted on November 23, 2017 by

Eglinton Avenue East near Brimley Road, one of twelve Seniors Safety Zones in the City of Toronto Despite its status as a global city, a city that’s often ranked as one of the world’s safest, a city that likes to … Continue reading →

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The trouble with those “cyclists dismount” signs

Posted on November 8, 2017 by

Recently, I wrote about inconsistent, misleading, and problematic signage at road construction sites. Too often, cyclists are instructed to dismount and walk when a bike lane or general traffic lane is closed for construction. But these signs also exist where … Continue reading →

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Toronto can do better for cyclists at construction sites

Posted on October 25, 2017 by

For years, cyclists in Toronto have not been getting enough respect. In 2011, City Council voted to remove bike lanes on three streets — Jarvis Street, Pharmacy Avenue, and Birchmount Avenue. Major off-road cycling routes are closed for months or … Continue reading →

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