Welcome Eglinton Crosstown LRT!

After fifteen years of construction and more than $13 billion spent, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT has finally opened to the public today! Since I haven’t rode a transit line on its opening day before, I did just that for Eglinton a.k.a. Line 5.

Let’s Support the West Scarborough Rail Trail!

Last month, Toronto City Council approved Councillor Parthi Kandavel’s member motion MM35.26 to advance the West Scarborough Rail Trail (WSRT) proposal to at least 10% functional design by a 20-1 vote with Councillor Burnside being the lone vote against. To celebrate the occasion, Misha Perozak and the Scarborough Junction Community hosted a temporary art installation at the GECO Rail Bridge next to Warden station.

I Fought the Train and the … Train Won?

Toronto’s newest transit line in more than two decades – the Finch West LRT or Line 6 – opened on Sunday, December 7 to lots of criticism over its slow speeds with some trips taking more than one hour. One person – Mac Bauer a.k.a. 514runner – beat the LRT by 18 minutes while running! While Toronto City Council passed a motion this week to speed up the LRT including enabling full transit signal priority, I decided to ride the Finch West LRT to Humber College and return via bike share.

ACTION ALERT – RapidTO at July 16 Executive Committee Meeting

Yesterday, the July 16, 2025 executive committee agenda was published which included the final report for RapidTO bus priority lanes on Bathurst and Dufferin Streets. The TLDR (too long didn’t read) version is city staff capitulated to the astroturf “Protect Bathurst” and “Protect Dufferin” campaigns by reducing the scope of both RapidTO routes to south of Bloor Street. This was in line with the latest language from the “Protect Bathurst” website which called for a pause north of Bloor Street, while Councillor Dianne Saxe (who represents my University-Rosedale ward) had previously called for the exclusion of the Bloor to Dupont stretch from RapidTO Bathurst. (see open letter from June 11)

Photo from TTCriders

Mixing Up the Commute (and Improving Bike Share)

Back in March 2022, I got an e-scooter to make getting to the office in Vaughan easier. At the time, transit users needed to pay double fare between the TTC and York Region Transit (or other GTA transit agencies). With the cost of the e-scooter being $700 plus tax at the time, the savings from the double fare more than paid for itself. However, the Ontario government introduced the “One Fare” program in February 2024, while the TTC banned e-bikes and e-scooters on their subways, buses, and streetcars during the winter months in December 2024. Add the high cost of maintenance after having a third flat tire in less than three years back in November (and a battery replacement earlier in 2024) and I gave up on the e-scooter ever since. Of course, York Region Transit’s bus service could use some serious improvements with the Jane bus (#20) sometimes being full during the afternoons.

While I no longer see the e-scooter as a viable long-term commuting option, I recently took on a different way to mix up my thrice weekly commute.

I got an annual 30-minute bike share membership!

Open Letter to Councillor Saxe RE RapidTO Bathurst

Last night, the Toronto Star reported that Councillor Dianne Saxe proposed exempting the Bloor to Dupont stretch of from the TTC's RapidTO Bathurst project. A move which would significantly compromise the project. One thing I learned over the years of doing bike advocacy is that we must NEVER EVER EVER compromise with the car-brains who go up in arms over the slightest inconvenience to their driving privileges. This applies to bike lanes, bus lanes, or creating car-free spaces. This morning while on the subway to work, I sent this note to Councillor Saxe (who happens to be my councillor) and encourage you to do the same. Please copy your city councillor as well if you don't live in University-Rosedale, as well as customize the letter to fit your personal situation.

If you haven't already done so, please sign and share this TTCriders campaign which over 800 people signed on.

Let’s Show Solidarity with Transit Riders!

Earlier this month, I reflected on how Toronto’s car-brain issues go far beyond bikes including with the opposition to proposed RapidTO bus priority lanes on both Bathurst and Dufferin Streets. However, the anti RapidTO push has seen more short turns than the 504 King streetcar which deserve a follow up post on its own! Let’s look at how the current RapidTO proposals came to be, the evolving opposition, and what you can do to show solidarity with transit riders!

RapidTO on Eglinton Avenue East

October 2024 Eglinton and Finch Check Ups

With Metrolinx refusing to provide an opening date for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT until three months from that time, the much-delayed transit line won’t be opening this year. The Finch West LRT celebrated a milestone recently with all stations and stops being completed, but also lacks an opening date and has even been subject to a recent lawsuit. But where do things stand with their respective bikeways? I did a couple of site checks this week after work to find out.

Conflicting Approaches for Ellesmere

On Monday, February 12, the City of Toronto will be hosting a public consultation regarding the Ellesmere Complete Street project which is planned to start construction in 2026 from Orton Park to Kingston Roads. While I normally support complete streets which are badly needed in Scarborough, this project has left me with some concerns. Especially since Metrolinx had already prepared designs for the Durham-Scarborough BRT along the same corridor. Let’s look at how the two projects compare.

Overview of the Ellesmere Complete Street project (via City of Toronto)

A Road Safety Take on Toronto’s 2024 Budget

Last year’s budget tabled by Mayor John Tory was irresponsible with his refusal to raise property taxes beyond inflation, relied on provincial and federal government funding (which didn’t materialize), and recklessly increased the police budget despite a $1.4 billion shortfall at the time. The budget shortfall situation has worsened for 2024 with the number now pegged at $1.8 billion. However, Mayor Olivia Chow and her budget chief Shelley Carroll have finally shown they are willing to take the challenge seriously.

2024 Budget Shortfall Breakdown (via City of Toronto)

Finch West LRT November 2023 Update

Back in October, I did a site check along the entire Finch West LRT corridor from Finch West (at Keele) to Humber College stations. At the time, I noted the multi-use paths under Highway 400 from Arrow to Oakdale and along Highway 27 were substantially completed, though a lot of work remained for the remaining cycle tracks. Since Metrolinx was doing final paving this month and it’s starting to get too cold to ride the scooter to work, I did a final site check for 2023 from Finch West to Jane and Finch stations on my way home this afternoon.

October 2023 Finch West LRT Report

Back in June, I did my initial review of the Finch West LRT construction from Finch West to Jane and Finch stations to find out what people who bike can expect along the corridor. However, that only represented about two of the ten kilometres which will be affected by this new transit project. For my day off today, I checked out the full corridor to see what has changed since June including the Highway 400 interchange.

Checking Out The Finch West LRT

Last week, I did a site check along the Eglinton Crosstown LRT route between Cedarvale and Eglinton stations. That project may be subject to endless delays & lots of negative criticism, but the Finch West LRT quietly chugs along. Yesterday, I got off Finch West station on my way home and checked out a short stretch between Finch West and Jane and Finch stations. Let’s see how that project is shaping up.

Progress Along Eglinton Avenue

Construction on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT seems to have no end in sight with Metrolinx and the Ontario government not offering any clear timelines on when the new transit line would open. However, most of the road work appears to be completed with the exception of between Avenue Road and Holly Street. Before heading to Canadian Blood Services to donate blood yesterday – it happens to be National Blood Donor Week – I decided to check out the progress between Cedarvale (at Allen Expressway) and Eglinton (at Yonge Street) stations.

Revisiting the Eglinton East LRT

Happy Victoria Day!

Back in November 2017, I wrote about the City’s plans to implement an eastern extension of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT from Kennedy Station to UTSC and eventually to Malvern Town Centre. At the time, I argued it could become a game changer for cycling in Scarborough given the light rail line would also see bike lanes brought deep into Scarborough. Thanks to Hafeez Alavi, I was informed the City will be restarting consultations for the project on May 30, June 1, and June 7. Let’s find out what has changed since then.

Map of Eglinton East LRT and focus areas (all images are via the City of Toronto unless otherwise mentioned)

A Budget Worth Raising Hell About

While this year’s budget doesn’t have much new to offer from a cycling perspective, it is overall the biggest disappointment since Mayor John Tory took office in 2015 and one every Torontonian needs to raise hell about. Especially when we look at the budget’s impact on marginalized communities. Let's look at Toronto’s budget shortfalls, the police budget increase, TTC service cuts, and how you can get involved.

An In Person Consultation for Broadview

Monday marked the first cycling public consultation I got to attend in person since the COVID-19 pandemic began. As much as it can be more convenient to attend the virtual ones – especially when they are far away – the experience helped me appreciate the value of in person sessions. Mainly the ability to ask more detailed questions to city staff, use sticky notes to comment on street roll out plans, and network with staff and other residents. Let’s review what the Broadview Extension environmental assessment has to offer and how the City can build on the plan.

A Different Kind of Two Wheels

This past week was my first week back to the office under a hybrid model since the COVID-19 pandemic began. However, my employer moved their head office from Dufferin and Lawrence – which was bikeable for me – to Vaughan which definitely is not. The new office is a 20 minute walk from Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station and the TTC prohibits bikes on the subway during rush hour (for good reason given how packed it was on Thursday evening). To address this mobility gap, I did something on Tuesday evening which can make some fellow bike riding people cringe.

A Case of the Toronto COVID-19 Blues

This week has been a depressing one in the City of Toronto as Ontario continues to set new records for daily COVID-19 cases. A bike lane has been removed, winter conditions have caused traffic chaos, and another person biking was killed. It’s time to do a round up of these events.

Bike lane symbols scrubbed off Brimley - via Scarborough Cycles

A Taste of Vaughan

Back in mid-December, the TTC opened the Spadina subway extension with six additional stops including the first ones outside the (amalgamated) City of Toronto. While I biked on some backroads in York Region (Stouffville) in 2013 and 2014 to train for the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer, they were rural roads which had no cycling infrastructure except for some paved shoulders. Helen and I explored the new subway stops and did a brief bike ride in Vaughan last weekend to take care of both things at once.