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Dear neighbour,
Riding a bike around Toronto shouldn't be a death sentence.
I was so saddened and angered by the news that a 24-year old woman was killed cycling on Bloor Street near Avenue Road.
A construction dump was illegally located in the Bloor Street bike lane, which led to the woman moving into another lane, where she was hit and killed by a truck.
All of us have been forced to merge into traffic because there's an obstruction in our lane. This tragedy could have happened to any one of us.
Five cyclists have now been killed in Toronto this year. These are preventable deaths. I want our streets and roads to be safe for everybody, from kids to workers to seniors, and I know you do too.
I joined over 600 cyclists on Wednesday night to place a ghost bike at the site of the collision. I have never seen that many people attend a community memorial for a fallen cyclist. We are demanding safer streets.
We know there are practical engineering, education, and enforcement measures that all levels of government can take to keep our streets safe.
Ontario can pass a Vulnerable Road Users Law to bring in tougher penalties for drivers who kill a pedestrian or cyclist, and pass rules allowing cities to use safety cameras in bike lanes to keep their clear of obstruction.
The City can move ahead with redesigning intersections to reduce collisions, and build protected bike lanes to separate cars and cyclists.
The Federal government could improve safety standards for trucks, starting with mandating side guards to protect people from slipping under a truck’s wheels.
These are just a few of the many measures we can take to ensure every cyclist and pedestrian reaches their destination safely. Livable cities are safe cities.
Sincerely,
Jessica Bell, MPP
University–Rosedale
My newsletter this week:
- We're hiring a full time position in our University Rosedale office
- Volunteer with us
- Grassy Narrows River Run is on Sep. 18
- Chinatown Festival is on Aug. 17 and 18
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