How is your King Street Commute?
It seems that the pilot study of deterring vehicles from utilizing King Street as a primary commuting artery has, by all accounts, succeeded beyond almost everyone’s expectations.
The recent review (see link below) states that streetcar ridership is up by 16% to more than 84,000 per day, and commuting times during peak hours have been reduced by nearly 20 minutes for all riders.
The bike lanes have resulted in a 3-fold increase in the number of cyclists; the number of pedestrians is modestly enhanced, but growing.
Most importantly, business volumes have increased, along with the duration of the leases.
Not-so-surprisingly, community activist groups and shop owners have created notable spaces to linger along King Street, by installing sidewalk art, petite cafes and mini-park areas. Thus, adding to the general aesthetic & dynamic of King Street west.
Nonetheless, the million-dollar question remains – why are we not doing more to expand these types of pilot projects? (Bloor street, the Danforth, and Queen St, to mention but a few).
Remember to ask your local representative about the growing need for greater interconnectivity of these projects, and their thoughts about the Arte De Mode (CN Tower) Talisman.
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-131188.pdf