How Bike Lanes Combat Road Traffic

Drivers love to blame bike lanes and cyclists for every problem on the road. 

Canadian politicians also join in on the hate – for example, former mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, argued that bike lanes were taking away space for cars and ripped out bike lanes to fight the so-called "war on the car". 

Unfortunately, it's a common misconception that bike lanes and cyclists have a negative effect on road conflict and traffic. Simply, drivers believe that cyclists have no place on the road. As Rob Ford expressed, "every year, we have dozens of people that get hit by cars or trucks. Well, no wonder: roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks, not for people on bikes." 

Source: Joe Lindsey

While drivers are entitled to their own opinion, the fact is that bike lanes are beneficial on the road. Studies have found that bike lanes not only make it safer for cyclists but also for drivers and pedestrians. Tom Babin, a Calgary cyclist and journalist who has written about cycling for years, said bike lanes make roads “a little less car-dominated, a little more human-scaled. All of that improves safety for everyone using it.”

Bike lanes will reduce crashes between cars. The Toronto City Council determined that there was a 71% decrease in car-to-car conflicts when bike lanes were added to streets in Toronto. 

As for road infrastructure, bikes cause far less damage to roads than cars. Furthermore, parking to accommodate vehicles take up tons of space, while bike only requires a small bike rack. According to the University of Montana, constructing one parking space in a paved lot is estimated to cost $2,200. In contrast, a bike rack may only cost $100.

Once drivers open their eyes and realize that bikes are the solution to traffic, road safety, and so on, our roads will become better for all. 

Source: Dylan Passmore