After years of fighting for better infrastructure, Toronto cyclists finally have a reason to rejoice: last week’s council meeting ended with the decision to build new bike lanes on Bloor St. W., Danforth Ave. and potentially University Ave. However, while this is a positive step forward for cyclists, their woes are far from over.

As of now, Toronto’s bike routes are both disjointed and confusing. Looking at a map of the city’s cycling network, building protected bike lanes seems like an obvious choice — it’s hard to imagine cyclists getting around safely for more than a few blocks at a time. Despite this, finalizing the decision to build these lanes took far more time and effort than it should have.

A 10-year plan for safer cycling was approved by council in 2016, but it has been debated every year since. Now, as plans for safe infrastructure on major roads are finalized, it’s hard to feel optimistic. Because while infrastructure is being improved, it seems that one thing will never change: drivers don’t want to share the road.

The tension between cyclists and drivers is unwavering and it’s a cultural issue that extends beyond Toronto. Many drivers seem to believe roads should be exclusively for cars, fearing that bike lanes will extend their commutes and add to congestion. Online, the conversation about Toronto’s new bike lanes have already become a hotbed for hostility against cyclists.

As the city starts building bike lanes, the unwarranted divide between cyclists and drivers will undoubtedly continue to mount. A few bike lanes won’t fix the real, deep-seated issue that makes cycling unsafe — the entitlement felt by drivers. Toronto needs more than infrastructure; it needs a cultural shift.

The reality — often ignored — is that not everyone can afford to drive or take public transit. Bike-friendly infrastructure is more than a win for fair weather cyclists: it’s a step toward making Toronto more accessible to those who can’t afford to drive. Those who bike, whether out of necessity or by choice, shouldn’t be forced to risk their lives every time they travel.

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While the new bike lanes are exciting, it shouldn’t have taken this long to get here. Not every cyclist has time, nor the capacity, to fight tooth-and-nail for better infrastructure. If Toronto keeps waiting for solid evidence that bike lanes are necessary, certain areas will continue to lack safe, accessible routes for cyclists.

This creates a cyclical problem: without proper infrastructure people won’t bike and if people don’t ride their bikes proper infrastructure will never be built.

Though many drivers will continue to shun bike lanes and ignore their importance, cities need to keep pushing for safe bike infrastructure. Bike lanes should be a norm rather than an exception — especially in expansive cities like Toronto.