Toronto’s slow progress building a bicycle network has only worsened tensions between cars and bikes, says mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson.

If elected mayor Oct. 25, Thomson said a priority would be to install separate bike lanes down the middle of University Ave. and along the sides of Richmond and Adelaide Sts.

She also wants more traffic signals to be synchronized to ease stress on motorists, and would start a campaign to warn adult cyclists not to ride on the sidewalk.

Thomson couldn’t say whether her downtown bike plan requires removing traffic lanes. She would commission a study before making decisions.

Earlier this year, council voted down a proposed trial project to test out separate bike lanes along the median lanes of University.

Thomson said she could convince wary councillors on safety grounds.

“Toronto streets are not safe for cyclists,” she said. “These lanes give cyclists a safe place to ride and tell motorists they don’t have to worry about bicycles darting out in front of them.”

“I think I can bring people together on the idea of safety. At the end of the day, everybody wants a safe route.”

Thomson said she wants to make things easier for motorists, and blamed Mayor David Miller’s administration for the fact traffic lights aren’t sufficiently synchronized.

“I think it’s just frustrating and creating this war,” she said. “People are frustrated sitting in gridlock. I want to reduce gridlock.”

She also wants to warn people that the city’s official position is that sidewalks are for pedestrians. Anyone riding a bike with a wheel size of 61 cm (24 inches) or more is supposed to ride on the road.