New bollards installed on a busy cycling path would seem to fit the time-worn definition of paving the road to hell with good intentions.

The Lower Don Recreational Trail is humming with cyclists and other users lately, now that summer is finally here and people are looking to get out and enjoy the fine weather.

It starts near Don Mills Rd. and Overlea Blvd. and runs parallel to the Don River, winding its way through parks and wooded areas that are a delightful escape from the din of the city.

At the point where the trail crosses through a parking lot between Don Mills Rd. and the Don Valley Parkway, bollards were recently installed to keep cyclists to one side of the parking area and away from cars.

But at least one cyclist says the bollards “are seriously dangerous” for bike riders, particularly those descending a steep hill into the parking lot.

Lawyer Mark Arnold, who often rides his bike along the trail, sent us a note saying he “almost had a collision there with another cyclist,” while coming down the hill, where the bollards funnel trail traffic to one side of the parking lot.

“There is little doubt that these black-painted steel posts will not only take out a bicycle rider but will also destroy any (bike) that might ride into them,” he said.

“Typically, when installing dividers for bicycle paths, the city puts in flexible stanchions of some type that move or bend in the event of a collision. These obstructions are seriously dangerous and someone is going to be killed.”

Arnold said he contacted the local city councillor’s office, “and although they were sympathetic, they have been unable to do anything.”

STATUS: We forwarded Arnold’s note to the city and got a reply from spokesperson Jaclyn Carlisle that indicates there’ll be no backing down. “The bollards were installed where the parking lot meets the trail to create a transition for pedestrians and cyclists from the multi-use trail to the parking lot. There are additional bollards installed at this site to help users safely navigate through the parking lot and rejoin the trail. The bollards are intended to divert cyclists and trail users to the pathway and deter them from travelling straight through the parking lot, where they may encounter vehicles. We will be adding a reflective surface on the bollards to help trail users see them. We’d also remind cyclists to use caution when biking on multi-use trails in city parks, adjust their cycling to the conditions and be mindful that the maximum speed limit is 20 kilometres per hour.”

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