The road to setting the City of Toronto's budget is a long one. The 3 year strategy for getting the Bike Plan back in gear has to make it through the entire process successfully if we are to see real progress in making cycling a viable transportation option for a larger number of Toronto residents. The road to final approval will wind through various committees of Council, the Budget Advisory Committee, the Policy and Finance Committtee and ultimately to City Council. There will be some steep up hills to climb and perhaps a few down hills where we can pick up speed. Last Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2001 the Works committee gave the three year back in gear strategy a bit of a push and a tail wind to get it started on its way.

The committee was urged to act by TCC members, other individuals and organizations who made deputations or sent in letters of support of the Toronto Bike Plan. Their appeals were heeded by the Councilors and some positive decisions were made.

Councillor Adam Giambrone Ward 18 - Davenport led the way at Works by proposing a series of motions that start the process of putting the proposals from the Toronto Bike Plan - 3 Year Implementation Strategy (PDF) and the recommendations from the Toronto Cycling Committee (TCC) TCC 2006 Budget recommendations into the budget approval process. Some of these proposals, those dealing with the Bikeway Network implementation on roads and hydro and rail corridors, could be dealt with directly by the Works Committee. Other, budget proposals go down their own roads. The recommendation dealing with Cycling Safety Education and Promotion programs was forwarded to the Planning and Transportation Committee and Bikeway Network Implementation in Parks was referred to the Economic Development and Parks Committee for consideration during their budget deliberations.

On the issues that are pertinent to the Works Committee, Councillor Giambrone moved that the Committee adopt the TCC's recommendation that $4.5 million for be budgeted for Bikeway Network implementation in 2006 and that staffing levels be increased in order to implement that level of activity. If these motions are ultimately adopted by City Council in the 2006, they would address the problems of inadequate funding and insufficient staffing for cycling infrastructure. This motion passed, but, this is where the road gets a bit twisty. The Works Committee recommendation goes back to staff at Transportation Services who are developing their budget proposal for the entire division. They will report back to the Works Committee on which Bikeway Network projects can be moved up to 2006 given the added funds. That report and the Transportation Services Division budget will come back to the Works Committee in the fall during their budget considerations. There will be pressure to reduce items in that overall budget. Councillor Giambrone and the Works Committee will have to be vigilant to ensure the funds for the Bikeway Network remain intact. Individuals and organizations who want Council to support the strategy will also have to continue to lobby the members of the Works Committee and the subsequent Committees who deal with this budget to ensure the cycling items make the entire trip to final budget approval.

Councillor Giambrone also moved a motion to try to deal with the problem of the slow approval process for bike lanes. He asked that staff at Transportation Services work with the Toronto Cycling Committee to come up with options for an expedited bike lane approval process which would be presented at the November meeting of the Works Committee. This motion was also passed.

All in all it was a good day for the Bike Plan, a good start. There are still many opportunities for the proposals to get sidetracked or for one of the Council committees to try and make a U-turn. It is imperative that the supporters on Council and members of the community continue to work to ensure that the 3 year strategy to get the Toronto Bike Plan back in gear survives through the 2006 budget process to the eventual approval in the spring.