Cycle - Beltline Trail Online Petitioner Comments - I'm a hike leader with the Toronto Outdoor Club and lead at least 2 walks a month on the Belt Line and three walks a month in the Central Ravines (Moore/David Belfour). I have to say the top priority for me is to get some sort of signaled crossing at and David Belfour Park. Luckily, there are close traffic lights at Bathurst & Avenue, so its not hard to walk to them. There's often flooding the Moore Ravine & in David Belfour park after heavy rains. David Belfour park, though is the only paved element of this trail is probably the unsafest with trees often coming down and poor signage. In the Moore Ravine, there is often a lot of ice and I had one women fall and break her arm during the winter of 2012. The belt line itself is one of the better trails in the city for walking, but the old Discovery signs are out of date A beautiful trail -- rare in downtown Toronto. A safe way to cross through intersecting streets is the most important change needed to the trail. Although I don't use it on a regular basis, I use it frequently in the summer. An under/overpass might be worth considering at the Avenue Rd crossing as a signalized crossing could be dangerous and attract opposition from motorists. As both a user of the trail and a frequent car commuter on Bathurst and Avenue, I believe that the crossings at major streets really need to be improved for everyone's safety. I can't count the number of times I've seen joggers or cyclists dash across Bathurst or Avenue, narrowly avoiding cars. This really needs to be taken care of! Bicycle infrastructure in Toronto needs to be a priority! Bike shelters placed in the middle of the road aid in crossing busy intersections. a la Vancouver Build it and they will come!! Drainage and access to LRT should be no-brainers. excellent multi use trail in a highly populated area. How about paving the old section like the new section and joining them. How about bridges or tunnels instead of traffic lights. I am not really concerned about the lights or winter maintenance but agree with everything else. I believe that the installation of safe crossings at the major roads mentioned above is the most pressing need. i don't live in that part of the city, but i also don't own a car and use my bike as transportation and have found the beltline trail a wonderful way to move through that par of the city when i have to travel there. I grew up in the yonge and eglinton area and would walk the belt line on a daily basis, generally with my mother. My family still lives in that neighbourhood and would appreciate the improvements immensely. I have also written a letter, but would like to add that I think maintaining this trail as a viable greenspace for this area is very important. Most parts of the city have larger green spaces for recreation, dog walking, etc. - this is pretty much all we have in this part of town and we should be doing everything we can to maintain it and to encourage people to use it. In order to do so, lighting the darker parts of the trail is vital -- especially for fall, spring and winter. And keeping the trail free of large patches of ice in winter is also important. Those are my main concerns, though the others stated in the petition are also very good points. I have been a huge fan of rail-trails since 1988 and I plan and spend my weekends and entire vacations around rail-trails. And it is sad for me to see that such a busy recreational corridor in my own city is in such a neglected Icondition. ran and biked on the belt Line trail for many many years until we moved to Don Mills. But I still access it from Mt Pleasant Cemetery when riding through the city. It is one of the unique places in Toronto like our ravines that should be protected upgraded and maintained. Cycle Toronto - Beltline Trail Online Petitioner Comments I sign as a devoted cyclist, backing cycling. I commute north from Yonge and Eglinton to York University, Keele Campus, and cycle all around . I have cyclist friends who use the Beltline a lot and I would use it were I not cycling so much in other directions. It is on my back burner. I do think that a Beltline upgrade might ponder ways of helping pedestrians and cyclists to share the pathway, if possible. In Wilket Creek, whizzing bikes and slower walkers are a tricky mix; the smoother the surface, the faster the bikes, so good design is important. I think this is a terrific asset to the area and should be maintained in good condition. There is steady traffic on the beltline. It is well used. I used to live in that area and I loved using the Moore Park ravine section. There used to be an elaborate railway station at Moore Ave. I used to use the trail more frequently but have since moved north of Lawrence. I would be happy just to have the trail improved and deal with better alternatives for crossing the major roads I would like the 2 isolated sections of trail to connect better over the Allen Exwy. and to the Don Valley Trail near the brickworks and perhaps some better signage in Mount pleasant Cem. I would like to see safe crossings at each major intersection across the trail and bike arrows painted across the streets. I would also like to see at each crossing a yellow caution sign placed on both sides of the crossing indicating to drivers that this is a bike/pedestrian crossing and they have to slow down and come to a stop. It would be great to have street lights added to these crossing so all ped travellers (cyclists included) can stop traffic to cross otherwise underpasses should be dug so traffic is not stopped. I would love to use it more, but I'm concerned about safety, especially in the wake of the sexual assaults in I would use it more if it weren't so dangerous trying to get across Bathurst and Avenue Road I would use the trail more if improvements such as curb cuts and safe crossings are in place, and I would bring my children. I would use this trail much more if it were in better condition for a road bicycle. A paved path similar to other park trails which is not too steep would be much more desirable.

This is a very important development because we need a safe path from the north end of Sherbourne (and the new dedicated bike lanes) to connect to the bicycle trail on Moore Ave. In this way cyclists can travel north without sharing narrow streets with many cars. If you have children or grandchildren who cycle or will cycle someday, think about what you can do to make them more safe. Thank you. Improved bike infrastructure and bike safety benefits the entire city. In some areas the surface is currently unsafe. Better crossings are needed at Bathurst and Avenue Road It's a pity that due to the lack of lighting I cannot use the Beltline after 5 pm in the winter, or even after mid- evening in the summer.

Please push for the installation of lighting and while you're at it, please also ask the City to consider extending the Belt Line.

Thank you for all your efforts. Cycle Toronto - Beltline Trail Online Petitioner Comments It's a shame there's no lighting on most of the trail, rendering it useless for a big part of each evening.

Also, it would greatly appreciated if the curbs on the sidewalks at the main street crossings were sloped down to make for an easier crossing.

Thank you. It's the life line of the city. I've used it twice in the past month and just can't believe how difficult and dangerous it is to cross the roads, no crosswalks or curb cuts, especially at Avenue and Bathurst! Kay Gardiner Belt line should be paved. Also there is no lighting and is not safe for women biking alone Longer bike and running hours, water fountains usable all year, groomed trails all year Longer bike and running hours, water fountains usable all year, groomed trails all year more and better drainage please. more bike lanes are needed. They also need to be segregated from motor vehicles because painting a line is not a barrier. You need a actual separate bike path Off-road trails near old tracks, or on ravines, like this one are very important for Toronto. With improved access and safety, we can encourage safer cycling, walking and running through these. Thanks! Our inner city trails sets Toronto apart from many other cities. It is a natural resource that makes the city liveable, breathable and enjoyable. We must appreciate and preserve the Belt Line Trail for all Torontonians, present and future. Please consider maintenance on path from Forest Hill Rd to the trail. Please make this safer and more accessible for bikes!!! Please mark locations of public toilets, drinking water near the trail. Graphics of trail, and perhaps history (as like St. Clair LRT) would be welcome. Put cutouts at the curbs. There is little logic to have one of the city's oldest bike paths arranged in such a manner as to damage bikes, i.e., full hit curb walls where the path meets a north/south road. It would also benefit people using mobility devices, such as scooters, wheel chairs, and walkers. Safe crossings at major streets would make this great resource even better. Safety for crossing is my biggest concern. The connections would be a great improvement in safety. The crossings, hours at the cemetary and wayfinding are of particular interest.

And I have not felt very welcome as a cyclist - perhaps trail use protocols would help various users avoid conflicts.

The street crossings are a real danger and need to be made safer. Please install on-demand pedestrian crossings. (Tunnels and bridges would be too expensive and disruptive). The world will not end if a few cars are slowed down for a few seconds to let people cross the road. The thing I want most with the Beltline is clear, effective, signage that would help connect the York and Toronto sections. Lights and winter maintenance are nice (cost!) but not essential IMO. The trail is an excellent commuting route for me to get to a client in Leaside. Would be nice if crossings at Bathurst, Avenue & Oriole were safer. This a unique aspect of the city & should be enhanced for the enjoyment of all !! This is a much needed east-west corridor. I hope this petition and the efforts of those stakeholders involved will encourage our city authorities to consider other off road access corridors in the mid Toronto. Cycle Toronto - Beltline Trail Online Petitioner Comments This is a route that I'm already proud of, but it needs safety improvements. This is an amazing trail and use it daily. Dropped curbs would be a boon. Thanks! This trail is a really awesome way for me to get to my work on Castlefield and Dufferin. It's calm, secure, beautiful. The only problem it's crossing the streets with my bike on my back in the middle of traffic in rush hour. Because of the lack of a red light for the trail. This trail should be totally connected there is now excuse why it is not !! There should be a connection between the end of the beltline at the west end to the beginning of the Eglington West Cycle Path which begins at Jane, really silly how they don't connect !!! This year, I joined 3 cycling group and through out the summer we used the trail for all 3 groups. As well, I belong to walking group and it has been used by the group. After leaving in the city for over 25 years, it was great to discover something new for all to enjoy. toronto needs more bike lanes!!! Use it as a way for getting from A to B on long trips. Used it tonnes during the summer. IT was an amazing discovery about a year ago. Myself and a colleague use it to get to work. Its a 24km commute that wouldn't be possible without the Beltline We desperately need safer . The costs in deaths and injuries are tragic. We have the opportunity with the Beltline Trail to create an important urban corridor for walkers, runners and cyclists. Improved crossings, access, and lighting are absolutely necessary for both commuters and recreational users of the trail. The investment will pay off, and show the way for other rail corridors in Canadian urban