Bike lanes on Bloor Street? Oshawa looking at future of southern corridors

Bike lanes for Bloor Street are one of the recommendations from a working group tasked with planning for future uses in the Simcoe-Bloor corridor.

The report, presented to Oshawa’s Economic and Development Services Committee Monday, is calling for bike lanes to be installed along Bloor Street to support the future intensification of the area.

The working group, part of the city’s Environmental Advisory Committee, also had a few suggestions for the Simcoe and Wentworth corridor, which is also part of the study area, including converting a vacant lot at the northwest corner of the intersection into either green space (it backs onto the Oshawa Creek valley and the city’s trail system) or community sports fields.

“We are concerned that there will (not) be sufficient recreational opportunities available to the residents in this area,” the working group noted in its report to committee.

The group also recommends preserving old growth trees on the property regardless of the development on the site.

Simcoe and Bloor, northwest corner – Oshawa

Bike lanes on Bloor Street one of the methods Oshawa can use to “de-vehicalize” the area, with the working group suggesting study team investigate how other countries implement bike lanes, citing the Dutch, who paints bike lanes right onto the road, making the road narrower and forcing cars to slow down and creating the bike lane allowance while also achieving safer traffic conditions.

The group also asked the study team to develop a mitigation plan, “should de-vehicalization in the area be not as successful as projected.”

City staff undertook a five-week public consultation process from January 16 to February 23 to engage residents and businesses on the study.

Planning Services staff are now in the process of developing two Master Block Concept Plans, as well as a high-level drainage analysis, a master stormwater drainage plan and a downstream erosion assessment.