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The City of London just announced that because of the opening of two bike superhighways in July of 2010 bike traffic is up 70% on two major thoroughfares in London in the year following. Build to get people on bikes instead of in their cars laying down safe, straightforward cycling paths from outer neighborhoods into the city. They plan to install an easy to navigate cycling super numerical series of such super pathways.
Read more: London's Bike Superhighways Help Bike Traffic Increase by 70% | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
Read More: concerning the input of cyclists in the design of the Bike superhighways
Other cities have built such roadways for decades such that they are a normal part of the transportation choices for people in the Netherlands - which didn't get its extensive network of separated bicycle facilities overnight—it took decades [1.source]
Another city - Portland—which may spend $600 million on bicycle infrastructure over the next 20 years, with a goal of upping the cycling rate to 25 percent of all trips by 2030—that has most energetically taken on the bicycle boulevard concept...[1.source]
And further...
Sweden Plans A New Superhighway For Cyclists
Those Scandinavians are so cutting edge and bike friendly. Now they’re going a step further, connecting two cities with a major artery that’s for bikes only. [2.source]
Chicago has a series of protected bike lanes which probably would be a good idea for your Toronto with its car non-centrism around the rights of people moving and people driving.
[caption id="attachment_10504" align="aligncenter" width="469" caption="Protected bike lanes are designed with all kinds of people in mind, Chicago, Click image to visit source of image site, livininthebikelane.blogspot.com"]
[/caption]Transport for London's Cycle Superhighways site click here to view.
As much as Rob Ford's reactionist stance on cycling is lamentable, we will soon be building protected bike lanes on Sherbourne and hopefully on either Richmond or Adelaide. Cycling infrastructure isn't going to be forgotten in Toronto because cycling makes sense and has grown in popularity. Furthermore, the West Toronto Railpath, in being completely separated from cars with ramp-style entrances, is more evocative of a bicycle "highway" than a bike lane painted blue on a city street (even if it's shared with pedestrians).
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