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February 18, 2025
Cities Start to Backpedal on Bike Lanes: A Growing Crisis for Cyclists
First it was Premier Doug Ford in Ontario, Canada proposing and enacting legislation to rip up millions of dollars in bicycle infrastructure. There are protests ongoing, local politicians and groups lined up to oppose the move, but still it happens. The trend to remove bike lanes is growing, and it is scary, and based in […]
First it was Premier Doug Ford in Ontario, Canada proposing and enacting legislation to rip up millions of dollars in bicycle infrastructure. There are protests ongoing, local politicians and groups lined up to oppose the move, but still it happens. The trend to remove bike lanes is growing, and it is scary, and based in an imaginary world where the only thing that exists is a car and its suburban driver. There are no real congestion issue, no real environmental issues, no climate emergency, no transit funding crisis, nothing.
In San Mateo, the city’s decision to remove its longest bike lanes to install more parking spots is a clear step backward. This move is touted as a “compromise,” but it’s far from it. Replacing protected lanes with sharrows or bike boulevards, which offer no actual protection from traffic, simply undermines the safety of cyclists.
Now, surprising nobody, U.S. President Donald Trump is weighing in on the issue of bike lanes and congestion taxes in New York City, stating both will come to an end.
“Despite all of this, President Trump wants to bring back traffic. Getting rid of congestion pricing will bring more vehicles back into the zone – trapping New Yorkers in some of the worst traffic in the world,” said Ben Furnas, Executive Director at Transportation Alternatives. “Removing the bike lanes that make streets safer and make it easier for people to get around without a car will only lead to even worse traffic for everyone else, more traffic crashes, dirtier air ,and noisier neighborhoods. New Yorkers deserve to move, not sit trapped in endless gridlock – and New York City can’t let him destroy the most effective street policy the city’s seen in a generation.”
It’s one thing to remove a painted bike lane, which offered little protection anyway. But, to invest the resources to actually remove safe and separated bike lanes that take planning, and millions of dollars of investment, is so non-sensical it’s always comedic if it weren’t so tragic.
Bike lanes have become a culture war where those in favor are seen as “woke” or some other terrible conservative slur. But, most who use bike lanes are just regular people who want to save some money, and get the mental and health benefits to cycling to work.
Urban cyclists, bike commuters, and advocates for safer streets, have all noticed a troubling trend. What was once a symbol of progress toward sustainable transportation and safer roads for all is being reversed in multiple cities across North America.
For residents like Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, a Toronto cyclist and parent, the threat to current and future bike lanes is personal.
“If this policy is passed, it will become harder and more dangerous to ride a bike. The city won’t be able to move forward on their sustainable mobility plans. I bike to work almost every day using the Danforth and Bloor bike lanes,” she said, for a previous Momentum article. “Before those bike lanes existed, I would never have dreamed I would be making that trip regularly. But most importantly, this policy is a threat to the safety of Ontarians — without safe bike infrastructure, more people will be hurt and killed by cars.”
For those of us who bike every day, they’re a lifeline—connecting us to our destinations safely, encouraging healthier lifestyles, and reducing congestion. Yet, despite these benefits, cities are removing them at an alarming rate. What’s driving this? And what can we do about it?
The Pushback: Car-Centric Cities vs. Cyclists
A major reason for these rollbacks is the vocal opposition from car drivers and business owners who claim bike lanes disrupt traffic flow and reduce parking availability. The truth, though, is that bikes are far more efficient at moving people through dense urban areas than cars are. We know that bike lanes are far from empty—especially during rush hour. But it’s the squeaky wheel syndrome: those who are loud and resistant to change often overshadow the quieter voices advocating for better, safer alternatives.
In many cities, those pushing for the removal of bike lanes don’t face the same daily struggles cyclists do. The people who show up to city council meetings are often those with more time, money, and privilege—those who can afford to drive everywhere and park near their destinations. But for us, the cyclists—many of whom are from marginalized communities—bike lanes represent far more than just a mode of transportation. They represent safety, accessibility, and freedom from the gridlock that cars create.
Lack of Commitment to Real Change
Another key issue is the lack of long-term commitment to building true cycling infrastructure. A real bike network isn’t just a few painted lines or token bike boulevards. It’s a commitment to creating a connected, protected network that spans an entire city—one that allows cyclists to get from point A to point B without dodging traffic, worrying about unsafe intersections, or feeling like an afterthought in a car-dominated city.
And, it’s a formula that works. Investing in a safe cycling network pays off in a myriad of ways including economic benefits for local businesses. In Toronto, when the Ontario government threatened to remove the city’s oldest separated bike lanes along Bloor Street, one of the first groups to voice opposition to the proposal was a local business association.
In Cambridge, Massachusetts, the city didn’t stop at just installing a few bike lanes—they mandated protected lanes, and investing in infrastructure that makes cycling not only safer but also more accessible. The result? A significant increase in cycling.
And it happens over and over — Montreal, Seattle, Minneapolis, even, despite what Donald Trump might think, New York City, where an investment in cycling infrastructure has resulted in a massive increase in ridership.
The message here is clear: half-hearted efforts won’t work. If cities want to create real bike infrastructure, they need to commit to the long haul—just as they’ve done for car-centric infrastructure. Anything less simply won’t cut it.
What Can We Do? Don’t Let the Momentum Die
So what can we, as urban cyclists and commuters, do to fight this trend? First and foremost, we need to stay the course. We’ve fought for bike lanes before—against the tide of opposition and skepticism—and we can do it again. It’s no wonder critical mass rides are growing across North America. Toronto, for instance, has one scheduled for this weekend, Feb. 21. It won’t be easy, but it’s crucial that we continue to push for safe, accessible, and well-connected bike networks in our cities.
Take inspiration from cities such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam where cars also used to rule the streets until local residents said no more. Now, they are some of the most liveable, and bicycle-friendly places on earth.
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There are a lot of self-hating cyclists below in the comments. Sad for you “avid” guys that you can’t imagine how others fell threatened trying to ride bikes unprotected on the street, your empathy may be failing you in other areas too.
My suggestion, to build even stronger coalitions for active transportation, bringing scooter delivery people and other two wheel users into the fold, as the bike network helps them be safer and avoid dangerous unpredictable moves.
And call out the culture warriors for what they are: a small, vocal, anti bike contingent, who despite attributing the epithet “ban cars” to cyclists, actually desire themselves to BAN BIKES. Bike lanes don’t make driving impossible or deadly, but lack of them makes biking so… They’re robbing themselves and everyone else of the opportunity to bike their cities, purely out of spite and resentment.
I would suggest such anti bike critics take a head clearing spin… but I think we all know how that would go over
Come look at Victoria BC…we are having our bike lanes ramrodded down everyone’s throats with no regard to available transport options, upgrades to public transport or just plain common sense…and we’re trying to donit everywhere in town all at the same time. Multiple major commuting arteries are concurrently choked with construction…. if it was really meant as a solution maybe someone with foresight ( and power ) would roll it forward in stages..but no…we are an all or nothing mindest apparently and thus the problem: no gradual integration of new ideas promoting eventual acceptance – just a total push ehich inevitably leads to backlash. You are seeing it now.
Those bike lanes show the stupidity of Montreal city and its city planning. While many streets are not passable due to mountains of snow the bike lanes are all clear of snow. With its ingenious thoughts and design, the bike lanes created a mess no one can solve. I feel for those in need of an ambulance or a fire engine, mind as well walk on your own or put the fire on your own because many streets are now too narrow for large vehiculs.
What a dumb idiot design those things?
Unfortunately the last statement is no longer true. Amsterdam is removing many cycle paths nowadays. Car traffic is back to 30 km/hr, but bikes are combined with cars on such marrow roads that safe passing is a myth. They call these roads cycle roads (fietsstraat) but this name is only a suggestion and does not yield any protection.
Fast electrical bikes can handle this, but for children, the elderly and deaf people ( and tourists) it is a nightmare and unsafe.
My answer to Ron’s question “So what can we, as urban cyclists and commuters, do to fight this trend?” includes welcoming people who roll on wheelchairs and mobility scooters to use bike & roll routes. Quebec does . . . but not Ontario or other provinces. I wrote about this in the National Observer:
“I interviewed Dr Brett Petzer, a cycling infrastructure consultant from the Netherlands, at the B.C. Active Transport Summit in June. He explained that wheelchair and mobility scooter users have “made the coalition for good cycling infrastructure far more powerful, because it is not just cycling infrastructure.”
Petzer asserts that having wheelchairs and mobility scooters on bike and roll routes has created a broader, more diverse base of supporters for improved bike and roll routes. Because of this, “you have to design the cycling infrastructure to a level higher than what a fit, able-bodied cyclist needs,” he added.
The rest of Europe is following in the Netherland’s footsteps.”
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2025/01/30/opinion/bike-lanes-quebec-wheelchairs-mobility-scooters
I’m in Long Beach California the only high use bike ways are on the banks of the major water channels. I use the paint – in bike lanes but they are not used frequently.
I try to do all my shopping, Dr.appts, etc on my bike.
As a committed biker in the city of Lahore, Pakistan i had been advocting for a dedicated lane for bikers. Am glad to say there is a change. Bikers lanes are coming up on some of the most congested roads. Agree with the writer, need to keep up the momentum to have a healthier, safer and easy to park alternative. And above greener environment. I’ve been biking for the past 4 decades and continue to enjoy it.
This story is very sad. It feels as though the general public of Canadian cities will never accept the change that is needed. Selfish and short sighted.
Amazing that this clawback is happening not for any legitimate reason, but for purely ideological ones.
MAGA and Musk-inspired stupidity is making paved surfaces less efficient and safe for… reasons?
I live in the North Central neighborhood of San Mateo, CA where the bike lane issue is much more complex than expressed here. This neighborhood has a history of being racially targeted. I work at a Chinese church right next to a Japanese church and a few blocks from an African American church. This neighborhood was the only place people of color could get housing before laws were changed in the 1950’s and ‘60’s. There is no neighborhood school for the children in this neighborhood so they are bussed out to 5 other schools. The make up of our neighborhood is primarily Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and African American. It is the poor working class. Many housekeepers and landscapers and day laborers live here and use their vehicles for their jobs. And to make ends meet, because the cost of housing here is astronomical, several families will live in one housing unit, meaning that more vehicles are connected to a housing unit than was intended. When the bike lanes were installed without hardly any input from those impacted the most, they took out over 300 parking spots. It made an already crowded neighborhood even worse. They are not going to “install” 100 parking spots; they are giving back ONLY less than 1/3 of what they took away.
There is still no evidence that bike lanes improve cyclist safety, from any corner of the world. All they do is relocate a few crashes from mid-block, to intersections, and all else being equal, that trade is a net-negative since intersection crashes are the worst type, in terms of impact energy.
Attempting to build infrastructure dedicated to one type of vehicle:
* Does not scale, at all.
* Does not improve safety for pedestrians or vehicle occupants (both of whom are killed far more often than cyclists), at all.
* Is deleterious to the environment, as pouring concrete and paint are among the worst activities in that respect.
* Only increases the conflict between road-user groups.
In short, dedicated infrastructure is a horrible idea, and no one should be pursuing it. Instead, we should be focused on correcting road-user behavior — weighted heavily by the mass of the vehicle in question — since that is the entire cause of the road safety problem.
There is no actual Earthly reason why people traveling via different modes need separate infrastructures. The safest country in the world, Japan, has already illustrated this for some time.
thanks for your opinion, no matter how misguided and ignorant it is!!
I pay my property taxes. I drive about 100miles a month. I ride my bicycle at least 10 miles a day. Cut my taxes and and I will take care of the nasty drivers.
The “truth” is not all roadways are equal and there is room in the city for cycling and vehicle infrastructure. Some bike lanes have very low usage, density and have created gridlock.
There is no money in bicycles and parks. That the low life mentality of the USA
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