Commuter alert: Construction for Bloor bike lane project gets underway today

Bloor Street commuters, take note. Starting Tuesday, the road is reduced to one lane in both directions from Shaw Street in the west to Avenue Road in the east for the construction of bike lanes as part of a city pilot project.

• VIDEO |Matt Galloway reviews the Bloor bike laneroute

As of Monday evening, drivers will be unable to park on that stretch of the street ahead of the construction. Crews will be painting bike lanes, and installing flexi-posts to act as a physical barrier between cyclists and motorists.

The installation will cost about $500,000, and construction will run around the clock from Monday to Friday with the possibility of some weekend work. The city says the noisy work will be limited to daytime hours, and construction should be completed in about two weeks.

Matt Moreland, who worksas a bicycle delivery person for Village Pizza on Dovercourt, said he avoids Bloor Street and takes side streets when he can to get away fromheavy car traffic.

He is concerned that lane reductions during construction could make cycling more dangerous along the roadway. But long-term, bike lanes make cycling more accessible and help all commuters share the roads.

"I really like the direction Toronto's going in with how we treat cyclists. I feel like five, 10 years ago everybody hated the cyclists, but now it's becoming pretty normal," Moreland told CBC News. "So I mean there's more bikes on the road now than there ever has been so it's pretty great that the city is supporting that and making infrastructure that helps that."

But local businesses worry what the construction work willmean for getting customers through the door.

Kashif Yousef sells cellphones and accessories at a shop near Dovercourt, just west of the stretch of Bloor that will be affected. He is worried about the traffic and congestion on the roadway itself, as well as how it will impact his business.

He was also concerned about construction delays holding up completion of the work.

"But I'm thinking after they finish the construction when only one lane on Bloor Street, that will be horrible," he said. "For the cars who normally park on the streets. I think it should be bike lane on the side, but parking for the cars as well."

Youself does, however, think separate bike lanes are "a good idea.

"We're seeing more cars coming on the road and it's more congested. Me myself I'd like to ride a bike more in the summertime for exercise, plus we can reduce the cars on the street."

City council voted to approve the Bloor bike lane pilot project back on May 4.

The project will mean 135 on-street parking spaces will be lost, as well as the $840,000 in parking revenue they bring to the city.

But the city will use the project to track bike and car traffic, as well as the impact on local businesses. Staff will report back to council in 2017.