by Angie Schmitt on January 12, 2011, StreetsBlog

London's "cycling superhighways" have produced a dramatic increase in biking. Will Toronto follow its lead? Going Going Bike
Figures are starting to come in from London’s investment in “cycle superhighways,” and the data make a strong argument for more robust dedicated bike infrastructure. A Transport for London study found that cycling is up 70 percent along routes where the city’s beefed-up bikeways were installed, reports Network blog Cyclicio.us. Part of the increase is probably attributable to the debut of London’s bike-share system and all the new “Boris bikes” available to the public since summer 2010.
At the same time, a proposal to create a network of separated bike lanes in Toronto is sparking a debate about their usefulness. Information from London, New York, and other cities that have built more advanced bike lanes should help allay some of the fears expressed by critics of Toronto’s plan, who have contended that the new lanes will expose cyclists to dooring and create problems for safety workers and motorists.