asmac

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toront...ts-mapped.html

FBinNY 

This is useful as a starting point, but may be of limited use if not adjusted for bicycle traffic volume.

In a certain sense the safest intersections for bicycles are those with little or no bicycle traffic. They may actually be the most dangerous -- imagine crossing a 6 land divided highway without a traffic light -- but if no bicycles enter, there won't be any accidents, ie it's "safe". Conversely a well designed intersection may appear dangerous simply because of higher bicycle volume.

So while accident data can be useful, cyclists need to know that the general doesn't translate to the specific, and their chance of an accident at any intersection depends most on their conduct.

BTW- this isn't intended to make the map seem useless. It can be a good pointer to places where further investigation to the causes of accidents is warranted. Hopefully Toronto's traffic planners will use it to advantage.

AEO

I can hypothesis on most of those intersections, since I've been through most of them.

Rathburn & The West mall: short distance to Hwy 427. People getting on and off need to change multiple lanes in a short distance.
Parkside & Lakeshore: not pedestrian or cyclist friendly at all. Very easy to cut off cyclist wanting to go to lakeshore trail, because of the sidewalk layout. Any cyclists SHOULD use Colborne Lodge and go through highpark.
Jameson & Lakeshore: Same deal as Parkside & Lakeshore, but compounded further by off ramp and on ramp for Gardiner Hwy.
Starchan & Lakeshore: Complex intersection with VERY wide road

Queen & Niagara: Confusing double T intersection and cyclists not obeying the signals.
Bloor & Keele: At the base of a pit with many cars from Keele and Parkside turning onto Bloor and vice versa.
Bloor & Brock: very narrow area with many shops and on street parking, so it is easy to get doored.
Dundas & Dupont: Complex 5-way intersection with very tight turn from Dupont to Annette and confusing Dupont/Dundas/Hook light sequence.

Lakeshore & Carlaw: Bike lane runs parallel to Lakeshore and drivers do not expect bikes to come from their left side blind spot. Also, due to poor light sequence at Eastern & Carlaw, cars get stuck inside the cross walk and bike lane. Also, many drivers fail to adjust their speed, since they usually are getting off from Gardiner.

Avenue & Lonsdale + Avenue & Chaplin Crescent : Confusing intersection, as drivers and cyclists become disorientated as to which road to take to get to the other section of Avenue.

Queen & River: Poor road design

Harbord & Ossington: Bike lane ends/starts for Harbord and there is a lot of traffic on Ossington, so it is difficult to make a left turn onto Harbord.


There's really no surprise that Bloor is the worst road to be on, as it is narrow, has poor sightlines, lots of on street parking and heavy traffic. You actually wouldn't want to drive on Bloor, because the bike is way faster with the volume of traffic it has.

FBinNY 

Statistics tell a broad story, but there's nothing like specific local knowledge to give them meaning.

I don't live in Toronto, but than you on behalf of anybody who rides there.

AEO

I think you will get even more meaning behind those markers if you compare them to traffic congestion during rush hour.


Parklawn & Lakeshore: Bike trail ends there and riders need to make a left onto lakeshore. The intersection is moderately busy to start with, since it is an exit point to Gardiner Hwy, but there are also streetcar tracks on that section of lakeshore to complicate things further.