Amsterdam is ripping out a bike lane on a main arterial. Toronto may follow suit. Here’s the main difference.

Watched a NJB video and found out Amsterdam has begun ripping out bike lanes on one of their main arteries.

But here’s the catch.

The bike lane being removed in Amsterdam is on a main arterial that had through traffic completely blocked off a year before.

So the only traffic left are cars that actually live there, trams, and the cyclists.

With most cars gone, the bike lane literally wasn’t needed anymore, so they removed it, bikes are still safely on the road, and the bike lane space was used for something else.

Toronto in comparison could have bike lanes removed on an arterial as well. But through traffic is not blocked off, and there is no safe alternative.

In Toronto’s case, the bike lane is not only needed but cyclists will be less safe since no traffic calming will be done before the removals.

TL:DR: Bike lanes are car infrastructure because it gives protection from the excessive cars.

Remove the cars and slow the remaining ones down, and you don’t need bike lanes.