If you’re a cyclist in Toronto, you probably know that Shaw Street is a damn good street for biking. The city first redesigned the one-way street in 2013, adding a bike lane in each direction (one of which is a contra-flow bike lane). Then in 2020, they made it so that the one-way direction for cars alternated every few blocks. This stopped drivers from using it as a high-speed shortcut. The result was an immediate increase in cycling.
Here’s some data from Observing the City for the intersection of Bloor and Shaw:
As of June 2025, the modal split at this intersection during peak hours was 34% bikes, 21% pedestrians, 1% trucks, and 44% cars. At times, there has been a 310% increase in cycling trips since the redesign. It goes to show you that the right street design (or the wrong one) will induce demand. If you look at the intersection counts for the entire city, you’ll see just how profoundly built form impacts behaviour. Cycling is broadly an Old Toronto thing.
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