What's your Commute?

[joe]

What's your route?

[AnnieD]

Ossington and Dupont to University Av.: Shaw down to Barton, S on Manning to Lennox and across Sussex (reversing 1-way blocks between Borden and Spadina, popular with cyclists but needs contraflow lanes so we don't get dinged during bike month), S on Huron, (across Harbord and Queen's Park when going to Yonge and Gloucestor), across College and through Baldwin village. McCaul and Elm is always a mess.

Ossington and Dupont to Eglinton and Laird: Across Davenport, up Christie and across St. Clair to Tichester (a good connection is needed there!), Tichester and Heath are a real pain, with bumper to bump cars sometimes backed up for blocks and leaving no room between themselves and the sidewalk. I won't pass on the right when there are a few cars in front of me at an intersection, but 3 blocks of unmoving traffic blocking me... different story. Eventually up Lascelles and across Broadway, where there is more crazy congestion until Mount Pleasant followed by delightfully smooth roads. Return trip via Don Valley when I have time, though there needs to be more access points to exit the path because getting off at Riverdale is a heck of a detour.

[joe]

I've got a brand new commute, as my wife and I moved to the Danforth & Woodbine area just before Christmas. :)

In the mornings, I'll take Sammon or Milverton across to Pape, and then either the Danforth or one of the sidestreets to the Viaduct. After that it's all bikelanes - Sherbourne and Wellesley to my work destination at Bay and College. :)

On the way home it's generally a reverse of that - except I'll take the Danforth east right to Greenwood, and take Strathmore and Milverton the rest of the way to Woodbine to avoid the hills. :)

[Peter]

My commute starts at Kipling/Lakeshore to Mississauga Rd.

Mississauga Rd North to Indian Rd.

Indian Rd North-West to South Sheridan Way.

South Sheridan way to Erin Mills.

Erin Miss to North Sheridan Way... which takes me to work.

About 19KM each way total.

[Johann Strauss]

Pouya said:

Finch and Yonge to St. George and Bloor.

Question: How do you get over/under the 401?

Do you take the tunnel under the 401 at Yonge or Avenue Road over the 401?

I commute from Bayview Eglinton to YongeFinch via Duplex/Jedburgh then Yonge Boulevard to Wilson, down Wilson Hill to York Mills Station and up the big hill on Yonge to the off-ramp tunnel, then through the new condos and up Kenneth to Finch/Bishop.

Would it be better to take Avenue over the 401 and then over to Bathurst and Sheppard and finally up Senlac? Any ideas which is safer? Safety is much more of a consideration than time and distance...

[Todd Tyrtle]

Johann,

One of my commutes brings me from east end Toronto, up Duplex and working my way up to Dufferin and Steeles. I *really* prefer the Avenue Rd. overpass to the underpass. Both suck but I prefer not to be in an enclosed space. (route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Yonge-and-Eglinton-to-Dufferin...)

Going from Bayview and Eglinton to Bishop and Yonge I might consider taking Broadway east into Sunnybrook Park, go through the park north to Lawrence, jog on Lawrence to Banbury, through Rippleton Pk, to Scarsdale, then a short stretch on York Mills to Valleybrook. Duncan Mills will take you to another park. That park leads up to Cummer including a carfree tunnel under the 401. Cummer then leads to the Yonge & Finch area, of course. It isn't as direct as it could be (on the way home, if you go at rush hour Don Mills isn't that bad because the rightmost lane is bikes/buses/taxis/carpools only and most respect it). It's downhill, and there aren't many lights. You'll want to double-check the map (http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/map/pdf/2009-front.pdf) to make sure I didn't miss anything. It's been a couple years since I made that commute.

Hope this helps!

[Johann Strauss]

Thanks Todd! I'll check it out.

Todd Tyrtle said:

Johann,

One of my commutes brings me from east end Toronto, up Duplex and working my way up to Dufferin and Steeles. I *really* prefer the Avenue Rd. overpass to the underpass. Both suck but I prefer not to be in an enclosed space. (route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Yonge-and-Eglinton-to-Dufferin...)

Going from Bayview and Eglinton to Bishop and Yonge I might consider taking Broadway east into Sunnybrook Park, go through the park north to Lawrence, jog on Lawrence to Banbury, through Rippleton Pk, to Scarsdale, then a short stretch on York Mills to Valleybrook. Duncan Mills will take you to another park. That park leads up to Cummer including a carfree tunnel under the 401. Cummer then leads to the Yonge & Finch area, of course. It isn't as direct as it could be (on the way home, if you go at rush hour Don Mills isn't that bad because the rightmost lane is bikes/buses/taxis/carpools only and most respect it). It's downhill, and there aren't many lights. You'll want to double-check the map (http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/map/pdf/2009-front.pdf) to make sure I didn't miss anything. It's been a couple years since I made that commute.

Hope this helps!

[Blitzen]

College/Brunswick to Bloor/Spadina, then leave the bike and take a combination of subway, RT, bus and a little walking to Markham/Finch. I'd love to try biking the whole way, but I just can't face the uphills and I fear it would take me hours.

Does anyone have any ideas on a good route if I did want to try it?

[joe]

Cool "intermodal" commute, Blitzen. :)

Blitzen said:

College/Brunswick to Bloor/Spadina, then leave the bike and take a combination of subway, RT, bus and a little walking to Markham/Finch. I'd love to try biking the whole way, but I just can't face the uphills and I fear it would take me hours.

Does anyone have any ideas on a good route if I did want to try it?

[Blitzen]

Another option might be to bike to Warden station and take the Markham bus straight up. Does anyone have experience with the new bike racks on the buses? Will they take bikes during rush hours or only during off-peak times? I'm not comfortable leaving my bike at Warden. And then this means I will have to ride the Markham bus which is always packed.

[joe]

The Bikeracks can be used all the time, as long as there is a space in them for a bike (each hold 2).

Blitzen said:

Another option might be to bike to Warden station and take the Markham bus straight up. Does anyone have experience with the new bike racks on the buses? Will they take bikes during rush hours or only during off-peak times? I'm not comfortable leaving my bike at Warden. And then this means I will have to ride the Markham bus which is always packed.