emilyhesp

This map shows that high percentages of cyclists reside in the downtown core and are particularly salient along the three major roads from which the provincial government, under Bill 212, has proposed removing bike lanes. Government officials cited low percentages of bike trips (3-4%) and road congestion as two primary reasons for introducing the new legislation. One stipulation in the bill calls for the removal of the bike lanes on Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue. However, a report produced for the Ministry of Transportation warned that the removal of these bike lanes could lead to 54% increase in collisions for all road users.

The decision made by the provincial government is not reflective of the needs of cyclists in Toronto. As shown in the map, higher percentages of cyclists (as evidenced by the darker shade of green) live in the downtown area, nearer to the major roads (i.e. Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue) that will have bike lanes removed. Bill 212 would negatively impact the high concentration of cyclists living in these areas, in addition to those who commute along these streets from other parts in the city, by unnecessarily exposing riders to an increased risk of accidents and injuries from motor vehicles.

When the provincial government speaks of the low percent of bike trips in Toronto, the spatial distribution of the people making those 3-4% trips is not taken into account. Removing bike lanes in high-use areas would make cycling downtown less accessible for cyclists, seasoned or novice, who are concerned about their own safety on the road. This map of the downtown area visually evidences that the provincial government is removing bike lanes where they are needed most by commuters.

This map and the answers included in the PDF below were created for a class project. It was one of the first maps I made, so there are a few beginner mistakes in the symbology. The final map was graded based on the overall layout, inclusion and quality of map elements (i.e. title, legend, additional elements). We were expected to submit a PDF of our map and one or two paragraphs explaining the choices made in constructing the map. 

If I were to make this map again, I would…

• …Add blue or brown to the choropleth colour gradation to introduce a hue shift that and helps users with deuteranopia (green blindness) to differentiate between colours. 
  • Additionally, the map would benefit from a greater degree of contrast between shades in the choropleth. 
• …Use purple or orange would be a better choice for the streetcar line colour so that it contrasts better against the green choropleth map.
• …Not use blue to represent the cycle networks. Viewers may confuse the blue lines for linear water features, such as rivers, since blue is typically used to represent water features.
  • It is not a major concern, since the line features are clearly defined as Cycle Networks in the legend. Going forward, I will keep intuitive aspects of map design, like colour associations, in mind when making choices with map symbology.

Click download or the PDF file name below if you wish to read more about my rationale for the design choices!