Should cyclists be allowed to use the elevators to bring their bicycles onto the subway?

I think so, provided they are not crowding out people who use mobility devices. Carrying a bike up or down stairs can be very difficult especially after a long ride, and sustainable, multi-modal trips could be just what the doctor ordered for this region.

Should subway stations be integrated into buildings where possible?

I also thing so. Subways stations should be placed close to planned and development, as stand-alone station buildings aren’t necessarily the best use of the land. Taking it to the next step and putting subway station entrances into malls and office buildings results in a synergy where the property management company gets guaranteed traffic in front of their retail spaces while the TTC saves money on building infrastructure and accessible facilities. This seems to have worked well in many locations, and passengers have enjoyed the ability to walk from the subway to their office indoors for years.

But, what happens when the property management company bans bicycles or other objects from their buildings?

Today, I observed what appeared to be a security guard for a downtown mall (I won’t say which one) escorting a gentleman with a bicycle out of the building. It appeared that the gentleman brought the bike inside in order to use the elevator to get to the subway. At this particular station there is barrier-free access to the station using only public property, but what about a station like York Mills, where the only barrier-free access from the street is through an office building – where it is their prerogative to ban certain items from their property.

On one hand, there is no dispute that the mall is private property and that the property management company has the right to welcome or turn away any visitor of their choosing (within reason, of course). On the other hand, aren’t they infringing on reasonable freedom of mobility?

In the gray area between private and public property, who has control and who should have control?

Image source: Flickr user “naturalkinds” and is licensed under Creative Commons