Third arrest made in Etobicoke bike lane removal protests on Bloor Street West Toronto police arrested a third person during demonstrations against the Ontario government's removal of bike lanes on Bloor Street West in Etobicoke, as construction continues despite protests. Toronto police arrested a third person on Wednesday during a demonstration against the removal of bike lanes along Bloor Street West in Etobicoke. Officers said a woman was taken into custody near Bloor Street West and Lothian Avenue for mischief and obstructing police. It is the third arrest since the Ford government began removing a roughly one-kilometre stretch of bike lanes between Islington Avenue and Royal York Road. Construction crews started removing the bike lanes on Tuesday after the province announced it would move forward with the plan. The work was temporarily halted when demonstrators gathered to protest. On Wednesday, crews resumed removal, drawing continued protests and a large presence of uniformed police officers.Third protester arrested in bike lane removal demonstrationThe construction was expected to run through Nov. 17, according to a notice on the city website. At Wednesday afternoon's protest, a 25-year-old woman from Hamilton was arrested and charged with mischief and obstructing a peace officer. Shortly before 8:00 p.m., police alleged that the suspect, who was part of the demonstrations, removed municipal signage and attempted to leave the area before being stopped.Khoa Thanh Phan, 20, of Toronto, was charged with mischief, interfering with lawful use of property and theft under $5,000, police said in a news release. The charges have not been proven in court. Critics of the provincial government's decision say removing the lanes will make the area unsafe for cyclists and argue it represents provincial overreach. The province cited traffic congestion concerns as its reason for removing the lanes.In a statement Tuesday, Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said, Make no mistake: these bike lanes are coming out. We have a clear mandate and we will deliver. In 2024, the provincial government passed legislation granting itself the authority to remove the lanes. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice temporarily blocked the move, but the Ontario Court of Appeal overruled the lower court's decision, paving the way for the province to proceed.City to spend $48 million on bike lane removal; report questions effectivenessAn engineering report previously commissioned by the province found that bike lane removal might increase vehicle capacity, but the actual alleviation of congestion may be negligible or short-lived. According to the City of Toronto, the cost of removal is expected to reach an estimated $48 million, which also includes plans to remove bike lanes along stretches of Yonge Street and University Avenue.Premier Doug Ford previously called the nearly $50-million estimate a bunch of hogwash, adding, We're going to show them how to do it for a lot less and get traffic moving. A recent Nanos Research poll of 757 Toronto residents found that 46 per cent of respondents see traffic congestion as the city's greatest inconvenience. Nine per cent said there were too many bike lanes and bike paths, making it the third-biggest problem for people getting around Toronto.Eight per cent said there was a need for more bike lanes and paths. The issue has become polarizing ahead of Toronto's Oct. 26 mayoral election. Supporters of incumbent Mayor Olivia Chow and front-runner Brad Bradford appear divided. Nanos Research chief data scientist Nik Nanos said in a statement that 74 per cent of Chow voters support or somewhat support the lanes, while 74 per cent of Bradford voters oppose or somewhat oppose them.