Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
@mbonsma.bsky.social
Transportation data scientist, former physicist.
I post about bikes and safe streets, local politics, and sometimes science. She/her.
I post about bikes and safe streets, local politics, and sometimes science. She/her.
Pinned
I have removed
the bike lanes
that were in
the road
and which
you were probably
using
to get to work
Forgive me
they were delicious
so crunchy
and so cold
the bike lanes
that were in
the road
and which
you were probably
using
to get to work
Forgive me
they were delicious
so crunchy
and so cold
It's hard for me to feel anything but pure childlike joy about this weather
January 25, 2026 at 11:58 PM
It's hard for me to feel anything but pure childlike joy about this weather
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
A colourful and interesting new map of building heights in Toronto, featuring 8 height ranges and using 2025 data from the City of Toronto. https://schoolofcities.github.io/toronto-buildings/heights-2025
January 24, 2026 at 4:00 PM
A colourful and interesting new map of building heights in Toronto, featuring 8 height ranges and using 2025 data from the City of Toronto. https://schoolofcities.github.io/toronto-buildings/heights-2025
-23C wind chill and plenty of snow on the ground in Toronto. The bike lanes and sidewalks are mostly clear, and people are using them! Lots of people biking today, and of course, even more people walking.
January 23, 2026 at 4:03 PM
-23C wind chill and plenty of snow on the ground in Toronto. The bike lanes and sidewalks are mostly clear, and people are using them! Lots of people biking today, and of course, even more people walking.
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
The Province is appealing the decision that protected Toronto’s bike lanes. On the eve of the Cycle Toronto v. Ontario appeal hearing, we’re coming together to defend our victory.
Tuesday, Jan 27 5:30 PM
Pillars of Justice (361 University Ave)
Be there.
www.cycleto.ca/defending_your_victory_rally
Tuesday, Jan 27 5:30 PM
Pillars of Justice (361 University Ave)
Be there.
www.cycleto.ca/defending_your_victory_rally
January 22, 2026 at 6:20 PM
The Province is appealing the decision that protected Toronto’s bike lanes. On the eve of the Cycle Toronto v. Ontario appeal hearing, we’re coming together to defend our victory.
Tuesday, Jan 27 5:30 PM
Pillars of Justice (361 University Ave)
Be there.
www.cycleto.ca/defending_your_victory_rally
Tuesday, Jan 27 5:30 PM
Pillars of Justice (361 University Ave)
Be there.
www.cycleto.ca/defending_your_victory_rally
Just got my ticket so I can now repost this
Toronto! Tickets are now available to the general public for our live show on Thursday, February 5th at the Hot Docs Ted Rodgers Cinema, presented by @cycletoronto.bsky.social.
Take that, Doug Ford!
boxoffice.hotdocs.ca/websales/pag...
Take that, Doug Ford!
boxoffice.hotdocs.ca/websales/pag...
January 22, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Just got my ticket so I can now repost this
My typical workday: I thought I could do lots of things quickly and instead I did a few things slowly
January 20, 2026 at 9:38 PM
My typical workday: I thought I could do lots of things quickly and instead I did a few things slowly
Me out front vs. my son humming happily to himself in his cozy compartment. "Why are you cold, Mom? I'm not cold at all!"
January 20, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Me out front vs. my son humming happily to himself in his cozy compartment. "Why are you cold, Mom? I'm not cold at all!"
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
Me pitching a train ad campaign
January 20, 2026 at 4:11 AM
Me pitching a train ad campaign
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
Ever wondered what a downtown pedestrian streets looks like on a Monday evening in the middle of January in Montreal?
January 20, 2026 at 12:29 AM
Ever wondered what a downtown pedestrian streets looks like on a Monday evening in the middle of January in Montreal?
It's a snow day, and we walked to a friend's house on deserted streets. My 6-year-old made up a little chant: "Hooray! Hooray! No one's driving cars today!"
January 15, 2026 at 5:53 PM
It's a snow day, and we walked to a friend's house on deserted streets. My 6-year-old made up a little chant: "Hooray! Hooray! No one's driving cars today!"
I just don't see why we need all these car lanes. Everyone knows people don't drive in the winter!
January 15, 2026 at 5:49 PM
I just don't see why we need all these car lanes. Everyone knows people don't drive in the winter!
Then: Welland River
Now: Taylor-Massey Creek
Now: Taylor-Massey Creek
January 13, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Then: Welland River
Now: Taylor-Massey Creek
Now: Taylor-Massey Creek
This is literally where I live, and I feel so lucky about it. 5 minutes to the subway, grocery stores, shopping, school, 10 minutes to the beautiful Toronto ravines. Perfection.
The perfect house would have a front door that opened to a 15-minute city and a back door that opened to a hiking trail
January 10, 2026 at 11:44 PM
This is literally where I live, and I feel so lucky about it. 5 minutes to the subway, grocery stores, shopping, school, 10 minutes to the beautiful Toronto ravines. Perfection.
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
🚨 New publication alert 🚨 4 years of #PedalPoll data confirms the old adage "build it & they will come" but high comfort & accessibility key to grow #cycling in 🇨🇦 . H/T @mbonsma.bsky.social @meghanwinters.bsky.social @velocanadabikes.bsky.social & others www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Cycling rate trends from Canada’s national volunteer cycling count
Pedal Poll/Sondo Vélo, Canada’s national volunteer bicycle count, completed its fourth count year in 2024. We analyzed this large, crowdsourced datase…
www.sciencedirect.com
January 6, 2026 at 5:29 PM
🚨 New publication alert 🚨 4 years of #PedalPoll data confirms the old adage "build it & they will come" but high comfort & accessibility key to grow #cycling in 🇨🇦 . H/T @mbonsma.bsky.social @meghanwinters.bsky.social @velocanadabikes.bsky.social & others www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
My @thestar.com column this week: The good news about Toronto’s new traffic czar? He helped push for the tough choices that led to the only Toronto traffic fix that ever worked.
Here’s what we should remember about the 2015 Pan Am Games transportation plan.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Here’s what we should remember about the 2015 Pan Am Games transportation plan.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Matt Elliott: Toronto’s new traffic ‘czar’ once unjammed this notoriously traffic-jammed city. Here’s how he did it
City hall may have hired the right guy for the right job, given Andrew Posluns’s track record.
www.thestar.com
January 6, 2026 at 4:10 PM
My @thestar.com column this week: The good news about Toronto’s new traffic czar? He helped push for the tough choices that led to the only Toronto traffic fix that ever worked.
Here’s what we should remember about the 2015 Pan Am Games transportation plan.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Here’s what we should remember about the 2015 Pan Am Games transportation plan.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
I still can't believe I can walk to this AND the subway.
January 5, 2026 at 11:05 PM
I still can't believe I can walk to this AND the subway.
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
Fewer cars = good number go up, bad number go down
January 5, 2026 at 5:12 PM
Fewer cars = good number go up, bad number go down
If you could snap your fingers and remove 10% of the vehicles causing traffic and clogging up the streets, would you do it? That power exists, and it's called congestion pricing.
Today in the New York Times:
"One year after the start of congestion pricing, traffic jams are less severe, streets are safer, and commute times are improving for travelers from well beyond Manhattan."
"One year after the start of congestion pricing, traffic jams are less severe, streets are safer, and commute times are improving for travelers from well beyond Manhattan."
January 5, 2026 at 4:46 PM
If you could snap your fingers and remove 10% of the vehicles causing traffic and clogging up the streets, would you do it? That power exists, and it's called congestion pricing.
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
Today in the New York Times:
"One year after the start of congestion pricing, traffic jams are less severe, streets are safer, and commute times are improving for travelers from well beyond Manhattan."
"One year after the start of congestion pricing, traffic jams are less severe, streets are safer, and commute times are improving for travelers from well beyond Manhattan."
January 5, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Today in the New York Times:
"One year after the start of congestion pricing, traffic jams are less severe, streets are safer, and commute times are improving for travelers from well beyond Manhattan."
"One year after the start of congestion pricing, traffic jams are less severe, streets are safer, and commute times are improving for travelers from well beyond Manhattan."
6-year-old has been concerned for a long time about the sun turning into a red giant in 5 billion years. We had the conversation tonight about how there are some other problems we have to deal with a lot sooner than that, and he really gets it, unlike some adults who shall not be named.
January 5, 2026 at 1:00 AM
6-year-old has been concerned for a long time about the sun turning into a red giant in 5 billion years. We had the conversation tonight about how there are some other problems we have to deal with a lot sooner than that, and he really gets it, unlike some adults who shall not be named.
One thing I love about Toronto is I've never encountered even one single person doing "you're not FROM here". No one is gatekeeping the identity of being from Toronto. I felt it immediately when I moved here as an adult and it's a big reason Toronto feels like home.
always wild when people do woke nativism
December 31, 2025 at 8:46 PM
One thing I love about Toronto is I've never encountered even one single person doing "you're not FROM here". No one is gatekeeping the identity of being from Toronto. I felt it immediately when I moved here as an adult and it's a big reason Toronto feels like home.
10 minutes from my door to this.
December 27, 2025 at 7:55 PM
10 minutes from my door to this.
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
The days between December 25 and January 1 are the Lanthanides and Actinides of the Gregorian calendar
December 26, 2025 at 6:32 PM
The days between December 25 and January 1 are the Lanthanides and Actinides of the Gregorian calendar
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
unironically a good idea
December 27, 2025 at 1:40 AM
unironically a good idea
Reposted by Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD
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December 27, 2025 at 1:39 AM
We are now 11 subscribers away from a pretty big end-of-year goal. Please sign up and support the podcast!
www.patreon.com/c/thewaronca...
www.patreon.com/c/thewaronca...