News   Apr 26, 2024
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Beltline Trail

The link goes to the "Fill in the Allen" thread - did the Allen Road EA ever get completed?

No.

The E-A was stopped in progress.

They only got to the Terms-of-Reference Stage.

Report recommending the termination of the process is here: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-93979.pdf

Recommendation from said report:

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The York Beltline Trail is very underrated, despite it having plenty of traffic, even during the pandemic.

The disconnect from the rest of the Beltline at the Allen really kills it.

They need to extend it through that right of way to the Allen and then put one way separated bike lanes on each of the bridges north and south of it over the Allen with sinage etc.

It will become more useful when it terminates in the West at the new Caledonia GO station. Even more useful if they extend the proposed Davenport Diamond path up to it.
 
Missing raised road crossing...
RaiPed21.jpg

To FORCE motorists to actually slow down at the crossing. From link.

Missing Beltline Trail OVER Allen Road.
allen-3-jpg.25137

From link.

There was a berm when it was just the Allen DITCH, but was removed when the Allen Road was put in.
989b4f7401ec24c1a23e7e31b89d9050

From link.

I kinda had another think about this and the proposal to build a pedestrian bridge connecting the two Beltline trails.

Looking at Google Maps, Aldburn Road overpass is about the most useless bridge ever. I actually am surprised it was even built at all. Not only is it ridiculously close to Elm Ridge Drive bridge, but what is it even connecting? Two dead end roads? For what purpose?

I really think that the Aldburn Road bridge should be closed to car traffic and just be repurposed to a pedestrian/cycling only bridge to cross the Allen.
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I kinda had another think about this and the proposal to build a pedestrian bridge connecting the two Beltline trails.

Looking at Google Maps, Aldburn Road overpass is about the most useless bridge ever. I actually am surprised it was even built at all. Not only is it ridiculously close to Elm Ridge Drive bridge, but what is it even connecting? Two dead end roads? For what purpose?

I really think that the Aldburn Road bridge should be closed to car traffic and just be repurposed to a pedestrian/cycling only bridge to cross the Allen.
View attachment 469703

Ultimately, I'm in favour of filling in The Allen here, which would make a bridge moot. But given that that is not on the immediate horizon, I think your proposal is a reasonable way to repurpose existing infrastructure and make a better link in the interim.
 
Ultimately, I'm in favour of filling in The Allen here, which would make a bridge moot. But given that that is not on the immediate horizon, I think your proposal is a reasonable way to repurpose existing infrastructure and make a better link in the interim.
Yes I think the takeaway is that a direct pedestrian bridge would be a waste of money really, with this bridge being so close by and some Allen proposal being floated.

Btw I'm in favour of decking over the Allen with a park, but keeping the road underneath.
 
Yes I think the takeaway is that a direct pedestrian bridge would be a waste of money really, with this bridge being so close by and some Allen proposal being floated.

Btw I'm in favour of decking over the Allen with a park, but keeping the road underneath.
Slowly, the problem with CO from motor vehicles will diminish. At least by 2035, all new cars and light-duty trucks sold in the country will be zero-emission vehicles. While used vehicles will still be around, by the 22nd century, it should be a different story.
 
I see there is an update on the Belt Line Gap page by the City:

Submit comments now by email, mail or phone. Comment deadline: April 19, 2024.

Transportation Services will be seeking City Council authority to install the proposed road safety improvements and bikeway connections. As part of the approval process, staff will report to the Infrastructure & Environment Committee of the City of Toronto on May 28, 2024. We will share more details on the project web page before this meeting.
 
I see there is an update on the Belt Line Gap page by the City:
While I was happy at first, I think this is a sign that the city has given up on this last portion of the trail between Marlee and the Allenway.

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Why build a fully separated bike lane all along Roselawn from the Allen Greenway to Marlee if youre going to use the part labelled "Future York Beltline trail connection"

Seems to me like they aren't going to use it and are just not saying so to not get any negative feedback until this work is done.
 
While I was happy at first, I think this is a sign that the city has given up on this last portion of the trail between Marlee and the Allenway.

View attachment 551073
Why build a fully separated bike lane all along Roselawn from the Allen Greenway to Marlee if youre going to use the part labelled "Future York Beltline trail connection"

Seems to me like they aren't going to use it and are just not saying so to not get any negative feedback until this work is done.

I am given to understand that the extension of the trail in green is still a go.

That will be handled by Park, Forestry and Recreation.

Transportation is doing the on-road link.

The Trail, however, will dead end at the sidewalk/path along the Allen soundwall for the foreseeable future.

Nothing is in process on an additional bridge over The Allen at this time.
 
It's really positive they're moving forward with improving the active transportation infrastructure around Marlee. I hope this is the start of revitalizing around the area--the bike lanes (painted stripe) on Roselawn to the west have all but disappeared, and the bike lanes on Marlee to the north could really use physical separation, and there is the space to do so. The suite of improvements will make it a lot safer and useable.

I'm a little unsure why they wouldn't just extend the Greenway south 50m to Eglinton, and the 20m strip on Eglinton between Marlee and Winona looks excluded as well (though I suppose that is TBD with the rest of the active transportation work on Eglinton).
 
I am given to understand that the extension of the trail in green is still a go.

That will be handled by Park, Forestry and Recreation.

Transportation is doing the on-road link.

The Trail, however, will dead end at the sidewalk/path along the Allen soundwall for the foreseeable future.

Nothing is in process on an additional bridge over The Allen at this time.

Sure, but I think then the Roselawn work is redundant and unnecessary. If it was a longer strip, sure, but in the case of extending the trail I would just do this:

1000006517.jpg


And put a Bikeway on the Allen Path on the west side connecting to the new York Beltline Trail extension.
 

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