How long is your regular daily commute?

[ehlow]

True, dat. That is why I think ECLRT should be extended through Airport Corporate Centre, to Hurontario. Or GO RER Eglinton Corridor (otherwise called SmartTrack...)

Doesn't the Mississauga BRT cover that?

 

[TOareaFan]

When I'm heading west on the Gardiner in AM peak, I'm normally moving pretty well - the other direction looks far worse. When I get out to the 401, I normally proceed westbound with no issues. The incoming lanes look far worse.

I think that the traffic into the 416 is heavier than out of the 416.

I think you are right....but the delta is much smaller now than when I started my working career.

That said, when I am on the Gardiner WB at night it just stuns me the size of the nightly traffic jam coming back into the city. I obviously have no stats/research but it seems clear to me that we have reached the point where the combination of those reverse commuters coming home at night and the event-goers coming into downtown can take the road network over capacity for a few hours a night.

 

[wopchop]

That said, when I am on the Gardiner WB at night it just stuns me the size of the nightly traffic jam coming back into the city. I obviously have no stats/research but it seems clear to me that we have reached the point where the combination of those reverse commuters coming home at night and the event-goers coming into downtown can take the road network over capacity for a few hours a night.

Yes, there is definitely a lot more traffic heading eastbound on Gardner towards Humber Bay these days. Not surprising, really. For anyone that lives in that area and works in Mississauga, there isn't a simple way of getting to their job via Transit at all.

Eastbound on QEW / Gardner on days with Blue Jays / Leafs games can be pretty ridiculous ... hopefully GO RER can help solve this.

 

[nfitz]

I think you are right....but the delta is much smaller now than when I started my working career.

Oh, much smaller. Even recently ... 5 years or so ago, I jump on the Gardiner at 7:15 westbound and see nothing. Now it's 6:45 to do this.

 

[TOareaFan]

Oh, much smaller. Even recently ... 5 years or so ago, I jump on the Gardiner at 7:15 westbound and see nothing. Now it's 6:45 to do this.

I also have an anecdotal theory of road capacity and margin for errors based on frequency of traffic reports......it used to be very, very rare that you would ever hear the words "gardiner westbound" in morning traffic reports.....that is not to say there were never accidents but there was so much road capacity (built to handle the traditional go home crowd) that even those that happened did not cause major back ups or inconvenience (for those not in the accidents obviously).....now it is fairly common (might even say "regular") that you hear about accidents or other events causing "major delays on the WB gardiner getting out of the city" during the morning traffic reports. The margin of error created by the excess capacity has been consumed and the road is now subject the same issues all others are.

 

[James]

I also have an anecdotal theory of road capacity and margin for errors based on frequency of traffic reports......it used to be very, very rare that you would ever hear the words "gardiner westbound" in morning traffic reports.....that is not to say there were never accidents but there was so much road capacity (built to handle the traditional go home crowd) that even those that happened did not cause major back ups or inconvenience (for those not in the accidents obviously).....now it is fairly common (might even say "regular") that you hear about accidents or other events causing "major delays on the WB gardiner getting out of the city" during the morning traffic reports. The margin of error created by the excess capacity has been consumed and the road is now subject the same issues all others are.

I can agree with this theory. For example, the whole stretch of 401 within the city of Toronto is essentially stop-and-go traffic both westbound and eastbound during rush hour traffic. The sheer volume of commuters passing through the city, regardless if they're going to the 905 or somewhere else within the 416, has simply exceeded the 401's capacity. As this overcapacity continues, the traffic congestion grows outwards and eventually affects areas outside of the 416. So much so, that people in the 416 trying to get out to the 905 are affected as well, despite contrarian thought.

 

[nfitz]

I can agree with this theory. For example, the whole stretch of 401 within the city of Toronto is essentially stop-and-go traffic both westbound and eastbound during rush hour traffic. The sheer volume of commuters passing through the city, regardless if they're going to the 905 or somewhere else within the 416, has simply exceeded the 401's capacity.

I very much doubt that many of the people on the 401 in rush hour at the top of Toronto are passing through the city. I'd think most are either coming to, or leaving the city, or going between two points in the city.

Simply because if one was really just passing through the city would either wait until outside of rush hour, or use the 407, which is a very painless rush-hour bypass of the city (even with a lack of a connection in the east).

 

[James]

I should clarify by 'passing through the city', I'm alluding to traffic going in all directions; in, out and through 2 points in the city.

 

[APTA-2048]

You're a dedicated and patient individual. I'd guess that your 407 trip would be in the ballpark of $10 per one-way trip or thereabouts? It'd definitely add up if you were to do that every day. That's a tough commute. GO is most surely your best option.

407 is actually closer to $15. GO is definitely the better option. I'm stuck in the same 401 traffic whether I drive or take the GO bus, so at least I can nap/relax on the bus. I should note, with the limited GO schedule, I have to take the Wilson bus sometimes, which adds about 20-30mins. Interestingly, some days the 401 is so bad, taking a Wilson Express from Humber gets me to Yorkdale faster than taking the GO bus.

I'm working in the city over the summer. I catch the GO train from Rouge Hill and the subway to Davisville. I love the train.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Coming in from Markham, isn't the 401 pretty much backed up everywhere in the Scarborough stretch? It's been a while since I've driven that in rush hour but it always seems to be backed up between Warden Rd and McCowan Rd.

Sometimes yes, but I have been using Waze now for a year or so, and I am amazing at the routes it takes me on that get me to my door so quickly. I remember a big snow storm in February and thinking it would take me hours to get home, but Waze had me threading across the city, and I was home in almost the same time as usual.

Waze is great.

 

[James]

Sometimes yes, but I have been using Waze now for a year or so, and I am amazing at the routes it takes me on that get me to my door so quickly. I remember a big snow storm in February and thinking it would take me hours to get home, but Waze had me threading across the city, and I was home in almost the same time as usual.

Waze is great.

I've never used Waze but I just checked out the live map. I like how users can share locations of police speed traps! It's a great concept.

Typically I use Google Maps but often times I take alternate routes based on personal road familiarity and experience which actually allows me to improve on a lot of routes that Google Maps advises.

 

[Dan416]

Waze is great, although sometimes the ETAs prove inaccurate and usually take me an extra few minutes on top of what it estimates. This could partially be due to my uncanny ability to hit every red light on a route.

 

[James]

Waze is great, although sometimes the ETAs prove inaccurate and usually take me an extra few minutes on top of what it estimates. This could partially be due to my uncanny ability to hit every red light on a route.

In my opinion, this is a huge factor when considering alternate routes for one's daily commute. I've discovered that there are times when the "theoretical fastest route" really is the fastest route despite the heavy volume of traffic.

Reason-being is that the alternate routes, which are typically secondary routes, have many more stop signs and traffic lights. One red light alone can add a few extra minutes with no mileage gain. Those extra few minutes, even in crawling 401 traffic, for example, can possibly be more efficient than idling at an intersection.

I've been stuck on alternate routes, at never-ending cycles of red lights, while trying to make dreaded left hand turns. It's not always easy to assess. Oh, the wonderful pastime of trying to outsmart Toronto traffic!

 

[mdrejhon]

Typically I use Google Maps but often times I take alternate routes based on personal road familiarity and experience wich actually allows me to improve on a lot of routes that Google Maps advises.

Newer versions of Google Maps GPS Navigation also automatically suggests alternate routes on the fly ("7min faster") because it discovers the current route is suddenly clogged. I just turn onto the alternate route and Google Maps automatically snaps to the new route. It's so much better than Garmin. No need to touch my GPS to follow alternate routes. I do ignore the "1min faster" suggestions that pop up on the screen, as the stoplights and other factors add uncertainity to that.

I wish Google was a little bit smarter in some areas, however, about the Ambassador Bridge versus Detroit Tunnel (when I was doing border crossing between US and Canada), whenever I want to choose between them. It took a long while before Google Maps Navigation figured that one out and re-snapped to the border crossing I preferred to take at the time (tunnel in one direction, Ambassador in the other) even if the other was faster.

 

[mdrejhon]

In my opinion, this is a huge factor when considering alternate routes for one's daily commute. I've discovered that there are times when the "theoretical fastest route" really is the fastest route despite the heavy volume of traffic.

It's gotten very accurate in Google Maps Navigation. The reason why is because they crowdsource the traffic information. All the Google Map devices of the drivers ahead of you, are transmitting their car's speed to Google, updating the traffic maps.

That's why you see the red segments at stoplights when viewing traffic on Google Maps, and green segments between stoplights. That's also why you also see traffic information in areas with no cameras and no loop sensors. On busy routes, the know exactly how fast cars are going on the current routes. The other Google Map users of drivers ahead of you, are transmitting driving-speed information, so in cities where there are massive numbers of Android users, the time estimates are uncannily accurate, taking into account of stoplights! It's my understanding that Waze also does the same thing too (crowdsourced traffic information). Google Maps means there are millions of people carrying smartphones -- phones are bona-fide traffic sensors -- via GPS movement speed data.

That's why it's become usually uncannily accurate to just stick on the route that Google Maps GPS Navigation suggests in areas of high-quality traffic information (or using a mapping app with crowdsourced traffic, that has high amount of users). Thanks to the crowdsourced traffic information, the Google Maps time estimates include stoplight delays!

So by using Google GPS Navigation as a driver ahead of me, you're actually helping me find the best routes. All the drivers ahead of you trying all the alternate routes simultaneously while using Google GPS Navigation, you benefit because Google knows which cars went ahead quicker.

For GPS navigation systems that realtime monitors your speed (to generate crowdsourced traffic color coding for other people) it is nowadays usually best to stick to the suggested route in well-traffic-monitored regions. That's because at least two other people already drove that same route within a few minutes ago while running Google Maps.

(Privacy advocates: You agreed to this when you agreed to Google's License / Term of Conditions, when you first started Google GPS Navigation. Use a different mapping app if you don't like your phone or tablet to transmit your car's location and speed back to Google).