York Region Roads Thread (Improvements, Road Widening, HOV Lanes, Bike Lanes)

[Leo_Chan]

One of those is a privately-owned, expensively-tolled, fully-controlled-access highway, and the other is a public, free roadway, with many additional local intersections+traffic lights compared to the highway, even if not as many as a typical road. There isn't much of a valid comparison between Highway 7 and 407--I'm not sure what your point is, are you suggesting that highway 7 be closed and all traffic has to pay for the 407?

I think he means having two "highways" so close to one another is inefficient and the alignment should be redone. Which is impossible because the way Highway 7 bends south and then north has been there for decades, so it cannot be changed. The 407 ETR on the other hand shouldn't have been built so close, but it probably had the same alignment issues before as it does now.

 

[amnesiajune]

I think he means having two "highways" so close to one another is inefficient and the alignment should be redone.

Highway 7 is really a highway in name only. Aside from the segment between Dufferin and Bayview (which was upgraded to limited-access with the intention of making it a part of Highway 407), it's just a main street like Major Mackenzie or Yonge.

 

[Leo_Chan]

Highway 7 is really a highway in name only. Aside from the segment between Dufferin and Bayview (which was upgraded to limited-access with the intention of making it a part of Highway 407), it's just a main street like Major Mackenzie or Yonge.

But with little to no development on it.

 

[Leo_Chan]

The study will be completed by July 2017

The Region will start the construction in 2020 for the section of Bayview Avenue between Hwy 7 and Major Mackenzie Dr. The construction approximately takes 3 years. The construction schedule for the rest sections of Bayview Avenue is still to be determined.

The HOV lanes will be for 2+ people

 

[lead82]

A sprawling we will go. York Region is Los Angeles. It's a sprawling mecca of endless subdivisions and strip malls along side wide roads. A car drivers wet dream. Many Ontarians love it. I as an urbanist deplore such car dependent sprawl. It's ugly and has no soul.

 

[amnesiajune]

Many Ontarians love it. I as an urbanist deplore such car dependent sprawl. It's ugly and has no soul.

Then stay south of Bloor, west of Woodbine and east of Roncesvalles.....

 

[Transportfan]

Why is it that only regional municipalities treat their road networks like highway systems? Big wooden green rural intersection signs, guide signs listing every hotel and golf course, Road Watch signs--even a "Veteran's Memorial Roadway" designation*. And now HOV lanes?



* I'm certainly not against remembering the sacrifices of veterans, but the method of designation in this case is silly.

 

[amnesiajune]

Why is it that only regional municipalities treat their road networks like highway systems?

Because that's what you do for major roads in non-urban areas. You don't see those sort of signs on Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue... You see them in the areas that aren't fully built up.

And now HOV lanes?

Why does Toronto treat Pape Avenue and Eglinton Avenue like highway systems?

Any more complaints from people in Toronto about York Region not being Toronto?

 

[Transportfan]

Because that's what you do for major roads in non-urban areas. You don't see those sort of signs on Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue... You see them in the areas that aren't fully built up.



Why does Toronto treat Pape Avenue and Eglinton Avenue like highway systems?

Any more complaints from people in Toronto about York Region not being Toronto?

Those areas are very built up, actually. It just seems to be RM's way of doing things. Also, I didn't realize Eglinton and Pape had HOV lanes on them.

 

[amnesiajune]

Those areas are very built up, actually. It just seems to be RM's way of doing things. Also, I didn't realize Eglinton and Pape had HOV lanes on them.

I don't see what's terrible about carpool lanes. They make it easier for buses (like the ones on Yonge, Eglinton, Pape, Don Mills, Overlea, Dundas West and Dufferin) to get around, and they also encourage people to carpool.

 

[Transportfan]

^^ I was referring more to the signage standards.

 

[lead82]

I don't see what's terrible about carpool lanes. They make it easier for buses (like the ones on Yonge, Eglinton, Pape, Don Mills, Overlea, Dundas West and Dufferin) to get around, and they also encourage people to carpool.

HOV lanes are good for buses on main roads. I have yet to be convinced that they encourage any sort of carpooling. The highway carpool lanes might encourage some carpooling but we don't have a strong enough network of them to make it worthwhile to carpool unless it's with someone in the same household or a neighbour. The lanes on Dufferin for example are wasteful because there are barely any bus traffic or carpooling. Instead you see two full lanes during peak and the HOV being used illegally. You might as well leave them as a general purpose lane in suburban areas unless there is a justifyable need for them. Yonge maybe the only road that would actually need them but it's getting a ROW for Viva.

 

[LNahid2000]

The lanes on Dufferin for example are wasteful because there are barely any bus traffic or carpooling.

Really? The 196 which is every 2 minutes during rush hour (during the school year) uses Dufferin between Sheppard and Finch. That route would move much slower if these diamond lanes weren't there.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Dufferin north of Steeles is where the York region HOVs are, and has a 15 minute frequency bus use them.

 

[lead82]

Yes Inwas referring to the ones north of Steeles. The ones south of Finch are useful until end of this year. Once the subway open so in 2018 the 196 bus will be no more and the lanes should just be made into a regular traffic lane. The frequency of th end 105 of 15 min in rush hour and 30-60 minutes outside does not need a bus lane.