The top 25 walking intersections in Toronto

[AlbertC]

http://spacingtoronto.ca/2011/06/09...oronto-with-the-top-25-walking-intersections/

The top 25 walking intersections in Toronto

BY DYLAN REID
JUNE 9TH, 2011

As part of Global's story this week on the most dangerous intersections for pedestrians, their map-maker Patrick Cain put together a simple map showing the City of Toronto's pedestrian counts (number of pedestrians in one day) for all signalized intersections in Toronto (where there are at least 500 pedestrians a day).

The deeper the red, the larger number of pedestrians -- so, not surprisingly, walking is concentrated in the centre of the city. It's worth noticing, however, that major intersections all over the suburbs also have heavy pedestrian traffic. It's a myth that there are no pedestrians in the suburbs -- there are many, but they don't show up as strongly because they are more spread out.

Patrick Cain kindly sent me the list of the 25 most pedestrian-heavy intersections. The surprise is that the intersection with the heaviest pedestrian traffic isn't downtown, but is in fact Yonge and Eglinton -- by quite a wide margin. It suggests that, as many people have proposed (including some of the local councillors), Yonge and Eglinton should be the next candidate for a scramble intersection.

Here is the list of the 25 Toronto intersections with the heaviest daily pedestrian traffic, with their pedestrian counts:

EGLINTON and YONGE: 42680
BAY and DUNDAS: 35585
BAY and WELLINGTON: 32319
DUNDAS and YONGE: 31802
CARLTON and YONGE: 29115
QUEEN and YONGE: 28209
ADELAIDE and BAY: 27086
KING and YONGE: 25743
BLOOR and YONGE: 25696
BAY and BLOOR: 24246
ST CLAIR and YONGE: 24195
UNIVERSITY and YORK: 24056
ADELAIDE and YONGE: 23297
GERRARD and YONGE: 22771
BLOOR and CHURCH: 22634
BAY and KING: 22398
DUNDAS and UNIVERSITY: 21610
HARBORD and ST GEORGE: 21163
BAY and COLLEGE: 21161
JOHN and QUEEN: 20656
WELLESLEY and YONGE: 20133
BAY and QUEEN: 20124
AVENUE and BLOOR: 18872
FRONT and JOHN: 18295
UNIVERSITY and WELLINGTON: 17246

The fact that most of these intersections are downtown is no surpise. What stands out to me is the extent to which Yonge Street really is Toronto's spine. Ten of the top 25 intersections are along Yonge Street, including both of the intersections that are north of Bloor (Eglinton and St. Clair). The subway certainly has something to do with it, but none of the other subway lines (University/Spadina, Bloor/Danforth, Sheppard) are represented anywhere near as heavily. Yonge is such an unpreposessing street in so many ways, but more of us cross it every day than any other street in the city.

 

[Torontovibe]

Yonge & Eglinton has more pedestrians than Yonge & Dundas? I question the validity of that. Even Yonge & Bloor has more pedestrians.

 

[BMO]

Yonge & Eglinton has more pedestrians than Yonge & Dundas? I question the validity of that. Even Yonge & Bloor has more pedestrians.

I do too, although there is always a bunch of activity at Yonge and Eglinton.

 

[Softee]

Bay and Dundas ahead of Yonge and Dundas? How is that possible? Bay and Dundas is like a dead zone in comparison.