Transit City and traffic lights

[TO_penguin]

I read that the LRTs will have to stop for red lights at intersections, which in my mind takes away from the advantage of having a dedicated lane. Is it possible to synchronize the traffic signals so that the LRTs make station stops at red lights (assuming they stop before the intersection), but encounter only green lights when travelling through other intersections?

 

[oreoshack]

yes and no. while they can make priority signals for the LRT vehicles, they cannot guarantee that LRT vehicles will not stop at any lights. this is why Transit City is so stupid. I'm planning on going to a real city like New York or Seoul to work/study actually. TC is really pissing me off and turning me off to Toronto.

 

[TO_penguin]

I think it would be a good idea to link up the traffic light controllers along, say, Eglinton. It must be possible, a simple computer algorithm can do it. The red lights can be coordinated with station stops and green lights for all other intersections. If left turns onto Eglinton are being banned at these intersections anyway, then it would be a perfect way to ensure 100% freedom of forward motion for the trains without needing to "crudely" stop crosstraffic the way the Edmonton LRT does, for instance. It's unfortunate nobody in Toronto seems to be looking into implementing such a system.

This is, of course, assuming these LRTs will be finished at all. I have a feeling they won't be.

 

[GraphicMatt]

There's a lot that can be done with transit priority signalling, but Toronto's Transportation Department has reportedly been generally opposed to using it everywhere.

Very slow loading times on the current streetcars make it much more difficult, as well. It just takes one person with a stroller to significantly delay a transit vehicle.

 

[Kitsune]

They should set up like Calgary has on 36th Street NE. There, the C-Train runs in the median of the road with regular crossing gates whereever a road cross' the street.