King Street (Streetcar Transit Priority)

[felix123]

Not sure where you are getting this "massive" impact from them, I'm not seeing it. I've ridden the streetcar a solid 5-6 times since the switch and have seen absolutely no difference in the effect on the operations myself.

Not sure who said "massive".
Probably best for us to wait for hard data. I just wish we didn't have to wait 6 months to confirm the obvious.

 

[dowlingm]

Speaking of competition - anyone know what the blue and white bus that stops on King West in the afternoons is? Some sort of corporate shuttle? Now its stop at Yonge eastbound is at the Express Stop pole...

 

[SunriseChampion]

Ok, they tried putting express buses on King. Now it's time to remove them. As a daily 504 rider, they've worsened the commute.

Glad I don't have to deal with them when I use the 504 which is almost entirely on week-ends.

I love the 504 on week-ends. Super convenient and useful.

Am beyond glad that the transit priority is permanent. What an improvement to my beloved King St. Even walking it is better with less cars.

Speaking of which, what the hell is up with the supposed transit exclusive lane all the way to Dufferin? Signage has been up since I lived here back in 2006 and since I lived here in 2006 it is roundly ignored by everyone and there has never been any attempt at enforcement.

Why is this? I personally drive only the curb lane because the 504 is my friend and I'm not a dick (sorry to burst your bubble, bud ) but I don't think anyone else does.

Why is it there if it's meaningless?

 

[DSC]

Why is it there if it's meaningless?

As practice area for motorists so they can then move on to ignoring No Stopping signs, start blocking intersections and finally running red lights? If so ... "Mission Accomplished"!

The non-enforcement of these Transit Only signs is really the 'Broken Window' problem of traffic enforcement. ("Broken window theory is the concept that each problem that goes unattended in a given environment affects people's attitude toward that environment and leads to more problems.)

 

[SunriseChampion]

As practice area for motorists so they can then move on to ignoring No Stopping signs, start blocking intersections and finally running red lights? If so ... "Mission Accomplished"!

The non-enforcement of these Transit Only signs is really the 'Broken Window' problem of traffic enforcement. ("Broken window theory is the concept that each problem that goes unattended in a given environment affects people's attitude toward that environment and leads to more problems.)

Well put.

ffs.....it's too bad.

 

[W. K. Lis]

 

[CityStay]

That's Dienerstrasse in Munich. It runs between Marienplatz and Max Joseph Platz.
There are a series of pedestrian streets in that area. Beautiful city.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Meanwhile, in Seattle...

Bus lane / queue jump coming to 3rd and Virginia

See link and link.

3rd Avenue Rechannelization

Northwestbound and Southeastbound 3rd Avenue (between Stewart Street and Virginia Street)

The Seattle Department of Transportation is working to reduce delay for buses along 3rd Avenue.

This project will benefit approximately 168,000 daily bus riders on 36 key routes that operate on 3rd Avenue, including Routes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 36, 40, 55, 56, 57, 62, 70, 116, 118, 119, 120, 124, 131, 132, C Line, D Line, and E Line by rechannelizing the block and installing a southeastbound 24-hour red bus only lane in the center lane.

SDOT is planning the following changes:

• Convert the center lane in the southeastbound direction from a general-purpose lane to a 24-hour, 7 days per week, red bus only lane;
• Convert the existing right lane in the southeastbound direction from a general purpose through lane to a right turn only lane from 6 am - 7 pm except buses, bikes, and loading or deliveries allowed for through movement 9 am - 3 pm; and
• Remove the existing curbside right turn lanes at 3rd Ave and Stewart Street and replace with 30-minute commercial and 3-minute passenger loading zones.

Olive Way Red Bus Lane Treatment

Northeastbound Olive Way (between 4th Avenue and 8th Avenue)

The Seattle Department of Transportation is working to reduce delay for buses that travel northeastbound on Olive Way (between 4th Avenue and 8th Avenue).

The project will benefit approximately 33,000 daily bus riders on 39 key regional routes that operate on Olive Way, including Routes: 41, 111, 114, 177, 178, 190, 212, 214, 216, 218, 219, 252, 255, 257, 268, 311, CT 402, CT 405, CT 410, CT 412, CT 413, CT 415, CT 416, CT 417, CT 421, CT 422, CT 424, CT 425, CT435, ST 510, ST 511, ST 512, ST 513, ST 545, ST 578, ST 590, ST 592, ST 594, and ST 595 by converting the existing bus only lane to a full time bus only lane and installing red paint to make the lane more visible.

SDOT is planning the following changes:

• Olive Way between 4th Avenue and 8th Avenue: convert the existing AM and PM peak bus only lane to 24/7 red bus only lane; and
• Relocate the existing commercial loading zone on Olive Way between 4th Ave and 5th Ave to provide more space for right turning vehicles.

Red Bus Lane Treatments in Downtown Seattle are on Their Way!

The Seattle Department of Transportation is working to install red bus lanes. Red bus lanes help to improve compliance with bus-only restrictions and keep buses moving. The following locations are planned for red bus lanes:

• Northbound Westlake Avenue (between 6th Avenue and 9th Avenue)
• Eastbound Pike Street (between 2nd Avenue and 8th Avenue)
• Northbound 5th Avenue (between S Washington Street and Marion Street)

These changes are made through our Spot Improvements program, which provides changes to city streets to reduce travel delays and improve travel times for transit in Seattle.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

Meanwhile, in Seattle...

Bus lane / queue jump coming to 3rd and Virginia

See link and link.

3rd Avenue Rechannelization

Northwestbound and Southeastbound 3rd Avenue (between Stewart Street and Virginia Street)

That would be a good idea on King for the Express routes, and other places such as Jane and Dufferin as well

That would be a good idea on King for the Express routes and other places like Dufferin and King as well

 

[W. K. Lis]

The other cities trying out bus only roadways shows that it is not just streetcar routes that they are trying to give preferable priority to public transit. If it wasn't for the streetcars on King, it would be buses. In Toronto, it could be coming to bus routes as well.

See link.

 

[CityStay]

If you have a proper signal system you can run streetcars anywhere.

One of my favourite tram routes in Berlin is the M1. I used to ride it regularly from Hackescher Markt S to either Pankow S/U or Freidrichstrasse S/U but also rode the entire length out of curiosity.

It runs on its own right of way and in traffic, from curb lane to middle of the street, on one ways and two ways. on grassy bits and pavement, but like all Berlin trams it has proper, dedicated signals. It's never more than a minute late, never bunches up and never short turns (Berliners wouldn't understand the concept of a short turn and would probably lynch the driver at the mere suggestion!).

It has great transfer points for various U Bahn, S Bahn and Regional lines and now goes to Hauptbahnhof as they return trams to the west.

Proper Dedicated Signals!!

https://www.bvg.de/images/content/linienverlaeufe/LinienverlaufStrassenbahnM1.pdf

 

[W. K. Lis]

If you have a proper signal system you can run streetcars anywhere.

One of my favourite tram routes in Berlin is the M1. I used to ride it regularly from Hackescher Markt S to either Pankow S/U or Freidrichstrasse S/U but also rode the entire length out of curiosity.

It runs on its own right of way and in traffic, from curb lane to middle of the street, on one ways and two ways. on grassy bits and pavement, but like all Berlin trams it has proper, dedicated signals. It's never more than a minute late, never bunches up and never short turns (Berliners wouldn't understand the concept of a short turn and would probably lynch the driver at the mere suggestion!).

It has great transfer points for various U Bahn, S Bahn and Regional lines and now goes to Hauptbahnhof as they return trams to the west.

Proper Dedicated Signals!!

https://www.bvg.de/images/content/linienverlaeufe/LinienverlaufStrassenbahnM1.pdf

Noticed a couple of things in the video.

1. The stops are not close together, but further apart. Makes the trams run faster.
2. No coming to a complete stop at the track switches. They take them at a much faster speed than the TTC streetcars do.
3. No verbage signs (with words) saying that this transit signal (vertical, horizontal, and diagonal bars) are "transit signals". No need for the sign clutter that Toronto is forced to use.

 

[tayser]

How not to build a brand new light rail line. Cost blow outs to $2.1 billion for what is essentially an early 1900s tram line implemented in 2019, complete with huge dwell times, no traffic light priority and all around shitf*kery. I give you, Sydney's L2 and L3 opening a few weeks ago.

Despite the bla services that everyone up there is talking about, one thing I've noticed in all the videos: George St is leaps and bounds much better than what it was (like most Sydney streets: narrow / dark, little attention given to pedestrians and making streets attractive and the like). Now though, outstanding. Note around 5 min: many locals still not used to trams in their new pedestrians section of George St.

 

[CityStay]

How not to build a brand new light rail line. Cost blow outs to $2.1 billion for what is essentially an early 1900s tram line implemented in 2019, complete with huge dwell times, no traffic light priority and all around shitf*kery. I give you, Sydney's L2 and L3 opening a few weeks ago.

Despite the bla services that everyone up there is talking about, one thing I've noticed in all the videos: George St is leaps and bounds much better than what it was (like most Sydney streets: narrow / dark, little attention given to pedestrians and making streets attractive and the like). Now though, outstanding. Note around 5 min: many locals still not used to trams in their new pedestrians section of George St.

I saw the opening day version of this. Lots of transit 'ambassadors' cheering and singing lol! Looks good to me, what's the problem?

 

[CityStay]

Noticed a couple of things in the video.

1. The stops are not close together, but further apart. Makes the trams run faster.
2. No coming to a complete stop at the track switches. They take them at a much faster speed than the TTC streetcars do.
3. No verbage signs (with words) saying that this transit signal (vertical, horizontal, and diagonal bars) are "transit signals". No need for the sign clutter that Toronto is forced to use.

The average distance between stops in Berlin are between 400 and 500 m (430 on M1) although when you get out into the far eastern slablands they seem to be closer to 1 km. They tend to run straight out there and perform more like LRTs.

They do fly over those switches.

The TTC tends to 'oversign' everything, witness the dozen or so stickers as you enter a bus. I don't know how anyone could confuse transit signals with regular traffic signals.