News   Apr 16, 2024
News Roundup for April 16, 2024
 250     0 
News   Apr 16, 2024
Windbreak Work
 610     0 
News   Apr 15, 2024
An Aerial Tour of Construction at The Residences at Central Park
 1.4K     0 

Roads: Fantasy Proposals

Another change I'd like to see on Toronto's roads is more right in right outs. It's just not necessary for each small street and plaza to have its own signalized intersection.

Edit: @north-of-anything can you draw a Highway 2 - Kingston Road reconfiguration map?
 
Last edited:
north-of-anything said:
View attachment 200005

This is an idea I've had in mind since hearing about the Six Points reconstruction project - there are an unsettling number of this kind of urban interchange east of Yonge (that being, more than 0). So I redesigned this intersection to have a roundabout, with the Scarborough War Memorial located in the middle of the roundabout - it could be anywhere, but I think here it looks nicer, and any location would be more pedestrian friendly than where it is now. Part of the freed-up land would be used as a yard for rapid transit along Kingston Road. Kennedy Road would be extended at a sharp angle to terminate at Kingston Road, allowing two-way access between Kingston and the Highview Avenue neighbourhood. The land between the carhouse/LRT yard and Kennedy Road, if I did not underestimate the amount of space required, could be developed or left as a park.
Click to expand...

How would you accommodate at-grade/on-street in a traffic circle layout?

Fun with maps!
 
^There are roundabouts with LRT tracks running through them no?
 
north-of-anything said:
View attachment 200005

This is an idea I've had in mind since hearing about the Six Points reconstruction project - there are an unsettling number of this kind of urban interchange east of Yonge (that being, more than 0). So I redesigned this intersection to have a roundabout, with the Scarborough War Memorial located in the middle of the roundabout - it could be anywhere, but I think here it looks nicer, and any location would be more pedestrian friendly than where it is now. Part of the freed-up land would be used as a yard for rapid transit along Kingston Road. Kennedy Road would be extended at a sharp angle to terminate at Kingston Road, allowing two-way access between Kingston and the Highview Avenue neighbourhood. The land between the carhouse/LRT yard and Kennedy Road, if I did not underestimate the amount of space required, could be developed or left as a park.
Click to expand...

Nice. But I'd probably choose a different location for a potential streetcar/LRV yard. That area is prime for intensification. The interesting thing is that the flyover dates from the 1930s, and was built by the province to make Highway 2 a dual carriageway through Scarborough (with the later addition of Highway 2A from Highland Creek towards Oshawa). While I'd love to see it go, I still appreciate it while it's still there - one of the last remaining DHO 1930s structures.
 
Neutrino said:
Another change I'd like to see on Toronto's roads is more right in right outs. It's just not necessary for each small street and plaza to have its own signalized intersection.

Edit: @north-of-anything can you draw a Highway 2 - Kingston Road reconfiguration map?
Click to expand...
highway2A.png


Well, I tried!

I've never been anywhere close to this intersection, so I wasn't quite sure how much room I really had to work with. I opted on demolishing a pair of buildings on Morrish, and realigning Kingston Road so there are no longer three arterials awkwardly emptying into one-way ramps. I decided to keep the Lawson/Overpass interchange intact because there was a decent distance between the new intersection and the westbound ramps, and there is virtually no land that can be developed east of the overpass.
 
north-of-anything said:
View attachment 200045

Well, I tried!

I've never been anywhere close to this intersection, so I wasn't quite sure how much room I really had to work with. I opted on demolishing a pair of buildings on Morrish, and realigning Kingston Road so there are no longer three arterials awkwardly emptying into one-way ramps. I decided to keep the Lawson/Overpass interchange intact because there was a decent distance between the new intersection and the westbound ramps, and there is virtually no land that can be developed east of the overpass.
Click to expand...
A few years ago the city in fact began a study to redevelop the roads in the area.

www.toronto.ca

Highland Creek Village Transportation Master Plan

The City of Toronto is studying a series of transportation projects, initiatives and polices to support the vision of the Highland Creek Village Area Study (2012) and re-development of the Highland Creek Village area. The mobility needs of local residents, employees, businesses and all road...
www.toronto.ca www.toronto.ca



200051
 
I really like that section of Highway 2A, it's like a time capsule. Off the top of my head I can't think of another stretch of WWII-era expressway in Ontario that has gone essentially unmodified since its construction. (I know some of the structures along the 401 and QEW are still original, but the carriageways themselves bear little resemblance to what was initially built.)
 
north-of-anything said:
Well, they're still stretching subdivisions northward here, and they're going to build a school that backs onto where the bypass is going to go, I'm a little more pessimistic about whether it will be seriously considered again...
Click to expand...
The link is officially back in progress. The provincial government is moving foward w. The bypass
www.bradfordtoday.ca

BREAKING NEWS: Province gives green light to Bradford Bypass

Work on the Bradford Bypass environmental assessment will begin right away; 'This is great news for the people of York Region and Simcoe County,' says MPP
www.bradfordtoday.ca www.bradfordtoday.ca
79509E9D-95B5-4EB1-AB18-07F30DED27FA.jpeg
 
Fascinating. Do you have any projections about how long it will take to build that?
 
One's an extension, the other is a whole new highway.

However, the PCs might fast-track it to get shovels in the ground by the next provincial election campaign.

Speaking of the PCs, I've really missed the MTO future highway projects PDFs. These used to be released yearly until the Libs got booted out. No I have no idea what's on the radar.
 
DownsviewPark.png


Basically, when Downsview Airport is decommissioned, the land has to be put to good use. I think the best way to do this is to expand off of the existing streets and private roads, as well as the Ancaster neighbourhood, to preserve some of the history of the site. Dufferin Street, Downsview Park Boulevard, Chesswood Drive, and much of Ancaster's grid layout are extended into the airport lands. I think this new neighbourhood would be a good testing ground for implementing gentle density between Bombardier/Beffort and Dufferin, considering its proximity to Line 1. The larger lots south of Katherine Road and west of Allen Road would be ideal for high density, and one could even be host to a sports or cultural venue supported by the adjacency to the subway.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top