Toronto Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown West Extension | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx

[W. K. Lis]

Good point. That bike path can be annoying because it sometimes feels like it has too many sloped sections. With prevailing west to east winds, going west often means going uphill and against the wind.

Likely because it was designed by non-cyclists. It's not cleared of snow in winter, except for the winter sun. I remember seeing "PLEASE DISMOUNT BICYCLES" signs at the traffic light intersections when it first opened.

The bicycle "highway" needs also to be extended into Mississauga. Should also be separate from pedestrians. Should have a "speed limit" of 30 km/h, so that e-bikes, e-scooters, and motorized wheelchairs can use it, like in Europe.

Maybe we can build a bicycle "highway" along Highway 27 so we can bicycle up to Humber College or Etobicoke General Hospital from Eglinton.

 

[H4F33Z]

The Eglinton West Path goes into Mississauga because the city extended it with improvements to Eglinton and the Transitway.

The trail ends at Fieldgate Pkwy and Transitway

 

[Steve X]

The Eg west bike trail is more likely used for recreation or professionals than for typical commuters we see downtown. I doubt any improvements would change that as the surrounding area roadways are deem too dangerous to bike around.

 

[NoahB]

The Eg west bike trail is more likely used for recreation or professionals than for typical commuters we see downtown. I doubt any improvements would change that as the surrounding area roadways are deem too dangerous to bike around.

It will be a very useful route to get to the stations. There are a lot of homes around Eglington that are too long to walk but too short to drive. This completely separated lane is perfectly located for that. The only thing it needs is a little bit of flattening.

 

[sixrings]

9th Line and Dundas (OAKVILLE where the drive in movie theatre is) has a separate bike lane going by farms. Pretty sure we can use proper bike lanes on Eglinton.

 

[smallspy]

Good point. That bike path can be annoying because it sometimes feels like it has too many sloped sections. With prevailing west to east winds, going west often means going uphill and against the wind.

Considering the geography and the street layout of that area, how do you propose they fix that?

Don't get me wrong, I use it all of the time, and yeah, it's a slog. But I'm not about to go multiple kilometers out of my way for an easier trail, either.

Dan

 

[W. K. Lis]

It will be a very usual route to get to the stations. There are a lot of homes around Eglington that are too long to walk but too short to drive. This completely separated lane is perfectly located for that. The only thing it needs is a little bit of flattening.

Because of the cul-de-sacs, circles, and crescents used for the roadways along Eglinton Avenue West in Etobicoke, an improved bicycle "highway" network is needed. Having the bicycle "highway" go under intersecting roads (like Kipling or Islington), they could become entrances to the underground stations of the LRT, providing bicycle parking to the area residents going downtown or to the airport. If they use ramps for the bicycles (strollers and wheelchairs) to get to both directions of the LRT, they maybe able to do so without installing elevators or escalators.

 

[afransen]

You don't want to make cyclists go up and down unnecessarily. Access ramps are not a bad idea, but the through path shouldn't require going up and down at each intersection.

 

[W. K. Lis]

You don't want to make cyclists go up and down unnecessarily. Access ramps are not a bad idea, but the through path shouldn't require going up and down at each intersection.

Islington & Eglinton is in a depression. So, the bicycle paths can be level while the roads go down and up.

From link.

What Richview Sideroad (Eglinton Avenue West) looking west across Islington Avenue in 1937 looked like.

From link.

A floating cycle roundabout.

From link.

 

[H4F33Z]

At this point, these are just fantasy threads. The bike path will not go under or over the roads. They will never.

 

[afransen]

Never is a long time. But I doubt you'd see it here first. There are lots of upgrades you can make to a level intersection before trying to grade separate.

It is a good point though. If you are trying to provide convenient cycling routes to support cross-town travel, one of the things you need is to have priority at most intersections and minimal delay at lights. I'd say before we worry about that at major intersections we need to improve how trails cross minor side streets. It's not obvious currently that cyclists have the right of way. We should be adopting the approach of having a speed table for pedestrians and cyclists to cross without having to drop down to the street. Allows less interrupted cycling flow and ensures traffic crossing can't do it so quickly they fail to see pedestrians and cyclists crossing.

 

[W. K. Lis]

At this point, these are just fantasy threads. The bike path will not go under or over the roads. They will never.

Instead of the bike path going under the roads, have the roads go over the bike paths. Keep the bike paths level, but raise the roadways up and over. Maybe replace the intersections (Martin Grove Road & Eglinton Avenue West, Kipling Avenue & Eglinton Avenue West, Islington Avenue & Eglinton Avenue West, and Royal York Road & Eglinton Avenue West) with RAISED roundabouts?

Note that in the images, the roundabouts are RAISED.

From
.

 

[M II A II R II K]

Has it been determined if this extension will go to both terminals or just to the new Union West wherever they place it.

 

[crs1026]

It is a good point though. If you are trying to provide convenient cycling routes to support cross-town travel, one of the things you need is to have priority at most intersections and minimal delay at lights. I'd say before we worry about that at major intersections we need to improve how trails cross minor side streets. It's not obvious currently that cyclists have the right of way. We should be adopting the approach of having a speed table for pedestrians and cyclists to cross without having to drop down to the street. Allows less interrupted cycling flow and ensures traffic crossing can't do it so quickly they fail to see pedestrians and cyclists crossing.

Might be reaching the point where this belongs in another thread....but.....here we are wasting a billion dollars to bury an LRT so that autos retain priority over transit vehicles..... and now we are discussing needing another tranche of infrastructure so that cyclists get priority over both of these - at added cost. Is there nothing wrong with this picture? A nice flat intersection with transit priority and the right amenities for cyclists facing red lights will speed transit and give cyclists all the green lights they need.

While I totally support making cycling safer and easier, I lose my empathy when cyclists expect to get all the breaks.

Cycling and stop signs can coexist. Just stick out your damn leg when you stop. And don’t bury LRT’s needlessly.

- Paul

 

[ARG1]

Might be reaching the point where this belongs in another thread....but.....here we are wasting a billion dollars to bury an LRT so that autos retain priority over transit vehicles..... and now we are discussing needing another tranche of infrastructure so that cyclists get priority over both of these - at added cost. Is there nothing wrong with this picture? A nice flat intersection with transit priority and the right amenities for cyclists facing red lights will speed transit and give cyclists all the green lights they need.

While I totally support making cycling safer and easier, I lose my empathy when cyclists expect to get all the breaks.

Cycling and stop signs can coexist. Just stick out your damn leg when you stop. And don’t bury LRT’s needlessly.

- Paul

Burying the LRT has nothing to do with Cars (or well maybe it does, but its not the most important thing), and has actually more to do with making the LRT better. At Grade LRTs are simply so much less reliable than grade separated LRTs ever will be. Because the tracks are at grade, they are more prone to interference from external sources, people walking on the tracks, cars stalling in the middle of an intersection, the fact that all of these interferences exist also means that not only is the speed of the trains significantly slower in these median sections, but you can't run ATC and have the trains run at higher frequencies. Signal Priority also isn't perfect, and even in clear conditions, you will have LRTs occasionally stall behind traffic lights. Its also important to note that the Eglinton West extension will be reaching not only the airport - the largest employment center in the region, but a completely grade separated busway to Square One as well, making it likely to be a highly used transit corridor. Simply put, having Eglinton West be in the median of the roadway makes absolutely 0 sense.