News   Oct 04, 2024
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Avenue Road = Most aesthetic street in Toronto?

Hmmm, seems like a popular move based on your link.

My first instinct is that that is a lot visual clutter to weed through for a motorist or a cyclist.

I'm always a fan of keeping signage/instruction lean/intuitive wherever practical.

If this is helpful, great! I just wonder about confusion creating as many problems as rules solve.
They should really change the all green to a forward arrow and add a left turn arrow as well to replace all the signs.
 
Traffic signals in the shape of bicycles and red and green arrows really should be self explanatory. You shouldn't have to read text to understand what they mean.
 


City set to unveil long overdue people-centred plan for Avenue Road

The City of Toronto is unveiling new designs for Avenue Road at an open house event on Oct. 18 at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, 230 St. Clair Ave. W., signalling progress in addressing the longstanding issues.

The new plan aims to transform Avenue Road into a more pedestrian-friendly, people-friendly environment, prioritizing safety, comfort, and connectivity. Avenue Road, a prominent thoroughfare in midtown Toronto, has long been a source of concern for local residents and community associations.

The six-lane stretch, particularly south of St. Clair Avenue, has raised ongoing alarms due to safety issues for vulnerable road users. It has seen multiple accidents over the years, leading to calls for substantial improvements and changes.

“As you’re aware, we’ve been campaigning for several years to initiate change that would make Avenue Road safe for all road users,” said Brock Howes, of the Avenue Road Safety Coalition (ARSC). “While tweaks may be necessary, the city’s proposal shows they have been listening and is a huge step in the right direction.”

Howes got involved with the coalition after he was hit at an intersection along Avenue Road while riding his bicyle. Brock Howes was cycling along Cottingham Avenue in the summer when the incident occurred. Cottingham is a small two-lane residential street that runs east-west and ends at Avenue Road.
 

Note that these are temporary measures until the planned full rebuild of Avenue in 2033. The section south of Davenport has bike lanes taking up the outside lanes.

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So the cycle tracks just end at Davenport? I recall Avenue being quite wide all the way up to St. Clair and beyond...
 
What are you lot talking about this 'old news' on Avenue Road here for? LOL

I posted this all in the Cycling thread 8 days ago....


Gotta keep current!

So the cycle tracks just end at Davenport?

Correct. (for now)

I recall Avenue being quite wide all the way up to St. Clair and beyond...

It is; but remember this is a plan for cheap, cheerful, short-term changes that do not require reconstruction of the road. When reconstruction comes up, there are options to take the Cycle tracks all the way up the hill.

Go follow the link to my post in Cycling that you apparently napped through, LOL You'll see all the options for the longer term.
 


Grand plans to redesign another major roadway in Toronto set for big reveal

The fast-moving arterial Avenue Road, between Bloor Street West and St. Clair Avenue West, is the latest stretch of roadway on the verge of a makeover with interim measures to convert it to a calmer, safer four lanes, in advance of full reconstruction. With public consultations now complete and a committee vote on the final staff recommendations scheduled for this month, city hall may now be ready to deliver.

The City of Toronto is set to unveil the transformation of Avenue Road. This follows a series of public consultations and an open house event held at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church last fall, where initial designs were presented.

“The City’s Avenue Road study has identified serious unsafe conditions along this perilous stretch of Avenue Road and has indicated these conditions need to be corrected,” said Arlene Dejardins, of the Avenue Road Safety Coalition (ARSC). “The 20 organizations who comprise the Avenue Road Safety Coalition are not surprised by these findings and are thrilled that the city finally has a plan to correct them. This is a win for anyone using Avenue Road, for safety and the climate.”

Dejardins continued, “We are looking forward to the implementation of Phase 1 of the plan as soon as possible. These existing unsafe conditions need attention now and, with some adjustments, the city’s plan is a very positive and much-needed step forward.”

The proposal aims to transform Avenue Road into a safer, more pedestrian-friendly environment, reflecting community demands for wider sidewalks and protected bike lanes.

Led by ARSC, advocates emphasize the urgency of change, citing high collision rates and historical safety issues. The envisioned redesign aims to reduce lanes, widen sidewalks and introduce protected bike lanes, reflecting a shift toward prioritizing safety and comfort for all users.

However, not everyone is in favour of the proposed changes. John Ritchie, a longtime resident of the South Hill district, voiced significant opposition, calling for common sense.

“There is significant opposition amongst local residents to a wholesale alteration of this stretch of Avenue Road. As you know, the city is proposing to cut traffic lanes, create bicycle lanes, and impose other restrictions on vehicles driving northbound and southbound.”

Ritchie expressed concern about the impact on residential areas, particularly in South Hill and Rathnelly.

“South Hill has the only northbound and southbound alternatives for traffic seeking to escape the congestion on Avenue Road. Our roads will be clogged with traffic.

He argued against the proposed measures, highlighting potential inconvenience for residents, and suggested other measures, some of which are already in place, such as photo radar and increased fines.

“Who wants to spend a half-hour driving south to Bloor or north to St. Clair Avenue?” he said. “Listen to the residents, not the activists and their causes. Leave Avenue Road alone. Your proposed reforms are regressive and harmful to our community.”

The upcoming unveiling in March marks a crucial step toward what could be a more inclusive and people-centric Avenue Road for the future. But it isn’t approved yet. Stay tuned for updates on the final vision and the city’s plans to implement these transformative changes.
 
^^^^ Stay tuned for the agenda for the next Infrastructure and Environment Ctte,., which should be published one week from tomorrow. There should be a fair bit there for UT to dig into!

Spring Ctte season overall will be attention getting......... but I'm getting ahead of myself.
 
^^^^ Stay tuned for the agenda for the next Infrastructure and Environment Ctte,., which should be published one week from tomorrow. There should be a fair bit there for UT to dig into!

Spring Ctte season overall will be attention getting......... but I'm getting ahead of myself.

What is spring ctte?
 

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