Beltline Trail

[DonValleyRainbow]

Also, city maps indicate the parcel from Caledonia to mid-block east is a separate parcel. It's all fenced off, and it seems that the owners of 135 Marlee have taken it as a private open space for their building. But the land parcel stretches beyond it, and there's no formal address attached to it. May take examination of some assessment rolls to figure that one out.

 

[DSC]

Maybe you (and others?) should write and ask Josh Colle what's going on and give him your ideas. councillor_colle@toronto.ca

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

I recently biked from end to end on the Beltline, Mt. Pleasant to Caledonia.

The crossing at Dufferin needs to be improved big time. Copying the solution from Chaplin onto Dufferin would be enough to make a big difference.

At Allen road, I really do think a connection should be made. The "community gardens" at 855 Roselawn are really just a dumping ground for garbage and old furniture and mattreses, with overgrown shrubs.

Even just extending the trail all the way to Allen Road, and providing an access point and cycling lane on Elm Ridge Dr bridge is more than enough of an enhancement.

 

[salsa]

I recently biked from end to end on the Beltline, Mt. Pleasant to Caledonia.

The crossing at Dufferin needs to be improved big time. Copying the solution from Chaplin onto Dufferin would be enough to make a big difference.

At Allen road, I really do think a connection should be made. The "community gardens" at 855 Roselawn are really just a dumping ground for garbage and old furniture and mattreses, with overgrown shrubs.

Even just extending the trail all the way to Allen Road, and providing an access point and cycling lane on Elm Ridge Dr bridge is more than enough of an enhancement.

Aside from the Allen Rd gap, for me my main pet peeve is the lack of curb cuts at many of the crossings (west of Bathurst).

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Aside from the Allen Rd gap, for me my main pet peeve is the lack of curb cuts at many of the crossings (west of Bathurst).

That too. Those are one of the interventions I was thinking about making at Dufferin. Dufferin is really the most ridiculous of those crossings, at the very least they could have done a curb cut.

Chaplin does it well enough. Protected mid-street island to navigate through with bike, and curb cuts at the trail access points. Shame Google Maps for Chaplin is from 2015, else I would link it here.

 

[salsa]

That too. Those are one of the interventions I was thinking about making at Dufferin. Dufferin is really the most ridiculous of those crossings, at the very least they could have done a curb cut.

The Dufferin crossing is via a bridge. I don't see any problems here.

Chaplin does it well enough. Protected mid-street island to navigate through with bike, and curb cuts at the trail access points. Shame Google Maps for Chaplin is from 2015, else I would link it here.

I posted some pics last year.

http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...onto-bike-friendly.4842/page-136#post-1119826

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

The Dufferin crossing is via a bridge. I don't see any problems here.

D'oh. It is Bathurst that I was thinking of.

And yes, thanks for linking that. I will repost it here for others:

 

[robmausser]

Even just extending the trail all the way to Allen Road, and providing an access point and cycling lane on Elm Ridge Dr bridge is more than enough of an enhancement.

While it would be nice for the Beltline to have its own bridge over the Allen Road, I don't think the city would front the cost for something like this, so cycling lane on Elm Ridge Bridge will probably have to suffice.

However, if the city decides to go forward with any of the Allen Road enhancements http://www.blogto.com/city/2014/09/what_should_toronto_do_with_allen_road/, then a crossing could be something whose costs could be included in a larger project.

That being said it would be nice if the west terminus of the Beltline connected to other bike infrastructure, such as a fully separated lane along Eglinton going west, to connect to the existing Eglinton path, as well as connect it to the future Railpath extension northwards.

Finally whats everyones thoughts on paving the Beltline on the east side of Allen? Personally I would prefer it to dirt trail but I sometimes think I am of the minority.

 

[steveintoronto]

Personally I would prefer it to dirt trail but I sometimes think I am of the minority.

In almost all cases, properly chosen crushed limestone is superior to asphalt. There's even grades of crushed limestone now that comes with a polymer binder in it so it sets-up like asphalt, but is far more flexible and self-healing than asphalt, cheaper, last far longer, and is much better environmentally, not to mention if you have an accident on it, more forgiving.

With tires of of a good size (25c or more) rolling resistance on crushed limestone is effectively the same as asphalt.

[...]
Crushed Stone
Crushed stone is popular as a trail surface because it holds up well under heavy use and can complement the aesthetic of the natural landscape. It can also accommodate nearly every trail user (with the exception of inline skaters) if crushed and compacted properly. Because crushed stone can be made of nearly any type of rock, including limestone and sandstone, it is one of the most accessible trail surface types.

Soil Cement
Soil cement is a mixture of pulverized native soil, Portland cement and water, rolled and compacted into very dense surface. It is cheaper than asphalt, but drainage is very important to prevent erosion.

Resin-Based Stabilized Material
Resin is a tree product that binds aggregate or soil particles together. A resin-based trail surface impacts the environment less than asphalt and can be cheaper. The aesthetics also better match the surrounding environment.
[...]
https://www.railstotrails.org/build...g-toolbox/trail-building-and-design/surfaces/

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Finally whats everyones thoughts on paving the Beltline on the east side of Allen? Personally I would prefer it to dirt trail but I sometimes think I am of the minority.

Between the Allen and Eglinton I would be supportive of fully paving, since the quality of the dirt trail deterioriates when you past Eglinton, going (north/)west.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

While it would be nice for the Beltline to have its own bridge over the Allen Road, I don't think the city would front the cost for something like this, so cycling lane on Elm Ridge Bridge will probably have to suffice.

However, if the city decides to go forward with any of the Allen Road enhancements http://www.blogto.com/city/2014/09/what_should_toronto_do_with_allen_road/, then a crossing could be something whose costs could be included in a larger project.

I always thought that the road bridges were okay as an interim solution until the Allen got figured out. But that EA that is mentioned in the link you posted? The City withdrew it, so no further planning has occurred. Personally, I put on my tin foil hat and think that, while planning money is tight, Keesmat purposefully redirected the money and is ensuring no more progress is make until a more progressive mayor comes around.

Conspiracy theories aside, it doesn't make sense putting money towards a pedestrian bridge when the Allen may be modified in future and two road bridges exist not too far away. But I do hope we get back to looking at the Allen one day. I have always been a fan of the surface road alternative, and dreamed about that portion of the beltline becoming some kind of wide mall area.

 

[Johnny Au]

The Dufferin crossing is via a bridge. I don't see any problems here.

View attachment 107209

Cyclists would have to go to Fairbank Avenue, Salinas Court/Locksley, or dragging the bike up a steep slope next to the stairs to go to the Beltline from Dufferin.

I often ride my bike there, since it is in my neighbourhood.

 

[Allandale25]

https://www.facebook.com/1657133638/posts/10216905855872794

 

[innsertnamehere]

seems kind of silly given that the Aldburn Rd bridge is like 50m south.

 

[nfitz]

seems kind of silly vien that the Aldburn Rd bridge is like 50m south.

Only 43 metres. The bigger issue is why isn't there a piece of Beltline trail from the west sidewalk along the Allen to Marlee Avenue? Currently it's quicker to walk north (only 51 metrs) to Elm Ridge, and then acrosss to Marlee.