dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Ah yes, those sunken manhole covers/sewer grates, I missed them. Try the bike-lane on Sherbourne Street, you'll find every violation there. It truly has to be seen (or experienced) to be believed!
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Bicycle Paths
- Thread starter unimaginative2
- Start date
Ah yes, those sunken manhole covers/sewer grates, I missed them. Try the bike-lane on Sherbourne Street, you'll find every violation there. It truly has to be seen (or experienced) to be believed!
nfitz
Superstar
kettal
Banned
I predict blood will spill over this during the election.
Why can't we have a civilized city like Montreal, Chicago, or New York, where bike lanes aren't considered evil?
Why can't we have a civilized city like Montreal, Chicago, or New York, where bike lanes aren't considered evil?
Lilibet
Active Member
Add snow to the mix
So far, this winter has been pretty good to cyclists in terms of snow, but until bicycle lanes are given the same priority as the rest of the roadway during the winter months and are kept clear of snow instead of being used as the snow dumping section then as a group of road users, cyclists will still remain second class citizens.
So far, this winter has been pretty good to cyclists in terms of snow, but until bicycle lanes are given the same priority as the rest of the roadway during the winter months and are kept clear of snow instead of being used as the snow dumping section then as a group of road users, cyclists will still remain second class citizens.
junctionist
Senior Member
How do you know there wasn't big opposition in those cities?
kettal
Banned
Well, I can say that almost all google news results for the term "war on cars" or "war on the car" return articles from Toronto.
But other than that, I'm quite ignorant as to what kind of opposition was seen in these cities. Hopefully someone better connected will enlighten us.
Silence&Motion
Senior Member
Hydro Corridors and Bike Paths?
With all the talk of building science fiction-esque tunnels over the DVP, has there been any serious consideration of how the hydro corridors in the suburbs could be used to create bicycle commuting pathways? I present you with exhibit A: the corridor running parallel to Warden and Victoria Park Ave. It stretches north from a much larger hydro corridor near Eglinton Ave. all the way up to Major MacKenzie Drive. In this picture, I've only shown the Toronto section of the corridor which ends at Steeles Ave.
This particular corridor had all of its towers south of McNicoll Ave. removed years ago, and much of the land was developed into housing. Despite this development, there is still a continuous pathway of green space. Even at its most narrow sections, there is plenty of room for a bike path.
There currently exists a very short bike path that stretches from McNicoll to a residential street just south of Steeles. It's great for local residents who want to go for a walk, but it won't take you very far if you're on a bike.
While this corridor may seem like it's out in the middle of nowhere, it has a lot of strategic connections. In the north it connects to an industrial/business district that employs many local residents (including the Canadian HQ of IBM). It also intersects with another hydro corridor between McNicoll and Finch that eventually leads to west to Finch station. And the larger hydro corridor at its southern end eventually connects to the Don Valley.
Currently none of these green spaces have any significant bike paths. Someone in north Scarborough who would like to bike downtown would probably have to take major roadways to Lawrence and Leslie, and then enter the Don Valley trail at Edwards Gardens.
I think it's reasonable to assume that with proper connections, corridors like this one can make realistic commuting paths. Consider a commute from Warden and Finch to Yonge and King. During rush hour, this commute could take over an hour by car and even longer by TTC. If you were able to bike through the hydro corridors, you're looking at about 20km of biking (or 1-2 hours for the casual cyclist). So you haven't lost much in terms of time, but you're now able to move entirely through green space, you don't need to share a roadway with cars, you don't face many stop signs or traffic lights, and you're able to get exercise. There must be a significant population for whom this would be a preferable option (at least during the summer).
With all the talk of building science fiction-esque tunnels over the DVP, has there been any serious consideration of how the hydro corridors in the suburbs could be used to create bicycle commuting pathways? I present you with exhibit A: the corridor running parallel to Warden and Victoria Park Ave. It stretches north from a much larger hydro corridor near Eglinton Ave. all the way up to Major MacKenzie Drive. In this picture, I've only shown the Toronto section of the corridor which ends at Steeles Ave.
This particular corridor had all of its towers south of McNicoll Ave. removed years ago, and much of the land was developed into housing. Despite this development, there is still a continuous pathway of green space. Even at its most narrow sections, there is plenty of room for a bike path.
There currently exists a very short bike path that stretches from McNicoll to a residential street just south of Steeles. It's great for local residents who want to go for a walk, but it won't take you very far if you're on a bike.
While this corridor may seem like it's out in the middle of nowhere, it has a lot of strategic connections. In the north it connects to an industrial/business district that employs many local residents (including the Canadian HQ of IBM). It also intersects with another hydro corridor between McNicoll and Finch that eventually leads to west to Finch station. And the larger hydro corridor at its southern end eventually connects to the Don Valley.
Currently none of these green spaces have any significant bike paths. Someone in north Scarborough who would like to bike downtown would probably have to take major roadways to Lawrence and Leslie, and then enter the Don Valley trail at Edwards Gardens.
I think it's reasonable to assume that with proper connections, corridors like this one can make realistic commuting paths. Consider a commute from Warden and Finch to Yonge and King. During rush hour, this commute could take over an hour by car and even longer by TTC. If you were able to bike through the hydro corridors, you're looking at about 20km of biking (or 1-2 hours for the casual cyclist). So you haven't lost much in terms of time, but you're now able to move entirely through green space, you don't need to share a roadway with cars, you don't face many stop signs or traffic lights, and you're able to get exercise. There must be a significant population for whom this would be a preferable option (at least during the summer).
Northern Light
Superstar
Hi Silence,
To answer your question:
The City WILL be building a new bike path in the FINCH Hydro Corridor in 2010 (this year); it is funded by Federal Stimulus cash, and as such must be completed by March 2011. (so it will be done by Fall.)
Also Funded, is a new/improved bike trail along the North-East/South-West Gatineau Hydro Corridor (that's the one at the bottom of the Warden Hydro Corridor you showed pictures of). This too is scheduled for 2010. I have yet to see the detailed designs, but staff were working on them in fall to make sure they were ready for tendering this spring.
*****
Currently there are no Immediate plans for a trail on the Warden Hydro Corridor (the N-S one you showed pics of )
The City is aware of the trail possibilities and at least one Councillor (Micheal Thompson) seems to be in favour.
However, there are issues to work out w/Hydro which can never make up its mind if it will upgrade these sections of towers for re-use or remove them); if they keep them, the City will have to negotiate a deal, and this one is behind several others in the queue for paths.
Right now, after Finch, Gatineau and a slew of Waterfront Trail projects; proposals call for paving the old Leaside Rail Spur/gravel bike path; completing new trails in the East Don (phase I now under construction); new trails beside the newmarket rail sub through the Downsview Park lands; finishing the West Toronto Rail path; and putting trails in next to the Lakeshore East Rail Line (the Scarborough Transportation Corridor at least to Guildwood GO Station in the east.
There's also new trail going in along Mimico Creek from the Queensway to the Lake.
To answer your question:
The City WILL be building a new bike path in the FINCH Hydro Corridor in 2010 (this year); it is funded by Federal Stimulus cash, and as such must be completed by March 2011. (so it will be done by Fall.)
Also Funded, is a new/improved bike trail along the North-East/South-West Gatineau Hydro Corridor (that's the one at the bottom of the Warden Hydro Corridor you showed pictures of). This too is scheduled for 2010. I have yet to see the detailed designs, but staff were working on them in fall to make sure they were ready for tendering this spring.
*****
Currently there are no Immediate plans for a trail on the Warden Hydro Corridor (the N-S one you showed pics of )
The City is aware of the trail possibilities and at least one Councillor (Micheal Thompson) seems to be in favour.
However, there are issues to work out w/Hydro which can never make up its mind if it will upgrade these sections of towers for re-use or remove them); if they keep them, the City will have to negotiate a deal, and this one is behind several others in the queue for paths.
Right now, after Finch, Gatineau and a slew of Waterfront Trail projects; proposals call for paving the old Leaside Rail Spur/gravel bike path; completing new trails in the East Don (phase I now under construction); new trails beside the newmarket rail sub through the Downsview Park lands; finishing the West Toronto Rail path; and putting trails in next to the Lakeshore East Rail Line (the Scarborough Transportation Corridor at least to Guildwood GO Station in the east.
There's also new trail going in along Mimico Creek from the Queensway to the Lake.
kettal
Banned
I don't see any hydro towers here... are you sure this isn't a gas line corridor?
Most hydro corridors are recognized as bike paths in the Toronto Bikeway plan, but not this one. It does have bike lanes shown for the entirety of Pharmacy Avenue and Birchmount, though:
http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/bikeplan/network.htm
I'd also advise to any serious commuters not to use the Don Valley trails. They are in horrible condition due to tree roots and water damage, and I can't consider them safe above 15 km/h speeds.
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Silence&Motion
Senior Member
Kettal: The hydro towers were removed in the late 1990s. The houses you see on the right were built after the towers were removed. Bike lanes along Pharmacy and Birchmount would be nice, but an off road path would be even better.
Northern Light: Thanks for all the info! I'm looking forward to seeing these new paths.
Northern Light: Thanks for all the info! I'm looking forward to seeing these new paths.
Second_in_pie
Senior Member
Oh @#$% you're right! My eyes have been opened now.
I'd be quite happy to have bike lanes in all the major hydro corridors as mini-bike highways, as long as there's space for public transit where needed (Regional Rail, BRT/LRT, Subway,) parks and community gardens, and some large scale farming.
W. K. Lis
Superstar
In New York City, they removed bicycle lanes in an area with there was opposition from a group of ultra-orthodox jews. Something about the skippy clothes the women wore bicycling through those streets. Now there is a battle of sorts to get those lanes back in by the bicyclists.
kettal
Banned
I guess no bike lanes on Bathurst, then.
RedRocket191
Senior Member
As I recall, two guerrilla activists painted those lines back late at night.
k10ery
Senior Member
That's very interesting to see, and I totally agree that developing hydro corridors (and ravines) for trails is worth the money. I believe the Warden hydro corridor has been proposed for a mixed use trail as part of the Taylor Massey Creek rehabilitation project: http://www.web.net/~fode/taylor/trailneed.htm
But just 3 km west of your Warden corridor is the Leaside Rail Trail, which is slated for construction in 2010. So with any luck before long we will be able to do this:
all the way from the Forks of the Don to the Finch hydro corridor.
It's gonna be awesome.
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