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Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes)

On an up note for the West Toronto Railpath extension south, the scrap yard from hell has been excised from south of Dundas @ Stirling. (see map) . The soil is of known high degree of contamination, whether they dig out and/or remediate it or just cap it remains to be seen. The buildings on the south side of Dundas between the bridges are also empty. Fate unknown.
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https://www.google.ca/maps/place/To...23555502ab4c477!8m2!3d43.653226!4d-79.3831843
 
steveintoronto said:
On an up note for the West Toronto Railpath extension south, the scrap yard from hell has been excised from south of Dundas @ Stirling. (see map) . The soil is of known high degree of contamination, whether they dig out and/or remediate it or just cap it remains to be seen. The buildings on the south side of Dundas between the bridges are also empty. Fate unknown.

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/To...23555502ab4c477!8m2!3d43.653226!4d-79.3831843
Click to expand...

Scrap yard from hell? Does it have a reputation?

Anyways, great to see something happen here. I wonder how Metrolinx will treat this awkward sliver of land. Isn't part of the plan to build a cycling/pedestrian bridge from Sorauren Park over the tracks to better connect to Lansdowne?
 
Towered said:
Scrap yard from hell? Does it have a reputation?
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Yup. I've posted the Ministry report on it in one of the strings a couple of years back. Heavy metals and phenols. I used to have a studio on Sorauren decades back, and you could smell the spilled crankcase and other oils and fluids from across the tracks on hot Summer days. The soil is saturated, it's been a junk yard since at least back to WWII. Historically, I think there was a station at that location, when the soil was clean and grass green.
Towered said:
Anyways, great to see something happen here. I wonder how Metrolinx will treat this awkward sliver of land.
Click to expand...
Last I checked, it was to be left green due to the degree of contamination. Some developer might have different ideas though...the industrial and railroad use of that location goes back over a century for phenols, hydrocarbons, metal oxides, etc.
Towered said:
Isn't part of the plan to build a cycling/pedestrian bridge from Sorauren Park over the tracks to better connect to Lansdowne?
Click to expand...
I remember that being touted a few years back, and dropped. Regulatory and cost issues...For what it would cost, it's needed elsewhere. As it is, vast amounts are being spent on showcase bridges and hoity toity names to be celebrated, but what this City needs is just safe, dependable separated bike paths, not shmaltzy showcase wastes.

Addendum:

Details for above here: (follow the string on this page)
https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threa...o-phase-ii-proposed.2969/page-10#post-1323900
 
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steveintoronto said:
Yup. I've posted the Ministry report on it in one of the strings a couple of years back. Heavy metals and phenols. I used to have a studio on Sorauren decades back, and you could smell the spilled crankcase and other oils and fluids from across the tracks on hot Summer days. The soil is saturated, it's been a junk yard since at least back to WWII. Historically, I think there was a station at that location, when the soil was clean and grass green.
Last I checked, it was to be left green due to the degree of contamination. Some developer might have different ideas though...the industrial and railroad use of that location goes back over a century for phenols, hydrocarbons, metal oxides, etc.

I remember that being touted a few years back, and dropped. Regulatory and cost issues...For what it would cost, it's needed elsewhere. As it is, vast amounts are being spent on showcase bridges and hoity toity names to be celebrated, but what this City needs is just safe, dependable separated bike paths, not shmaltzy showcase wastes.

Addendum:

Details for above here: (follow the string on this page)
https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threa...o-phase-ii-proposed.2969/page-10#post-1323900
Click to expand...

I think converting it back to a station would make perfect sense! It could simultaneously serve both the Barrie and Milton GO lines.
 
Towered said:
I think converting it back to a station would make perfect sense! It could simultaneously serve both the Barrie and Milton GO lines.
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It would mean digging into very contaminated soil and disturbing the subterranean water flow patterns, releasing plumes. Just leave it in-situ with control wells for monitoring/remediation, and let Nature take back as much as possible.
 
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This year's proposed bike installations are proposed in a report to Infrastructure and Env. ctte's next meeting:


1. City Council authorize the installation of bicycle lanes on the following sections of roadway, as described in Attachment 2 - Designated Bicycle Lanes:

a. Argyle Street (from Ossington Avenue to a point 20 metres east)

b. Blue Jays Way (from Navy Wharf Court to King Street West)

c. Vaughan Road (from Northcliffe Boulevard to Oakwood Avenue)

d. Lawrence Avenue East (from Port Union Road to Rouge Hills Drive)


2. City Council authorize the installation of cycle tracks on the following sections of roadway, as described in Attachment 3 - Designated Cycle Tracks:

a. Scarlett Road (from Bernice Crescent to 105 metres south of Edenbridge Drive)

b. Willowdale Avenue (from Empress Avenue to Bishop Avenue)


3. City Council authorize the conversion of the bicycle lanes on Conlins Road, from Canmore Boulevard to Sheppard Avenue East, to cycle tracks, as described in Attachment 2 - Designated Bicycle Lanes and Attachment 3 - Designated Cycle Tracks


 
There is no information on how the bike lanes shall be upgraded on Bay St. with protection? Also nothing on bike lanes on Church St.?
 
Northern Light said:
This year's proposed bike installations are proposed in a report to Infrastructure and Env. ctte's next meeting:


1. City Council authorize the installation of bicycle lanes on the following sections of roadway, as described in Attachment 2 - Designated Bicycle Lanes:

a. Argyle Street (from Ossington Avenue to a point 20 metres east)

b. Blue Jays Way (from Navy Wharf Court to King Street West)

c. Vaughan Road (from Northcliffe Boulevard to Oakwood Avenue)

d. Lawrence Avenue East (from Port Union Road to Rouge Hills Drive)


2. City Council authorize the installation of cycle tracks on the following sections of roadway, as described in Attachment 3 - Designated Cycle Tracks:

a. Scarlett Road (from Bernice Crescent to 105 metres south of Edenbridge Drive)

b. Willowdale Avenue (from Empress Avenue to Bishop Avenue)


3. City Council authorize the conversion of the bicycle lanes on Conlins Road, from Canmore Boulevard to Sheppard Avenue East, to cycle tracks, as described in Attachment 2 - Designated Bicycle Lanes and Attachment 3 - Designated Cycle Tracks


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Is there any update on this? I thought there'd already be progress by now after council voted to make the lanes permanent.

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There is a separate report on the Bike Plan as a whole and on what is contemplated over the next 3 years (though 2021).

Report here:

Agenda Item History 2019.IE6.11

Agenda Item History 2019.IE6.11
app.toronto.ca

I will tell you, right off the top that its rather disappointing. Insufficient ambition. Sigh.

There are some good items in there, but the big ones Bloor/Danforth, Eglinton, Yonge and University are all subject to more study without much of a clear timeline.

Below are the graphics from the attachment to the report showing the near-term projects.

From this link here: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-134917.pdf

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191103

191104
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salsa said:
Is there any update on this? I thought there'd already be progress by now after council voted to make the lanes permanent.

View attachment 191099
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Its a long list of reports.

I don't remember any text about it.

But Adelaide is clearly shown on the 'Renew' list in the graphics in the post above.
 
Just an asside id like to vent that I live in the area of this "trail" I highlighted and I can tell you its complete BS. Not only on a large part of this "trail" are bikes banned, and there are massive stairs, but the section from Bayview to Sunnybrook is completely overgrown and inaccessible.
191110


It just peeves me that the city thinks this is a bikable infrastructure, trail or not.
 
Much like how the new pedestrian bridge to Liberty Village is getting funded mostly with cycling infrastructure money because a cyclist can technically use it.. By the time you get your bike in the elevator, go up, across, and back down in the other elevator, you may as well have just biked around it. Very few cyclists will use it..
 
salsa said:
Is there any update on this? I thought there'd already be progress by now after council voted to make the lanes permanent.
Click to expand...

I think the Bathurst crossing is a big pain point for this. Despite being a "pilot project" the city did a permanent rebuild of the Bathurst & Adelaide intersection to make room for a right side bike lane. Now the city needs to move it to the left side, and the waiting space on the west side of Bathurst isn't quite compatible with that.
 
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