Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes)

[imerk]

Couldn't we just put some concrete medians between the traffic lanes and cycle lane?

 

[H4F33Z]

Couldn't we just put some concrete medians between the traffic lanes and cycle lane?

Northern Light didn't have the foresight to include the original GIF in the tweet. But still, I appreciate the coverage. Yes, it does have curbs! and I'm covering many streets in the city that can be upgraded to cycle tracks.

Steeles Avenue East

And here is Annette Street!

 

[imerk]

Northern Light didn't have the foresight to include the original GIF in the tweet. But still, I appreciate the coverage. Yes, it does have curbs! and I'm covering many streets in the city that can be upgraded to cycle tracks.

Steeles Avenue East
View attachment 337909

And here is Annette Street!
View attachment 337910

Nice! My mistake, your graphics look so real I thought those were the existing condition on Steeles.

 

[Northern Light]

Big and good changes coming to Bloor Street next week, between Sherbourne and Castlefrank Road

BlogTO's newest (and best) writer brought this to my attention here: https://www.blogto.com/city/2021/08/bloor-street-toronto-makeover/

The City's webpage for this is here:

https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/8f6a-TSActiveTOBloor-E-Brochure.pdf

From the above:

Lots to like here.

More to come when permanent changes are made to the Bloor/Parliament intersection in the years ahead, removing the slip lane.

 

[Northern Light]

From Toronto Cycling's Twitter:

 

[Northern Light]

Bloor work has begun, video linked below to see the overnight progress:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1427969801767604231

Photos and discussion from a City of Toronto Cycling staffer who was out watching the work for much of the night:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1427900411734790149

 

[reteequa]

Someone's life would have been saved if the people running this city did something for once. It's absolutely pathetic and every single councilor and the mayor should be ashamed of themselves.

Wider sidewalks an bikes lanes would have given an 18 year old a real-life to live.

https://www.cp24.com/news/18-year-o...by-cement-truck-in-downtown-toronto-1.5552638

 

[W. K. Lis]

`Someone's life would have been saved if the people running this city did something for once. It's absolutely pathetic and every single councilor and the mayor should be ashamed of themselves.

Wider sidewalks an bikes lanes would have given an 18 year old a real-life to live.

https://www.cp24.com/news/18-year-o...by-cement-truck-in-downtown-toronto-1.5552638

From link.

Avenue Road needs wider sidewalks and lower speeds​

The task of building the city we want is complicated by the city we have.

This is especially true for road infrastructure, the product of a different era and different priorities.

Avenue Road, a six-lane, high-speed motorway running through the heart of Toronto, no longer fits with contemporary ideas about road safety or with the schools, parks, residential towers and seniors’ residences in its path.

The 2.1-kilometre stretch between Bloor Street West and St. Clair Avenue West was widened in 1959 by the old Metro government by chopping down trees and pilfering space from sidewalks.

Metro’s priority, to move as many cars as quickly as possible, was clear. “I would cut five or six feet off many sidewalks, shove the poles back and create two new lanes for traffic,” Metro chair Fred Gardiner told the Toronto Star in 1953.

Today, we have the Avenue Road that Gardiner wanted. The sidewalks are so narrow — even before further reduction by bins or snow windrows — that people struggle to get by each other, especially if pushing strollers or using mobility devices. Some of the poles that Gardiner shoved back are in the middle of the sidewalk. Avenue also has 30,000 motor vehicles per day, with 85 per cent of them exceeding the posted speed limit, according to a pre-pandemic study.

The six-lane speedway and narrow footpath aren’t just inconsistent with the area’s residential character, but also with city policies. The city’s declaration of a climate emergency last year augments existing objectives to replace short car trips with healthier alternatives. Its Complete Streets Guidelines call for a more equitable sharing of road space. And the Vision Zero road safety plan is premised on good design that anticipates mistakes by road users. In contrast, Avenue Road simply invites tragedy and grief.

Avenue Road is also inconsistent with the way people now get around. In the central city, people who walk, cycle and take transit account for 70 per cent of the traffic mode share. Moving “traffic” should mean a lot more than Gardiner’s preoccupation with cars.

Three years ago, the Avenue Road Safety Coalition of parent, schools and residents’ groups first called for a wider sidewalk and lower speeds on Avenue between Bloor and St. Clair. So far, there has been little progress beyond agreement that change is needed.

The need for physical distancing has increased the urgency of action. City Hall has demonstrated an ability to move quickly in re-allocating road space with curbside cafes, new bikeways and queueing space in front of stores. We believe that a wider sidewalk installed by the end of the year as a pilot project is easily achievable and offers an inexpensive way to evaluate the best permanent design.

Our elected civic leaders have an opportunity on Avenue Road to show they are ready to move beyond Fred Gardiner’s city of the 1950s, and to build a city based on today’s values and priorities.

Toronto's Transportation Department...

From link.

 

[christiesplits]

Someone's life would have been saved if the people running this city did something for once. It's absolutely pathetic and every single councilor and the mayor should be ashamed of themselves.

Wider sidewalks an bikes lanes would have given an 18 year old a real-life to live.

https://www.cp24.com/news/18-year-o...by-cement-truck-in-downtown-toronto-1.5552638

Tory and his allies on council have time and time again indicated that they see Vision Zero as nothing more than a slogan. This is a mayor who is spending over $3 Billion to repair the East Gardiner.

 

[afransen]

From link.

Avenue Road needs wider sidewalks and lower speeds​

Toronto's Transportation Department...

From link.

Yeah yeah, but what's the Level of Service?

 

[afransen]

Tory and his allies on council have time and time again indicated that they see Vision Zero as nothing more than a slogan.

Vision Zero Urgency.

 

[W. K. Lis]

One problem with Black Creek Drive north of Eglinton Avenue West...

From link.

No pedestrians and cyclists allowed on Black Creek Drive. That needs to change.

 

[innsertnamehere]

why? what purpose would that serve? All it would do would create safety issues as Black Creek is not remotely designed for that.

 

[Northern Light]

why? what purpose would that serve? All it would do would create safety issues as Black Creek is not remotely designed for that.

Black Creek Drive is on the City list for cycling infra.

The intent is to add a dedicated boulevard in sections where that is feasible.

It scored among the most desirable routes in the City's analysis.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I could see a dedicated off-road multi use path, yes. But allowing cyclists on the street itself is not going to help anyone.