Eastern Avenue Bridge/DVP Interchange

[Northern Light]

A very big project is moving closer to the public eye.

The City is intent on finding ways to address pedestrian/cycling safety as part of this project. Whether that is a dedicated bridge or cycle tracks and sidewalks.

In either case, the intent is to ultimately link to the Adelaide/Richmond Cycle tracks on the west side and full Cycle Tracks on Eastern Avenue.

That will require some material changes in how this infrastructure is laid out.

I think for the above reasons, this one merits a dedicated thread.

 

[DSC]

A very big project is moving closer to the public eye.

View attachment 441009

The City is intent on finding ways to address pedestrian/cycling safety as part of this project. Whether that is a dedicated bridge or cycle tracks and sidewalks.

In either case, the intent is to ultimately link to the Adelaide/Richmond Cycle tracks on the west side and full Cycle Tracks on Eastern Avenue.

That will require some material changes in how this infrastructure is laid out.

I think for the above reasons, this one merits a dedicated thread.

There are also many areas of deteriorated/deteriorating concrete on these bridges that need attention.

 

[mcornett]

A very big project is moving closer to the public eye.

View attachment 441009

The City is intent on finding ways to address pedestrian/cycling safety as part of this project. Whether that is a dedicated bridge or cycle tracks and sidewalks.

In either case, the intent is to ultimately link to the Adelaide/Richmond Cycle tracks on the west side and full Cycle Tracks on Eastern Avenue.

That will require some material changes in how this infrastructure is laid out.

I think for the above reasons, this one merits a dedicated thread.

Do you know much more about this project? Is it a full reconfiguration / reconstruction of the bridges and onramps? I haven't heard anything about it, though I live quite literally overhead.

 

[Northern Light]

Do you know much more about this project?

Not much. I had a cursory chat about it with City staff last year.

But there was no detailed design.

I only know that the City did have it on the radar as an opportunity for substantial pedestrian/cycling improvements.

 

[smably]

A story about the Eastern Avenue bridge:

When I moved to Toronto in 2011, I brought my bike on the GO bus from KW. I'd rented a place on Broadview south of Queen and Google Maps told me to take King up to Queen and then east across the Don and back south on Broadview. I was very smart at the time, so I thought to myself, why would I go all the way up to Queen and backtrack down Broadview instead of taking Front to Eastern and then up Broadview. As I rode on Eastern past Cherry, I realized I'd made a big mistake. Trying to cross a steady stream of cars merging left at 60-80 km/h from Adelaide onto Eastern was almost enough to make me never want to bike again in Toronto. I made it home physically unharmed but mildly traumatized, and that was my first bike ride in Toronto.

Which is all to say that I hope they tear down this unsafe and terrifying relic of 1960s auto-centric urban planning and build something better in its place.

 

[DSC]

Which is all to say that I hope they tear down this unsafe and terrifying relic of 1960s auto-centric urban planning and build something better in its place.

At the same time the City REALLY needs to adjust the street names as Eastern Avenue is a dead-end at both sides of the Don River and one must take the Eastern Avenue Diversion to get from one piece to the other. I walk there quite often and am constantly seeing lost drivers. Google actually shows TWO Eastern Avenues.

 

[KevinT]

In fantasy land I'd love to see them jack up the old Eastern Avenue bridge onto higher abutments, so that cyclists and pedestrians could use the original alignment to pass overtop of the rail lines, the river, and the DVP.

 

[Northern Light]

In fantasy land I'd love to see them jack up the old Eastern Avenue bridge onto higher abutments, so that cyclists and pedestrians could use the original alignment to pass overtop of the rail lines, the river, and the DVP.

Almost certainly won't happen, but it is a nice thought.

 

[DSC]

Almost certainly won't happen, but it is a nice thought.

CORRECTION:

It very definitely won't happen, but it is a nice thought. (In fact the old bridge will be being removed as part of the Lower Don stuff.)

 

[JasonParis]

The Canary District's Eastern could definitely be given a new name (even if it more matches the original alignment). Even something as simple as Canary Drive could work.

 

[CapitalSeven]

Yikes. I've always been baffled by the idea of naming a bunch of things after a defunct greasy spoon, even one in a cool old survivor of a building. Though I concede that West Don Lands is pretty uninspiring.

 

[JasonParis]

I suspect the entrance to "Canary Drive" from Eastern Ave will also need a signalized light soon too.

 

[north-of-anything]

Yikes. I've always been baffled by the idea of naming a bunch of things after a defunct greasy spoon, even one in a cool old survivor of a building. Though I concede that West Don Lands is pretty uninspiring.

Is that the origin of "Canary"? Huh. TIL.

I'm more partial to something like "Foundry Road", myself.

 

[JasonParis]

There's already such a road in the west end though.