B
billonlogan
Guest
Article from the Toronto Sun
Rush-hour traffic is becoming a two-way affair.
City traffic counts for 2004 and 2001 show the jump in the number of vehicles heading out of the city during morning rush hour was nearly double the increase for cars and trucks going into Toronto.
The number of vehicles leaving the city increased by 20,200 on a typical morning rush hour from 2001 to 2004, while the number of cars and trucks heading into the city, increased by 11,700.
Transportation planning director Rod McPhail said the number of commuters going from Toronto to the 905 area has been growing for some time.
According to the city's figures, about 151,000 drivers from outside Toronto made the commute into the city during a typical morning rush hour -- 6:30-9:30 a.m. -- in 1981. That number swelled to nearly 311,000 drivers in 2004 -- the most recent total available.
By contrast, more than 103,000 Toronto motorists made the trip beyond the city's borders on a normal morning rush hour in 1981. Going hand in hand with the development that occurred in the 905 area over the years, the number of morning rush-hour motorists going outside Toronto jumped to about 224,000 in 2004.
"I would say what you're witnessing is quite a natural phenomenon," McPhail said. "We just don't have the transit as an alternative, so people are using their cars. That outbound trip is a real difficult one."
Surveys show reliability and time -- not price -- are the key concerns of those who choose public transit, McPhail said.
Those who drive to jobs in the downtown core typically have free or subsidized parking, he said.
"Any new job out there (in the 905 area), for the most part, is a car trip to get to work," McPhail said. At least 50% of every new job in the city of Toronto involves a transit trip., he said.
Faye Lyons, of the Canadian Automobile Association, said Toronto council must make roads and transit a priority.
"I don't think either transit, or roads, has kept up with the pace of growth," she said.
Lyons called on Toronto council to push ahead with the stalled Front St. extension and to extend the subway west from Kipling Station.
---
UP AND UP
City officials regularly count the number of vehicles leaving and entering Toronto during a morning rush hour (6:30-9:30 a.m.) Here are morning-rush-hour numbers:
INBOUND:
1993....................231,125
1995....................247,373
1998....................286,912
2001....................299,036
2004....................310,717
OUTBOUND:
1993...................148,498
1995...................165,540
1998...................194,234
2001...................203,952
2004...................224,184
Bus? Forget it!
Toronto resident David Seigel doesn't see his commute to Vaughan as much of a burden -- just don't ask him to take the bus.
Seigel, 29, features editor for Whatever Vaughan Magazine, is one of the growing number of Toronto residents going against the traditional traffic flow, regularly driving to work in the 905 area.
Seigel estimates in the morning, it takes him about 30 minutes -- up to 40 minutes on a "bad traffic day" -- to drive his 2004 Acura from his home in the Yonge St.-Eglinton Ave. area to his office on Jane St. at Langstaff Rd. The trip home takes a little longer.
His drive isn't bad, compared with the daily treks of many thousands of commuters in the GTA.
Seigel dismisses public transit as an option. He said he'd have to take the subway and one, maybe two, buses to make the journey to work.
"I know it would probably take me at least two hours. I would have to be on a specific schedule."
He plays floor hockey two nights a week and goes to games right from the office.
"I can't lug the goalie equipment on a bus or a train."
If he lived in the 905 area and had to go into the city, "it would be a nightmare," he said.
-------------------------------
As a daily commuter on the NB DVP, I have noticed the increase in traffic during rush hour. However, far better than the opposite direction. Also, the SB 404 approach to DVP/401 is backed up to Finch or Steeles on most evenings. Then usually slow to about Wynford before it picks up.
I took the bus to work once when my car was in the shop. My journey started at Pape Station, up Don Mills Rd to Steeles, then transferred to another bus to get to Woodbine & Apple Creek in Markham. It took forever to get to work. I asked around and got a drive to Don Mills Station for the way back home. I begged my neighbour to borrow her car till the repairs were completed.
Rush-hour traffic is becoming a two-way affair.
City traffic counts for 2004 and 2001 show the jump in the number of vehicles heading out of the city during morning rush hour was nearly double the increase for cars and trucks going into Toronto.
The number of vehicles leaving the city increased by 20,200 on a typical morning rush hour from 2001 to 2004, while the number of cars and trucks heading into the city, increased by 11,700.
Transportation planning director Rod McPhail said the number of commuters going from Toronto to the 905 area has been growing for some time.
According to the city's figures, about 151,000 drivers from outside Toronto made the commute into the city during a typical morning rush hour -- 6:30-9:30 a.m. -- in 1981. That number swelled to nearly 311,000 drivers in 2004 -- the most recent total available.
By contrast, more than 103,000 Toronto motorists made the trip beyond the city's borders on a normal morning rush hour in 1981. Going hand in hand with the development that occurred in the 905 area over the years, the number of morning rush-hour motorists going outside Toronto jumped to about 224,000 in 2004.
"I would say what you're witnessing is quite a natural phenomenon," McPhail said. "We just don't have the transit as an alternative, so people are using their cars. That outbound trip is a real difficult one."
Surveys show reliability and time -- not price -- are the key concerns of those who choose public transit, McPhail said.
Those who drive to jobs in the downtown core typically have free or subsidized parking, he said.
"Any new job out there (in the 905 area), for the most part, is a car trip to get to work," McPhail said. At least 50% of every new job in the city of Toronto involves a transit trip., he said.
Faye Lyons, of the Canadian Automobile Association, said Toronto council must make roads and transit a priority.
"I don't think either transit, or roads, has kept up with the pace of growth," she said.
Lyons called on Toronto council to push ahead with the stalled Front St. extension and to extend the subway west from Kipling Station.
---
UP AND UP
City officials regularly count the number of vehicles leaving and entering Toronto during a morning rush hour (6:30-9:30 a.m.) Here are morning-rush-hour numbers:
INBOUND:
1993....................231,125
1995....................247,373
1998....................286,912
2001....................299,036
2004....................310,717
OUTBOUND:
1993...................148,498
1995...................165,540
1998...................194,234
2001...................203,952
2004...................224,184
Bus? Forget it!
Toronto resident David Seigel doesn't see his commute to Vaughan as much of a burden -- just don't ask him to take the bus.
Seigel, 29, features editor for Whatever Vaughan Magazine, is one of the growing number of Toronto residents going against the traditional traffic flow, regularly driving to work in the 905 area.
Seigel estimates in the morning, it takes him about 30 minutes -- up to 40 minutes on a "bad traffic day" -- to drive his 2004 Acura from his home in the Yonge St.-Eglinton Ave. area to his office on Jane St. at Langstaff Rd. The trip home takes a little longer.
His drive isn't bad, compared with the daily treks of many thousands of commuters in the GTA.
Seigel dismisses public transit as an option. He said he'd have to take the subway and one, maybe two, buses to make the journey to work.
"I know it would probably take me at least two hours. I would have to be on a specific schedule."
He plays floor hockey two nights a week and goes to games right from the office.
"I can't lug the goalie equipment on a bus or a train."
If he lived in the 905 area and had to go into the city, "it would be a nightmare," he said.
-------------------------------
As a daily commuter on the NB DVP, I have noticed the increase in traffic during rush hour. However, far better than the opposite direction. Also, the SB 404 approach to DVP/401 is backed up to Finch or Steeles on most evenings. Then usually slow to about Wynford before it picks up.
I took the bus to work once when my car was in the shop. My journey started at Pape Station, up Don Mills Rd to Steeles, then transferred to another bus to get to Woodbine & Apple Creek in Markham. It took forever to get to work. I asked around and got a drive to Don Mills Station for the way back home. I begged my neighbour to borrow her car till the repairs were completed.
