King Street (Streetcar Transit Priority)

[299 bloor call control.]

I have lived in Toronto since 2001 and they have been out of service all that time. I would not get your hopes up on seeing them rebuilt - the TTC puts them on their 5-year 'track plan' each year (always in Year 5) and the work never happens. I would not get your hopes too high!

The tracks were scheduled to be removed as part of road reconstruction in 2021. The plan has changed now to rebuild the tracks as part of the reconstruction project.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

Adelaide just wouldn't work for diversions.

It works as a great diversion route for any eastbound service, given it spans Spadina to Church, unlike Richmond.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

I’m told the TTC is looking at express buses to complement streetcars during rush hour.

Is there any restriction preventing the 504 from running additional streetcars on the line if the vehicles were made available? Does it present a problem at terminal stations/stops?

We now have what the mayor called “a downtown subway line built over a weekend”. Can we not prioritize our streetcar fleet to go on this line until demand has been met?

Supplementary bus service, not express. These will be trippers that will add a bit of capacity exactly when the line is busiest.

Adding more peak period streetcars would mean fewer streetcars for the rest of the network. This would result in other routes being fully replaced by bus. Until fleet constraints are lifted, it’s more important to have streetcars running all day on more routes, and supplement peak capacity by bus where it makes sense.

 

[robmausser]

Supplementary bus service, not express. These will be trippers that will add a bit of capacity exactly when the line is busiest.

Adding more peak period streetcars would mean fewer streetcars for the rest of the network. This would result in other routes being fully replaced by bus. Until fleet constraints are lifted, it’s more important to have streetcars running all day on more routes, and supplement peak capacity by bus where it makes sense.

I would much rather keep a flagship line, the 504 Transit Mall, all new streetcar, and pull them off elsewhere in the system, like the 501.

 

[steveintoronto]

I had to refresh my memory as to what the term "tripper" means. I had it essentially correct, but since the term is being used, best to use it as intended:

ROUTES 502 AND 503 - THE KINGSTON ROAD STREETCARS
(Last Modified on June 22, 2018 11:00 AM)

​

Text and photos by James Bow, except where noted.
[...]
The 502 DOWNTOWNER's cousin, the 503 KINGSTON ROAD TRIPPER, follows the 502 route from Kingston Road and Victoria Park to Queen and King, where it turns southwest on King and follows this street to Church. Until 2017, it looped through Downtown Toronto via Church, Wellington and York before starting its return trip to Bingham Loop along King Street. As the name implies, the "tripper" service was initially operated only during rush hours. Service on the Kingston Road portion of both these routes is replaced during the evenings, weekends and nights by an extension of the 22 COXWELL bus.

The "tripper" term dates back from before the 1940s when several streetcar routes in Toronto had alternate "tripper" services supplementing the base route. The 503 service is called the Kingston Road "Tripper" because the 502 DOWNTOWNER route was, until 1974, named KINGSTON ROAD. When the TTC extended the KINGSTON ROAD streetcar along Queen and Bathurst streets to Bathurst Station, they made the name change to promote the new direct downtown connection from the Bloor subway. This extended service degenerated to a rush-hours only branch before long and was dropped altogether in the mid-1980s, returning the 502 route back to its pre-1974 McCaul-Bingham configuration. The name still hasn't been changed back to 'KINGSTON ROAD'. [...]

https://transit.toronto.on.ca/streetcar/4102.shtml

 

[steveintoronto]

Driver arrested after 2 pedestrians struck in the Entertainment District

BY NEWS STAFF
POSTED APR 13, 2019 2:18 PM EDT

LAST UPDATED APR 13, 2019 AT 2:33 PM EDT

• LOCAL

One man has been arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after allegedly striking two pedestrians on Saturday afternoon at King and Spadina. CITYNEWS/Ryan Belgrave

One man has been arrested after two pedestrians were struck in the Entertainment District Saturday afternoon.
Officers were called to King Street West and Spadina Avenue just before 1:30 p.m.
Paramedics tell CityNews they are treating two patients on the scene. They are being taking to hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver also hit several muskoka chairs on the sidewalk.
Police confirm to CityNews the man was taken into custody on suspicion of drinking and driving.

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2019/04/13/driver-arrested-entertainment-district/

I'm sure I speak for a lot of others, but this portends what mixing motor vehicles with what should be dedicated pedestrian/transit malls happens.

At the very least, with no curb, it's obvious that some motorists, even sober, don't know where they're going.

 

[BurlOak]

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2019/04/13/driver-arrested-entertainment-district/

I'm sure I speak for a lot of others, but this portends what mixing motor vehicles with what should be dedicated pedestrian/transit malls happens.

At the very least, with no curb, it's obvious that some motorists, even sober, don't know where they're going.

The article says the driver hit muskoka chairs on the sidewalk, but from the photo, it appears that someone put the chairs on the lane.
I am not sure how drunk the driver was, but I have said many times that if laws are not intuitive, they likely won't be obeyed. This applies equally for drunks and drivers new to the area.

 

[MetroMan]

The article says the driver hit muskoka chairs on the sidewalk, but from the photo, it appears that someone put the chairs on the lane.
I am not sure how drunk the driver was, but I have said many times that if laws are not intuitive, they likely won't be obeyed. This applies equally for drunks and drivers new to the area.

That lane was closed, sectioned off with planters. The muskoka chairs were on what was considered a sidewalk for all intents and purposes.

The driver was clearly drunk as he crossed lanes to the opposite side of the street. This had nothing to do with confusion.

 

[steveintoronto]

^ I see @MetroMan has already answered, but since I already had the street pics handy to post, I'll do it anyway. It's actually more serious than being reported from what I can see. It appears that at least one of the planters was launched through the chairs and skidded east to hit other planters (the spilled soil is the giveaway) Note also the dark patches on the asphalt where boxes were before being impacted. That vehicle must have been going pretty fast. Had anyone been sitting in those chairs, this could have been far more serious.

ashphalt

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6458...4!1soLbEwv2HutQffu_5P9vjmA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Note the date of the Google pic: A year and a month ago, same spot. He impacted the planters going the wrong way on the street...yikes.

Time to ban through traffic completely on the King Mall. And erect curbs or raised paving stone to protect pedestrians on the expanded sidewalk.

 

[MetroMan]

^ I see @MetroMan has already answered, but since I already had the street pics handy to post, I'll do it anyway. It's actually more serious than being reported from what I can see. It appears that at least one of the planters was launched through the chairs and skidded east to hit other planters (the spilled soil is the giveaway) Note also the dark patches on the asphalt where boxes were before being impacted. That vehicle must have been going pretty fast. Had anyone been sitting in those chairs, this could have been far more serious.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6458...4!1soLbEwv2HutQffu_5P9vjmA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Note the date of the Google pic: A year and a month ago, same spot. He impacted the planters going the wrong way on the street...yikes.

Time to ban through traffic completely on the King Mall. And erect curbs or raised paving stone to protect pedestrians on the expanded sidewalk.

Traffic can’t be banned because of access to driveways on a lot of the blocks. This had nothing to do with the pilot. It could have happened on any other street and we’re not going to ban traffic everywhere.

The raised curbs and rebuilt sidewalks will happen over time as they’re scheduled for rebuild, if there’s underground work or if a adjacent development is being completed.

What we see now is still arranged for a pilot, designed in a way that is easily reversible. After council approves it next week, any road or sidewalk work that is built will be built as permanent.

 

[steveintoronto]

Traffic can’t be banned because of access to driveways on a lot of the blocks.

I wrote:

Time to ban through traffic

This had nothing to do with the pilot. It could have happened on any other street and we’re not going to ban traffic everywhere.

Perhaps you misunderstood my posting twice on "curbs"? The lack of curbs has a *LOT* to do with vehicles staying off sidewalks. The planters and chairs were on the asphalt, not on the sidewalk. I can't be bothered going back over what I wrote for posters who fail to read, but I also mentioned (gist) "raising expanded sidewalks to a higher level" to accomplish much the same.

And this *EVERYTHING* to do with protecting what should officially be just a transit/pedestrian mall (with local access, of course) for protection, just like is done in other examples in world leading cities. Bourke Street immediately comes to mind.

Pic by Vincent Quach

Curbs serve a purpose, even if they don't block tsunamis...
And Melbourne's new heightened sense of vulnerability for the Bourke Mall after a driver killed a number of pedestrians:

[...]
Pedestrian safety
Over the years I’ve written a lot of snark about CBD motorists pushing the boundaries, encroaching into pedestrian spaces. I never, ever imagined anything as horrific as this.

Normally it’s drivers being careless or thoughtless or clueless, but not malicious.

Being lunchtime, it’s not surprising large numbers of pedestrians were around. Being school holidays probably increased the number of children present in the city.

While nobody could expect this maniac to do what he did, I wonder if the infrastructure is appropriate, and if adequate protection has been provided for pedestrians to prevent motor vehicles accessing areas they shouldn’t go.



Swanston St and Bourke St Mall – car-free… in theory
Despite cars being banned, it is very easy to drive into Swanston Street — in part because service vehicles need to access some parts of the street. And it is common to see bewildered motorists doing this.

It is also very easy to access Bourke Street Mall, which has theoretically been car-free since 1983. It’s protected only by signage — in a similar way to painted bike lanes and laws that don’t physically prevent collisions, that some cycling advocates describe as “Administrative hazard controls” — a term also common in risk management and health & safety circles.

Despite a mass of signage on approach, it is common to see vehicles enter the Mall, and drive through or even park:

Daniel Bowen

✔@danielbowen
https://twitter.com/danielbowen/status/765395764465979393

https://www.danielbowen.com/2017/01/23/keep-cars-out/

https://twitter.com/danielbowen

 

[steveintoronto]

TTC Board Meeting April 11, 2019 by Steve

Results of the King Street Pilot

The King Street Pilot report that was presented to Toronto's Executive Committee on April 9 came before the TTC Board on April 11. There was a short discussion of the possibility of extension of the project further west. This review will be rolled into the surface transit network plan to come to the board in December 2019.

One item that may further complicate the taxi exemption for King Street was a proposal that Wheel Trans contracted vehicles be allowed to operate just like a transit vehicle when carrying Wheel; Trans clients. This will come to Council when they debate the issue at their meeting of April 16.

The Board endorsed the report's recommendations.

In future articles, I will update information about travel times, headways and line capacity on King street with data to the end of March 2019.

Read more of this post

 

[Jonny5]

A few tweaks would be nice here and there to stop locations. I hope the TTC has some leeway for that if all is approved.

 

[DSC]

A few tweaks would be nice here and there to stop locations. I hope the TTC has some leeway for that if all is approved.

The Report, accepted @ Council today, says they plan the following interim things::

• Improved customer experience at TTC stops such as, transit shelters and real-time information displays, where possible, as well as by investigating the potential for modular raised stop platforms;
• Higher quality public realm activation for the curb lane public spaces, including more investment in attractive and durable seating, parklets, public art, enhanced lighting, wayfinding, and seasonal programming;
• Improved and illuminated signage such as LED blank-out signs at key intersections to better inform motorists of traffic restrictions
• Investigating opportunities to optimize operations at both ends of the pilot, such as a potential amendment to the westbound through-movement restriction at Bathurst Street, to allow traffic leaving the pilot area in the westbound direction to continue along King Street, rather than turning right at Bathurst; and
• Further measures to increase capacity will be explored, including adding more streetcars or reintroducing supplemental bus service at the busiest times.

 

[DSC]

APPROVED!

Motions (City Council)​

1a - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Stephen Holyday (Lost) That City Council authorize through-traffic and right turns from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday, along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor. 1b - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Stephen Holyday (Lost) That City Council exempt green vehicles with "GV" Ontario licence plates from the through-traffic and right-turn provisions along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor. 2 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Jim Karygiannis (Lost) That: 1. City Council exempt licensed dedicated accessible taxi vehicles (minivans and vans for multiple-mobilty devices) that are under contract with Toronto Transit Commission Wheel-Trans from the King Street Transit Priority Corridor restrictions, provided they meet the following conditions: a. they are clearly identified as operating under contract with Toronto Transit Commission Wheel-Trans, via Toronto Transit Commission decals; and b. they are in operation for Toronto Transit Commission Wheel-Trans purposes only. 2. City Council authorize non-TTC contracted licensed Accessible Taxis to pickup and drop off on King Street on condition that they are dropping off or picking up a passenger with mobility device or mobility issues. 3 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Anthony Perruzza (Lost) That City Council exempt motorcycles and scooters from the through-movement prohibitions on King Street between Bathurst Street and Jarvis Street. 4 - Motion to Amend Item moved by Mayor John Tory (Carried) That City Council amend Executive Committee Recommendation 7 by deleting the words "late-night" so that the recommendation now reads as follows: 7. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to further monitor and assess the late-night performance of the King Street Transit Priority Corridor, particularly within the Entertainment District and King West, to inform the consideration of changes that could improve transit performance while ensuring for the safe and effective dissipation of people from nightlife activity on King Street West."​