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King Street (Streetcar Transit Priority)

I think it’s time to just ban parking on King from Bathurst to Jarvis if not beyond and then rip out the concrete from the tracks and make it clear that it’s a tramway. Local use only can use the right curb lane.
The design calls for widening the sidewalk and adding bike lanes.
 
It seems like a Toronto transportation department thing to not tell drivers what they should be doing in a way that is clear.

Outside Toronto: Black must turn signs are used, often with a post to hold it out over the road.
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In Toronto: Everything but that clear black sign hanging over the road telling you what to do. Some white sign way over to the side of a three lane road easily obscured, a yellow sign at the side of the road which seems to be a cross between a road curve sign and the lane sign, and of course the Toronto favourite of not telling people what to do but instead telling them what not to do.
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It seems like a Toronto transportation department thing to not tell drivers what they should be doing in a way that is clear.

Outside Toronto: Black must turn signs are used, often with a post to hold it out over the road.
View attachment 560142View attachment 560147View attachment 560146

In Toronto: Everything but that clear black sign hanging over the road telling you what to do. Some white sign way over to the side of a three lane road easily obscured, a yellow sign at the side of the road which seems to be a cross between a road curve sign and the lane sign, and of course the Toronto favourite of not telling people what to do but instead telling them what not to do.
View attachment 560148View attachment 560149

View attachment 560150

View attachment 560151

The problem is, at least, from my understanding, is you can only do this if you put in dedicated transit signals AND ban taxis. The first is solvable, the second one has heavy objections even on this forum. Also, as discussed, it only solves half the problem (the other one being blocking the box from intersecting streets).
 
The problem is, at least, from my understanding, is you can only do this if you put in dedicated transit signals AND ban taxis. The first is solvable, the second one has heavy objections even on this forum. Also, as discussed, it only solves half the problem (the other one being blocking the box from intersecting streets).
Why would the taxi rule prevent you from putting a Right Turn Lane sign on the right turn lane? Taxis can never go straight from the right turn lane, only buses and bicycles can.

I think the main thing preventing you from hanging a Transit Lane sign over the transit lane is that the streetcar wires make it physically impossible.
 
We have to stop depending on the police and judges to solve our policy mistakes. The law can only react to bad behavior, it cannot be everywhere all the time, and it is really expensive. Fines mean nothing to someone with a Bay Street investment portfolio while being disproportionately punishing to the least wealthy. We created a design of King Street that is dependent on law enforcement and using automated ticketing is just throwing good money after bad as it still requires a bureaucracy behind it. The solution is a design that physically keeps cars from blocking street cars. Eliminate the furniture and parking on the outer lanes and confine all private motor vehicles there. Cars can still access the parking on the properties facing King Street. Then place curbs around the centre lanes where the streetcars run. Filter streets with automated bollards where access should be limited. This is especially true where cars go to line-up for the Gardiner Expressway. Keeping the track lanes clear would also give emergency vehicles an open lane.

Not only should the street car lanes be physically blocked to keep private motor vehicles off the tracks, but the presence of a street carat an intersection should trigger priority lights that would put them first into the intersections. Cars making a left turns will be less likely to block the inter as the street car will be there first. An additional set of lights would be expensive, but it would be cheaper than trying to enforce rules. Fines are only reactive, they apply only after drivers have made everyone late. Even automated fines require a full time bureaucracy to support it.
 
We have to stop depending on the police and judges to solve our policy mistakes. The law can only react to bad behavior, it cannot be everywhere all the time, and it is really expensive. Fines mean nothing to someone with a Bay Street investment portfolio while being disproportionately punishing to the least wealthy. We created a design of King Street that is dependent on law enforcement and using automated ticketing is just throwing good money after bad as it still requires a bureaucracy behind it. The solution is a design that physically keeps cars from blocking street cars. Eliminate the furniture and parking on the outer lanes and confine all private motor vehicles there. Cars can still access the parking on the properties facing King Street. Then place curbs around the centre lanes where the streetcars run. Filter streets with automated bollards where access should be limited. This is especially true where cars go to line-up for the Gardiner Expressway. Keeping the track lanes clear would also give emergency vehicles an open lane.

Not only should the street car lanes be physically blocked to keep private motor vehicles off the tracks, but the presence of a street carat an intersection should trigger priority lights that would put them first into the intersections. Cars making a left turns will be less likely to block the inter as the street car will be there first. An additional set of lights would be expensive, but it would be cheaper than trying to enforce rules. Fines are only reactive, they apply only after drivers have made everyone late. Even automated fines require a full time bureaucracy to support it.

putting an ROW on King is not a bad idea. it was probably the best idea of the original three options. the only problem is the lack of room for platforms, where people still would have to cross live traffic to board. i would support doing this with every streetcar line, not just King.

left turns should probably just be banned on any streetcar route, but i agree the design is horrible and begs bad drivers to break the rules, conscientiously or not.
 
putting an ROW on King is not a bad idea. it was probably the best idea of the original three options. the only problem is the lack of room for platforms, where people still would have to cross live traffic to board. i would support doing this with every streetcar line, not just King.

left turns should probably just be banned on any streetcar route, but i agree the design is horrible and begs bad drivers to break the rules, conscientiously or not.
Just let the ROW take up 3 lanes, 2 for the streetcars and 1 for the platform.
 
Why would taxis be exempt? A family car with two parents and a kid have more people in them than most taxis. If there is anyone that could remember how to access a location on King with the restrictions it should be a professional driver and they have a meter running so it isn't going to hurt their business.
 
I certainly know that the plans for King certainly include wider sidewalks. The plans are certainly not finalised but I have never heard that there are plans for bike lanes. Where did you hear this?
I think hes implying a bit too much.

There are "public realm improvements", "curb extensions" and "streetcar platform upgrades" which include the ones where bikes can roll on through like the one at king and portland

But yea its not exactly bike lanes
 
Why would the taxi rule prevent you from putting a Right Turn Lane sign on the right turn lane? Taxis can never go straight from the right turn lane, only buses and bicycles can.

I think the main thing preventing you from hanging a Transit Lane sign over the transit lane is that the streetcar wires make it physically impossible.

Because taxis are allowed to go straight through during certain times of day. That exception needs to be squashed..I don't think the HTA allows for a right-turn sign with a designator "only taxis allowed between 10-7" or something along those lines.
 
I think the main thing preventing you from hanging a Transit Lane sign over the transit lane is that the streetcar wires make it physically impossible
They are a small barrier, but what’s above is mostly visible. Consider the streetcar necessary action signs hung above the catenary.

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I don’t think aligning the signage in places like this should be ruled out as an option.
 

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