This is the worst part of all. And waiting at a red light to slowly cross an intersection, only to stop again.
Is there a way we can actually get this addressed?
But that doesn't make it any better, does it?
This is a two-part question/answer.
What is technically/practically do-able, and then the politics.
On the former, yes, this is very solvable; and there are myriad ways to do it, even with an obstinate transportation department.
Choices:
1) Operate the system in its 'ideal' manner, meaning far-side stops, as is now the case on most of Spadina, but doing so with hard transit priority. Meaning the light can not only be triggered or held for a transit vehicle, but that it will and can change aggressively in speed wherever that does not endanger people.
This would be ideal. What it means is that transit Does Not Stop for red lights as there are none for an approaching LRT; and it stops only for passengers wishing to board or egress. This, can be hugely advantageous. But it does require a few things. First, an acceptance that cars/trucks crossing an LRT route are a secondary priority, period. But also, it requires fairly rigorous headway management, because you can't, in the real world, have the signal changing perpetually just for an LRT vehicle. The overall timing of transit and and traffic must be understood together. To be clear, this is entirely feasible with existing technology.
2) Leave the lights the way they are, as Transportation prefers...........but in that case, move to nearside stops, which should, on average, cut the stops on both sides of the light problem by 1/2.
***
The politics: Truthfully, where once local pols would have objected to true transit priority, I don't think that's the case any more. Certainly, where local councillors hold sway, at many intersections, I would envision them favouring transit if asked.
Where major roads meet, you may, sometimes, get a suburban councillor concerned with 'wars on cars'. But I think the evidence is sufficiently compelling that moving transit more quickly, benefits drivers, that most can be swayed when the argument is correctly presented.
The challenge, I see, is institutional lethargy in Transportation.
While the department is improving by leaps and bounds, there remains a core constituency among some senior staff for frankly, doing things badly.
It can be reformed. Know what to ask for; get more than one person to ask; push the politicians first and foremost, but talk to senior management in Transportation too; and raise the issue w/the media. Most reporters have public email addresses and/or twitter handles...........say 'hi'.
