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Matthew Blackett's TTC map ideas

JasonParis

JasonParis

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I'm lifting this from the Spacing Wire. It's Matthew Blackett's ideas for new TTC maps and I figured it's a worthy idea so let's get on Adam's case about this!

I've posted the maps full size in the next entry as they are quite large. There's also lots of comments if you follow the Spacing link, so please do!

Streetcar Map for Toronto

About a year ago I sat down with TTC Chair Adam Giambrone and his staff to discuss a number of little ideas I had percolating in the back of my head. One of my suggestions was to create an iconic streetcar map. Not much groundwork has been made on this idea so I’m taking it public.

I’ve always found it perplexing that while travelling on a streetcar you have no idea of which subway stations have streetcars routes passing through or which streetcar routes intersect with one another. My idea is to place the streetcar maps above the rear exit of streetcars, much like subway maps appear above entrance/exit doors on trains.

The second map I created is for subway riders to see which bus and streetcar routes intersect with subway stations (I’ve used the Bloor-Danforth subway line as my example).

The reason behind this is simple: while on a subway, riders do not have access to any information that would show them where these routes exist (or bus routes for that matter). There are occasions when people change their route mid-trip and need to figure out how to get somewhere. Currently, they would have to get off the subway and make their way up to the fare box area and look at the TTC’s system-wide map. This map would alleviate that excursion all together.

In essence, the below-ground and above-ground transit systems do not “speak” to one another leaving less-knowledgeable riders to make guesses that cost them time, as well as make their trip less efficient and much more frustrating. Often out-of-town tourists and riders from Toronto’s suburbs are intimidated by the TTC’s transit system and need all the help they can get navigating. As well, the streetcars are an iconic symbol for Toronto and we need the TTC to treat the Red Rockets as such. Creating an iconic map would be a good first step.

I am looking for constructive feedback from Spacing readers so that I can refine these maps and officially submit them to the TTC in February and be dealt with at the Commissioners’ meeting in March. My goal is to help make riding the streetcar and subway much easier and I believe these two maps can address some of these concerns.
 
Here are the maps...

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BTW, I think both maps are pretty darn good!

I particularly like the subway map and think it should replace the full-system map in subway trains which never looks right squished the way they are. It should show GO connections though and perhaps a plane symbol for the Airport Rocket should be in order.

I also think that treating our streetcar network as something above other surface transit makes sense. It's something intermediate between bus and subway service and should be reflected as such. The TTC is likely hesitatant as the map doesn't include other surface routes in the area (ie. Bay, Harbord, etc.) and could confuse some.
 
With regards to the streetcar routes. The lines that end on the map lack notation of what/where the endpoint is. For example the 512 carries west and just ends at a circle, whereas adding the notation Keele might be helpful. Likewise the 506, 509, 511 routes.

The visual clutter could be reduced by removing the name of non-connected subway stations, or reducing non-connected subway stations to major ones. For example omitting say Lansdowne, Ossington, Christie, Sherbourne, Castle Frank. My logic being if you are on the streetcar going to a subway station you only need to know which lines connect to which subway stations. Once on the subway you can see the further detail you need there. Therefore the map should serve as a quick source of streetcar information, not a route planner per se.

Looks good with the black background!
 
I'm not a big fan of the streetcar route map for the reasons mentioned. Without showing ALL routes downtown, it serves little purpose other than a transit-fan display of "here be streetcars". Just think about it, does it help with navigation of the city at all? As for that particular map, where do 503 and 508 terminate downtown?

However, I do like the subway map with bus connections and would like to see it used in combination with the current full-system map.

Rather than a "streetcar system" map over the rear doors of the streetcars, I've often thought that they should put up a line map like this Bloor-Danforth line map. Letting people know the order of all the stops would make them more confident when using the streetcars.
 
CDL.TO said:
Rather than a "streetcar system" map over the rear doors of the streetcars, I've often thought that they should put up a line map like this Bloor-Danforth line map. Letting people know the order of all the stops would make them more confident when using the streetcars.
Click to expand...
Although, it would then be hard to re-direct busses and streetcars to different routes as they'd be carrying route-specific maps.
 
Darkstar416 said:
Although, it would then be hard to re-direct busses and streetcars to different routes as they'd be carrying route-specific maps.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's really possible for buses due to all the routes they serve. For streetcars, you could have magnetic-backed maps or simply a bracket, and a box with maps for each route behind the driver's seat. The driver would just have to stick up the map for whichever route they're serving that day. 502/503 could probably share a map as could 509/510 (and who cares about the 508?), meaning that a streetcar would only need 8 maps.
 
I think the line specfic route map would work quite well with an electronic display. With the new streetcars, I expect it would possible to have the route displays update when the destination sign is changed. Retrofitting onto CLRV/ALRV might be tricky.
 
CDL.TO said:
I don't think it's really possible for buses due to all the routes they serve. For streetcars, you could have magnetic-backed maps or simply a bracket, and a box with maps for each route behind the driver's seat. The driver would just have to stick up the map for whichever route they're serving that day. 502/503 could probably share a map as could 509/510 (and who cares about the 508?), meaning that a streetcar would only need 8 maps.
Click to expand...

I suggested a roller for the streetcar route strip maps. Could even be hand-cranked and backlit. Matt's ideas are interesting, but the streetcar route map is not very useful at all.
 
CDL.TO said:
I don't think it's really possible for buses due to all the routes they serve. For streetcars, you could have magnetic-backed maps or simply a bracket, and a box with maps for each route behind the driver's seat. The driver would just have to stick up the map for whichever route they're serving that day. 502/503 could probably share a map as could 509/510 (and who cares about the 508?), meaning that a streetcar would only need 8 maps.
Click to expand...
We're talking about the same city where drivers even have trouble remembering to put up the right rollsigns. I would prefer not to entrust them with the responsibility of switching out a route map at the start of their shift.
 
To me, a Toronto streetcar map is too much a geek's exercise. For better or worse, Toronto's streetcars haven't, for decades, popularly resonated as a "network" in and of itself--rather, it's understood as part of a symbiotic surface-transport network including buses. (Though it may have been better understood as such back when the intermediate technology of trolley buses were still operating...)
 
Darkstar have you done a system map for the entire subway network? Linking surface/subway routes like that is very practical.

Indeed streetcars on a subway map gives the false impression all featured lines provide the same level of service, right on Adma.
 
Thanks for posting, Darkstar! I generally really, really like the Spacing people's ideas for the TTC, but I'm not too crazy about these maps. It's mostly for the reasons already mentioned. The bus connections map looks great, but I really question its utility. How many people actually know the numbers of bus routes other than transit geeks and people who ride the route every day and don't need a map? It's okay in the Ride Guide where you can easily look where each route number goes, but on a wall mounted map it could prove more confusing than helpful.

There you go again, Dentrobate, with the whole not-reading-what-you're-responding-to thing. His first sentence: "I'm lifting this from the Spacing Wire."
 
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