Roads: Gardiner Expressway

[Edward Skira]

A lot of good points in fact.

 

[Napoleon]

So staff say this portion is so lightly used that it can be removed, but then the original hybrid option cannot have a sharp curve because is will reduce traffic capacity due to slowing drivers.

I think it was more of a safety issue. At the speeds of an elevated highway, cars would not be able to make the curve. Lots of potential for accidents.

Interesting article though. There was definitely some sausage-making going on.

 

[andrewpmk]

Yet again City Council is closing the Gardiner and DVP this weekend, this again for the "Triathlon Festival". When is city council going to have the sense to ban closures of the Gardiner/DVP for these sorts of things?

At least council had the sense to not demolish the Gardiner.

 

[ttk77]

Hopefully never.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

Yet again City Council is closing the Gardiner and DVP this weekend, this again for the "Triathlon Festival". When is city council going to have the sense to ban closures of the Gardiner/DVP for these sorts of things?

At least council had the sense to not demolish the Gardiner.

http://www.cp24.com/news/street-fes...l-in-store-for-busy-toronto-weekend-1.2430250

I realize that it hurts your head when a street is closed for any reason (what do you do during the annual weekend maintenance closure on the DVP?), so as a service, I would recommend you also avoid College, Queen, Yonge, Church, the Hospital District, and Port Union this weekend, as per CP24 link.

C'mon, Andrew. Were you really planning to drive eastbound on the Gardiner from Humber to Carlaw and northbound on the DVP to Eglinton Sunday between 2am and noon? Really? Or do you just not like other people having fun doing something you don't want to do (and believe me, more power to them, but I'm not swimming in Lake Ontario in June!) I'm envious -- that list of things to do sounds like a blast. Luckily, Crop Over has started here so we'll be able to get some non-Toronto partying in ourselves.

To the Triathletes: Good luck! I hope you have great weather and a great run!

 

[muller877]

http://www.cp24.com/news/street-fes...l-in-store-for-busy-toronto-weekend-1.2430250

I realize that it hurts your head when a street is closed for any reason (what do you do during the annual weekend maintenance closure on the DVP?), so as a service, I would recommend you also avoid College, Queen, Yonge, Church, the Hospital District, and Port Union this weekend, as per CP24 link.

C'mon, Andrew. Were you really planning to drive eastbound on the Gardiner from Humber to Carlaw and northbound on the DVP to Eglinton Sunday between 2am and noon? Really?

The problem just isn't the Gardiner/DVP on Sunday. Line 2 is closed from St George to Pape until Sunday at noon. And then the Father's Day Blue Jays game starts at 1:07 (which is normally a sell-out). So 50,000 people will be trying to get to downtown

I thought there was a promise to avoid these dual closures.

Great coordination City of Toronto!

The good news is that its only the eastbound and northbound lanes. So those coming from the east (subway closed) can drive downtown. Those from the west can take the subway. But how many people know of these issues? Will be crazy this weekend.

 

[PinkLucy]

Summer in Toronto. It's always crazy.

Things are scheduled and approved months and even years in advance. So any promises might come into effect in a couple of years ...

 

[ttk77]

The problem just isn't the Gardiner/DVP on Sunday. Line 2 is closed from St George to Pape until Sunday at noon. And then the Father's Day Blue Jays game starts at 1:07 (which is normally a sell-out). So 50,000 people will be trying to get to downtown

I thought there was a promise to avoid these dual closures.

Great coordination City of Toronto!

The good news is that its only the eastbound and northbound lanes. So those coming from the east (subway closed) can drive downtown. Those from the west can take the subway. But how many people know of these issues? Will be crazy this weekend.

Yes, I can definitely agree with this. While all of our summer events add a great deal of vibrancy to the city, they could be better co-ordinated to minimize the impact to transportation around the city.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

The "Toronto the Good" mentality still holds a lot of sway - the city and TTC in particular still seem to think that everyone goes to church on Sunday morning (or sleeps in) so subway and highway closures are no big deal. I'm glad I'm not going to that Jays game!

 

[ttk77]

The "Toronto the Good" mentality still holds a lot of sway - the city and TTC in particular still seem to think that everyone goes to church on Sunday morning (or sleeps in) so subway and highway closures are no big deal. I'm glad I'm not going to that Jays game!

Or, unlike some selfish drivers, the city realizes that the roads are for more than getting cars from one place to another and that there's no reason to give them a 24/7 monopoly.

 

[wopchop]

The good news is that its only the eastbound and northbound lanes. So those coming from the east (subway closed) can drive downtown. Those from the west can take the subway. But how many people know of these issues? Will be crazy this weekend.

Take the train. Problem solved.

 

[WislaHD]

I would have liked to see something like this on the Gardiner:

https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/611967966276554752

(BEFORE -> AFTER)

Through traffic lanes in the middle with service lanes to the side that become turning lanes.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

Or, unlike some selfish drivers, the city realizes that the roads are for more than getting cars from one place to another and that there's no reason to give them a 24/7 monopoly.

I was referring primarily to the subway closure, but I think it is a pretty fair assessment to say that roads are primarily for getting from one place to another. Obviously there are cases where it's fine to close a road for a special event but the blanket assumption that Sunday mornings are unimportant is a pretty antiquated view of modern life.

 

[ttk77]

I was referring primarily to the subway closure, but I think it is a pretty fair assessment to say that roads are primarily for getting from one place to another. Obviously there are cases where it's fine to close a road for a special event but the blanket assumption that Sunday mornings are unimportant is a pretty antiquated view of modern life.

Roads are obviously for getting from one place to another. Even the marathoners are doing that. What I was saying is that it's selfish of drivers to think they should have a 24/7 monopoly on them. We all pay taxes to maintain them even if we don't drive.

Sunday mornings are likely still the least inconvenient time for drivers to lose access to the roads.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

Roads are obviously for getting from one place to another. Even the marathoners are doing that. What I was saying is that it's selfish of drivers to think they should have a 24/7 monopoly on them. We all pay taxes to maintain them even if we don't drive.

That's a spurious argument; we all pay taxes for things we don't use. They exist so that we can use them for their intended purpose. If anything it is selfish to close roads for events that aren't inclusive to all residents of the city!

Sunday mornings are likely still the least inconvenient time for drivers to lose access to the roads.

Maybe for you, but for others it can be quite inconvenient. For many people Sunday is a work day, and it's a time when transit service is the worst.