Roads: Six Points Interchange Reconfiguration (City of Toronto, UC)

[W. K. Lis]

From this link:

Makeover of Six Points interchange to begin in the fall

City envisions mixed-used, pedestrian-friendly plan for the “spaghetti junctionâ€

Future Traffic Flow

Etobicoke Guardian By Tamara Shephard

Shovels will hit the ground this fall on the $40-million Six Points interchange reconfiguration.

City plans include replacing the existing Kipling-Bloor-Dundas interchange with three major at-grade intersections, each with a traffic light. Dundas Street West will turn slightly east so that it is parallel to Bloor Street West, west of Kipling Avenue. East of Kipling, Dundas will turn north and connect to Bloor at the existing intersection of Bloor and Dunbloor Road.

The area is known locally as “spaghetti junction†for its network of road interchanges connected with ramps.

Construction will be phased over three to four years.

Initial construction will begin this September. Utility relocations will occur throughout next year. The remainder of construction will begin next summer.

Early phases of construction will be focused on new sections of road that can be built with “minimal impact†to existing roads, Don Logie of Build Toronto said in an email comment.

“These new sections of road will be used in subsequent phases to accommodate redirected traffic to allow existing roads to be reconstructed or demolished,†Logie said. “Measures such as signed detours and temporary road connections will be taken to maintain road network continuity during construction.â€

Signs will be installed prior to construction to notify the public of its timing and extent. Alternate route signing is also being considered, Logie said.

“It is anticipated that these measures will reduce traffic congestion during construction,†he said.

This fall, to travel from Kipling northbound to Dundas or Bloor eastbound, drivers will need to use St. Alban’s and Aukland roads. Drivers exiting the Kipling Subway Station passenger drop-off areas will also need to use St. Alban’s and Aukland roads to travel eastbound.

The city is reconfiguring the Six Points interchange with the intention it will foster development of the Etobicoke Centre area with higher quality public space that could also attract business and commercial operations.

YMCA of Greater Toronto officials have been in talks with City of Toronto staff in recent years about building a new YMCA on the grounds of the now-demolished Westwood Theatre lands at Bloor and Kipling.

A YMCA official was not immediately available for comment.

But Joe Arcaro, project director with HDR Corporation, confirmed city and YMCA officials have agreed on terms.

“Build Toronto and the YMCA have agreed on the basic terms for the Y to establish a new facility as part of a proposed development on the site located at the new Dundas Street and Kipling intersection. The deal is subject to a number of conditions which we are working on clearing,†Arcaro said in an email comment.

Etobicoke Centre runs along Dundas Street West from Shaver Avenue and Shorncliffe Road in the west to Montgomery Road in the east.

At present, existing roads are designed exclusively for motor vehicles.

MIXED USE, PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY STREETS

The city’s vision is to create a mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly street network that supports all modes of travel, reduces storm water issues and improves utilities.

“Active uses such as walking and cycling will enliven the public realm and make it a place to come to rather than pass through,†the city said in a public meeting presentation in June.

Residents’ opinions on the plan have been split over the years.

Some have favoured it, calling the existing interchange “a nightmare†and “uglyâ€. Others argued the plan’s call for more traffic signals will increase traffic congestion, and commute times.

The new Dundas Street West will feature dedicated bike lanes, a wide pedestrian boulevard, seating and plantings, including street trees.

Initial construction work this fall includes grading and installation of sanitary sewers along the Dundas Street realignment, and closure and removal of the Kipling northbound and Bloor eastbound ramp and northbound bus loop to Kipling northbound.

This fall, city staff will also finalize detailed design for future construction.

Utility relocations will begin this winter and next spring. The next phase of construction will begin next summer.

Construction on the project is estimated to take three to four years.

 

[Edllguy]

^^^I was at the last public meeting about this project. Many thanks to all the City and planning officials who put on a great presentation and took the time to talk to people as a group and answer one on one questions to peoples inquiries, concerns and feedback etc.

I was at first concerned about construction gridlock when the project starts, as I live at six Points, however, after the City officials explained the constructions phases I now feel better. Great effort has been made to make the least amount of impact to people who live, work and travel through the neighbourhood during contruction. Thank you! When this project is complete the return on community investments I feel will be well worth it.

The new Six Points neighbourhood could be the place to go when all is said and done and should have solid business plans so people will be attracted to visit, work, play and live here in the future. Its really exciting.

 

[W. K. Lis]

The official notice is at this link, where you can view the presentation and frequently asked questions:

Next Steps

1. Start Initial Construction Works – Fall 2014
2. Finalize Detail Design for Future Construction – Fall 2014
3. Initiate Utility Relocations – Spring 2015
4. Start Next Phase of Construction – Summer 2015
5. Projected Construction Duration 3 – 4 Years

 

[Edward Skira]

Construction is beginning on the reconfiguration of Six Points

The Six Points Interchange, at Bloor Street West, Dundas Street West and Kipling Avenue, will be reconfigured to support the development of Etobicoke Centre as a vital mixed use community, and the urban focus of the west part of Toronto.
The first phase of construction will begin on October 20. Work will focus on the preparation of the new alignment of Dundas Street between Kipling Avenue and Bloor Street. Initially, the work will be restricted to the open area south of Bloor and east of Kipling, and will not have any impact on traffic.
Work will include:

• site clearing
• tree removal
• partial grading for the roadbed of the new Dundas Street West alignment
• sanitary sewer along the new Dundas Street West alignment

View a map of the work area.
Construction activity will occur between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. You will be notified in advance of any traffic impacts.
For more information, please visit toronto.ca/sixpoints or contact EtobicokeCentre@toronto.ca.

 

[W. K. Lis]

That area is off the current roadways, so should not interfere with most traffic.

 

[Edward]

Its a start.

 

[muller877]

That area is off the current roadways, so should not interfere with most traffic.

I just looked at the temporary diversion plan. What a crazy plan!

To get from Kipling NB to Bloor EB you have to:
- potentially stop at the Kipling/Bloor light
- Kipling NB to Dundas WB via the ramp
- Right onto Beamish NB
- yield/right onto Bloor WB
- yield/right onto Kipling SB
- ramp onto Bloor EB

....and hopefully don't get dizzy!

I hope that this detour isn't for very long. Will they build most of Dundas St (East of Kipling) and then close down the ramp for a month while they finish it or will it be a longer closure?

-

 

[vic]

Former councillor and current MPP Peter Milczyn is hosting a Jane's Walk around Six Points on May 2:

http://janeswalk.org/canada/toronto/spaghetti-junction/

 

[salsa]

Former councillor and current MPP Peter Milczyn is hosting a Jane's Walk around Six Points on May 2:

http://janeswalk.org/canada/toronto/spaghetti-junction/

I attended the walk, and will summarize what I learned from it. For reference, here is the current vs planned road configuration:

All of these ramps will be removed. Whatever land is freed up will be added to the park that's behind the guardrail.

Dundas will be lowered and Kipling will be raised so they become an at-grade signalized intersection. Dundas St will be shifted south. The sidewalk seen in the picture is where the north side of the new Dundas St will be.

The view above Kipling Ave.

Continuing along Dundas St. The overpass seen on the left is the westbound side of Dundas.

The road where the bus is at will be the location of the new Dundas St

This is the road where the bus was.

This is the Westwood Theatre lands. Grading has begun on the new Dundas St, which will be approximately where that pond is. For now there is no impact on traffic with the work being done.

Existing ramp from Kipling to Dundas.

If I remember correctly, about 20 acres of land will be available for development. Since it's all city-owned land, the city will have considerable leverage in determining what kind of development they want here. Before it's put on the market, the land will be cleaned up and serviced so that the city reaps the maximum market value out of it. There is enough development potential here to easily recover the cost of rebuilding the roads through new tax revenue and development charges.

The Islington Village BIA is expanding its boundaries to include the six points area (if it hasn't already). Since there are no existing businesses on these undeveloped lands, the BIA is spared from having to go door-to-door to ask businesses to join the BIA. Not only that, but whatever new development occurs will conform to the BIA's principles and streetscape guidelines.


And finally, here are some slides on what the future holds (more slides are here):

That is an off-street bike lane.

 

[JasonParis]

Curious, will Dunbloor be dropped and simply become Dundas?

 

[WislaHD]

I hope it does. It makes little sense to go from Dundas-->Dunbloor-->Dundas. Not to mention this means that Kipling intersects with Dundas twice...

Call the segment that connects Kipling in the north Dunbloor.

 

[Johnny Au]

Alternatively, it can be called Old Dundas (despite there already being an Old Dundas just to the east).

 

[howl]

I hope it does. It makes little sense to go from Dundas-->Dunbloor-->Dundas. Not to mention this means that Kipling intersects with Dundas twice...

Call the segment that connects Kipling in the north Dunbloor.

The biggest problem with that is street addresses. People along the north section currently have Dundas addresses and the people on Dunbloor have Dunbloor addresses. If they switch it will cause confusion.

 

[Jonny5]

The biggest problem with that is street addresses. People along the north section currently have Dundas addresses and the people on Dunbloor have Dunbloor addresses. If they switch it will cause confusion.

Sometimes you just have to suck it up and live with this minor "confusion".

In the 90's phone area codes and phone numbers were summarily changed for about one million people in southern Ontario. Now we can't change the address of three buildings without the world ending? Street names in have Toronto have been changed many times before, most recently a large batch were changed after the 2000 amalgamation. I bet the people on them don't even remember the old names.

 

[W. K. Lis]

The biggest problem with that is street addresses. People along the north section currently have Dundas addresses and the people on Dunbloor have Dunbloor addresses. If they switch it will cause confusion.

There were 102 streets with duplicate names in Toronto. Why bother renaming street names, if Toronto hasn't bothered changing the current crop of street names. Just add more duplicate names.