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

[crs1026]

^Thanks for finding that. I guess the answer is, no, they didnt pursue a six-pointed concept very seriously.

The geometry of the turns might be difficult. Also, the intersection sits on quite a slope. And as you can see from the effort put into analysing whether simpler overpasses and underpasses would work, the throughput of the junction as a whole has to be respected. The cloverleaf of the past few decades, while toxic to liveability, is very good at moving traffic. The solution is a new balance, but it can't throw throughput out the window.

Elevated or underground pedestrian passageways? Like one sees just about everywhere in Europe? Shhhh.... don't mention that so close to Eglinton Avenue. You will be told that they make pedestrian crossings just about impossible.

- Paul

 

[interchange42]

Honest question here, is a 6-way signalized intersection not applicable at this location?

I like the current plan, I think it will be more urban.

But from a purely mobility standpoint, I fail to see how a large roundabout wouldn't work well here. We don't do those in North America though.

Why would you want to concentrate all the traffic into one light? You would get backups as cars on any of the roads would have to wait twice as long for a green light as they would at a normal intersection.

Yes, there are all the issues with multiple turn needs, which would confuse drivers. The accident rate would likely skyrocket at such an intersection. At the same time, you'd need more signalization to keep the turns separated, and that would add more time to the light cycle.

Roundabouts and interchanges were invented for situations like this. Both are land consumptive and pedestrian unfriendly. If you were ripping one of them out for the sake of making a pedestrian-friendly new downtown for Etobicoke, why would you substitute it with the other? You wouldn't: you would design a new road layout that would work for pedestrians, cyclists, building locations, and even cars. So, that's what they did.

42

 

[Tim MacDonald]

Curbs being laid for the new roads:

 

[Edllguy]

What is the funding allocated for the six points interchange reconfiguration construction alone? Not including the future Etobicoke Centre etc.

Thanks

 

[BjamesT]

New alignment for Dundas taking shape. They’ve started excavation on the median.

 

[BjamesT]

What is the funding allocated for the six points interchange reconfiguration construction alone? Not including the future Etobicoke Centre etc.

Thanks

I think it's a little north of $53 mil: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-98273.pdf

 

[drum118]

May 17
Lots of photos up on site

 

[WislaHD]

This one invokes my urbanist nerdgasm.

 

[Dan416]

My friend lives on Michael Power and I'm always a bit nervous heading that way now.

I'm still not happy with the design they settled on, with Dundas being discontinuous and forcing a turn.

 

[crs1026]

My friend lives on Michael Power and I'm always a bit nervous heading that way now.

I'm still not happy with the design they settled on, with Dundas being discontinuous and forcing a turn.

No point debating options now - the concrete is poured. But I share your apprehension.

I can’t find a direct before-to-after comparison of capacity in terms of cars per hour throughput, but I expect it will be decreased. Considering that project does nothing to take cars off the road......while it may transform the area, it will lead to congestion.

Walking, biking, and/or transit options for central Etobicoke are not improved by this project. These modes will be great *within* the new Six Points city centre, but there is no answer to what to do about the heavy volume of traffic that only passes through this district. “Just go away” is not an acceptable answer.

This project is an example of how new urban form is sometimes being rammed into place self righteously rather than carefully sold. I think we need to look in the mirror when people talk about “war on the car”. Sometimes the shoe fits. As was the case at Humber Bay, we are building density first without setting the stage - eg extending Line 2 so the east-west cross-Etobicoke traffic isn’t part of the surface traffic through Six Points.

I live only about a mile east of Six Points, and I still can’t figure how I will get there by bike. Sure hope it’s not by taking Bloor Street.... nothing bikeable about that route!

- Paul

 

[TransitBart]

The money should have been spent extending the subway - which removes some of the traffic, and then improving the form. Rush, rush, rush. Bad cars. Bad people. Why are you driving so fast?

Oh right. We didn’t build anything else in place of that option.

 

[WislaHD]

Well, I suppose we can begin addressing these problems by connecting Six Points to say Downtown via dedicated cycling lanes.

 

[crs1026]

Well, I suppose we can begin addressing these problems by connecting Six Points to say Downtown via dedicated cycling lanes.

I would be happy with a connection from Six Points to Bloor West Village, even. The trails along the riverbeds out this way are great for recreation, but they don’t connect to any place that one might need to get to.

Wonder how the local Councillors out here would feel about that ;-)

- Paul

 

[muller877]

What is the funding allocated for the six points interchange reconfiguration construction alone? Not including the future Etobicoke Centre etc.

Thanks

Why do we even need a new Etobicoke Centre? I thought the city already had surplus office space.

 

[crs1026]

Why do we even need a new Etobicoke Centre? I thought the city already had surplus office space.

Sneaky way to use public funds to anchor the non-residential side of the development. Delivers more public space than one could squeeze out of condo builders. Without this, we would likely end up with a clump of condos with no supporting services or commercial amenities. Which is unjust to the taxpayer, but it's the reality of what developers can squeeze out of the city coffers instead of paying themselves.

Also brings the government offices and Etobicoke-York Community Council closer to the center of the community, instead of leaving out way out at the East Mall at the old Etobicoke municipal building. Which might actually lead to more public attention to things.

- Paul