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Roads: Traffic Signals

Also wanted to note a number of new traffic lights being installed:

Dundas and St. Patrick
Queen and McCaul
Lansdowne and Whytock
Annette and Quebec

All of those are well overdue. I also have a personal list of places where I think there really should be lights...
 
reaperexpress said:
Since moving to the Netherlands, I have been examining how Dutch traffic signals manage to be so much more flexible and safe than Canadian ones, and I think a key factor is the widespread use of multi-stage crossings. And unlike the examples you might know in the GTA (University Ave, Highway 7, etc), the multi-stage crossings in the Netherlands still allow pedestrians to cross the street in one go.

I made a video to illustrate my thoughts:
Click to expand...
This works well for jurisdictions that do not allow turns on red.
A more basic set up would be 4 phases of advance green, with pedestrians getting the walk phases on crosswalks that do not conflict with moving traffic.
That means, if you get a walk signal, no traffic will be in your way. Vice versa for vehicles getting a green light.
Benefits of this setup also include shorter countdown time and elimination of dedicated turning lanes.
 
11th said:
This works well for jurisdictions that do not allow turns on red.
A more basic set up would be 4 phases of advance green, with pedestrians getting the walk phases on crosswalks that do not conflict with moving traffic.
That means, if you get a walk signal, no traffic will be in your way. Vice versa for vehicles getting a green light.
Benefits of this setup also include shorter countdown time and elimination of dedicated turning lanes.
Click to expand...

The cities of Montréal and New York City are the only jurisdictions that prohibit right turns on red lights. Unless otherwise signed. Maybe it's time for Toronto (and the GTHA) to join them?
 
W. K. Lis said:
The cities of Montréal and New York City are the only jurisdictions that prohibit right turns on red lights. Unless otherwise signed. Maybe it's time for Toronto (and the GTHA) to join them?
Click to expand...
What else do Montréal and New York City have in common? Both are on islands! Except for the Bronx when it comes to New York City.

Toronto can have a canal running along its city limits so that Toronto can become an island.
 
Johnny Au said:
What else do Montréal and New York City have in common? Both are on islands! Except for the Bronx when it comes to New York City.
Toronto can have a canal running along its city limits so that Toronto can become an island.
Click to expand...
I sometimes view the Yonge spine as Manhattan, surrounded by the development-limiting yellow belts which act as our East, Hudson and Harlem Rivers.
 
Towered said:
I also noticed when driving in Europe that there are many yield signs but few stop signs. Here it's the opposite.
Click to expand...


People here have no idea how to use a yield sign. The city replaced the yield sign on my street with a stop sign a few years ago because there was too many accidents.
 
gabe said:
People here have no idea how to use a yield sign. The city replaced the yield sign on my street with a stop sign a few years ago because there was too many accidents.
Click to expand...

They should do what they do in Europe. Raised crosswalks and intersections.


 
This was adopted by Council in June 2020>


IE13.8
ACTION​
Adopted on Consent​
​
Ward: All​
Accelerate Implementation and Installation of the New Traffic Control Devices Including New Traffic Signals, Mid-block Pedestrian Signals, Pedestrian Crossovers, and Flashing Beacons​
City Council Decision​
City Council on June 29 and 30, 2020, adopted the following:

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to develop an action plan to accelerate the implementation of new traffic control devices including new traffic signals, mid-block pedestrian signals, pedestrian crossovers, and flashing beacons from 18 months down to 8 months or less from the time that they are approved by Council.​
Background Information (Committee)​
(June 10, 2020) Letter from Councillor Mike Colle on Accelerate Implementation and Installation of the New Traffic Control Devices Including New Traffic Signals, Mid-block Pedestrian Signals, Pedestrian Crossovers, and Flashing Beacons
(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-147815.pdf)​
 
W. K. Lis said:
The cities of Montréal and New York City are the only jurisdictions that prohibit right turns on red lights. Unless otherwise signed. Maybe it's time for Toronto (and the GTHA) to join them?
Click to expand...

The entire GTHA might be a bit much. There's a difference between a downtown intersection and the intersection of two arterials in the boonies.
 
reaperexpress said:
Since moving to the Netherlands, I have been examining how Dutch traffic signals manage to be so much more flexible and safe than Canadian ones, and I think a key factor is the widespread use of multi-stage crossings. And unlike the examples you might know in the GTA (University Ave, Highway 7, etc), the multi-stage crossings in the Netherlands still allow pedestrians to cross the street in one go.

I made a video to illustrate my thoughts:
Click to expand...

I checked out your channel. Some great content! Astonishing that you don't have more subs. Keep up the good work! Maybe you should collab with Not Just Bikes.
 
afransen said:
I checked out your channel. Some great content! Astonishing that you don't have more subs. Keep up the good work! Maybe you should collab with Not Just Bikes.
Click to expand...
Wow, thanks! That's really flattering.

I'm actually satisfied with the number of subscribers as it is, given my target audience. Whereas Not Just Bikes is accessible to the general public, my videos tend to be more technically oriented, aimed specifically at transportation professionals and enthusiasts.

While the number itself is low compared to channels like Reece Martin's or Not Just Bikes, the impact is surprisingly high since so many of the viewers are actually planners, engineers, professors or transportation advocates.

To increase the subscriber count I'd also need to make far more videos, which I don't feel like doing because YouTube is purely a hobby and I have no intention to monetize the channel like the above mentioned ones. (I've also heard that non-monetized channels don't get recommended as much by the Algorithm since they don't make money for Google). I have other full-time work that's also related to transportation, and after a full day I often just want to do something completely unrelated in my free time.
 
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