afransen
Senior Member
Do road diets or bumpouts really require road reconstruction? Can't we do the same as has been done with bike lanes and use bolt-down concrete curbs, if not just some paint?
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Roads: Traffic Signals
- Thread starter reaperexpress
- Start date
Northern Light
Superstar
Right Walter.
So that link leads you to an as yet not implemented plan, that would restrict (not ban) traffic, largely from the 1st arrondissement in Paris.
The plan, if implemented, would only cut current traffic by 1/2, as it doesn't ban cars, it restricts, non-essential, through traffic.
In other words it does not conform to the statement you made at all.
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Northern Light
Superstar
You're quite correct, this can be done in the manner you're describing, which I advocate for; I reported on just such an example here on UT at Danforth and Kelvin, in the Vision Zero thread.
The problem is that such thinking remains 'out of the box' for most Councillors and City staff.
reaperexpress
Senior Member
This is exactly it. While staff is technically correct in their recommendation to not install signals, their methodology is based on antiquated warrants and they do not propose alternative solutions to actually address the genuine issue which caused Council to propose a signal in the first place.
Although Staff are the ones with the expertise, I suspect that this change will need to come from Council itself, or at least upper management at the City, because the current engineers and technicians are required to follow the procedures which are currently part of their job process, even though they know that their current process is awfully ineffective at guiding decisions to produce an efficient and safe road network.
afransen
Senior Member
I think this is a role that could be played by advocacy organizations like Strong Towns. I hear there is some effort to organize a local chapter in Toronto but it is just getting off the ground. We need organizations like this to meet with councillors and advocate for these alternative approaches.
Northern Light
Superstar
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Northern Light
Superstar
Alternatively, there are a host of other groups that advocate in similar ways.
Walk Toronto
Cycle Toronto
Vision Zero Canada
The Centre of Active Transportation (TCAT)
And one can also, of course, join one's assorted neighbourhood association.
I think the last one can be among the most effective, when people say they are concerned about their child crossing the street, its often though their NA that they lobby a Councillor for a stop sign or a traffic light.
Those types of groups rarely have an awareness of other options, having someone join who says; what if we could make it safer for your child, by shortening the crossing distance, or by slowing and smoothing the traffic rather than stopping it, might make very material difference.
Walk Toronto
Cycle Toronto
Vision Zero Canada
The Centre of Active Transportation (TCAT)
And one can also, of course, join one's assorted neighbourhood association.
I think the last one can be among the most effective, when people say they are concerned about their child crossing the street, its often though their NA that they lobby a Councillor for a stop sign or a traffic light.
Those types of groups rarely have an awareness of other options, having someone join who says; what if we could make it safer for your child, by shortening the crossing distance, or by slowing and smoothing the traffic rather than stopping it, might make very material difference.
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afransen
Senior Member
Good video by Shifter featuring Paige Saunders about some of the infrastructure improvements being made in Montreal.
Towered
Senior Member
Just to go back to this one for a second, I took the picture below right from Bloor and Spadina, looking south. The new lights are literally 8 car lengths in distance, and it’s not even a road:
dullturtle06
Active Member
So I just visited halifax and saw how little traffics lights there are. Pedestrian crossing are used very often and allow safe mid block crossing. Traffic moves effectively and is only stopped when required. I am convinced a sizable amount of congestion in Toronto is due to city council and their traffic light spamming. Halifax also is implementing vision zero principles using flexy posts and concrete curbs. Oh and these are not the Toronto ones that are tossed around by a vehicle hitting them. They are bolted to the pavement and have standard height signage attached to the top. Gottingen street halifax is good example.
Towered
Senior Member
Even Halifax has more balls 
Coolibop
Active Member
Winnipeg has similar, but they also seem to have better adherence to speed limits, probably in part due to speed cameras.
TRONto
Active Member
I wouldn't say 'safe mid-block crossing' for Toronto. I use the pedestrian crossings with the (many times correct) assumption that cars are not going to stop.
reaperexpress
Senior Member
Just because Toronto's unsignalized crosswalks are poorly designed does not mean that unsignalized crosswalks are inherently unsafe.
TRONto
Active Member
agreed, hence the "for Toronto"