Transit City Plan

[Chuck100]

The demand for nightlife is always going to exist. If it leaves Queen, then who knows where it might go next - College, Annex, Church, Spadina, it may even return to Yonge. Change is not necessarily a bad thing, though at times it can be a little sad to move on.

Besides, think of how much more life there may be if it's finally possible for the Queen St. corridor to grow by 100,000 people.

 

[yinyang41]

yeah the subway on queen is something thats needed, it will expand the core in HUGE ways...think how easy the commute to downtown from anywhere below bloor will now be, the amount of people that would want to live there...past church, it's mostly residential, and by broadview it's all single-stories...no offices and barely any condominiums.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

If a subway under Queen opened tomorrow, then yes, its vibrancy would be killed or altered very quickly. Realistically, however, a subway wouldn't be ready for at least 20 or 30 years, and in that time Queen will change on its own.

 

[Twisted Son of Gumby]

A below ground Queen streetcar line with stops every two some odd blocks, as opposed to a full fledged Queen subway with stops every 1 km, might be a benificial addition to Queen Street. Just a thought.

 

[adma]

yeah the subway on queen is something thats needed, it will expand the core in HUGE ways...think how easy the commute to downtown from anywhere below bloor will now be, the amount of people that would want to live there...past church, it's mostly residential, and by broadview it's all single-stories...no offices and barely any condominiums.

Some might say, "barely any condominiums" is a plus...

 

[CSW24]

But why would a Queen Subway have to follow underneath the street? Can't it take a dynamic path downtown?

(i'm not proposing this option but it shows that the line can be flexible)

 

[EnviroTO]

The question is whether or not the street vibrancy on Queen or King comes from the lane of street parking on both sides of the road, only one usable lane of traffic in each direction, and frequent stops... or from the streetcar. Based on Bloor west of Spadina my guess is that the streetcar has nothing to do with it. Reduce the number of usable lanes on Yonge to one in each direction and probably it will end up with the same vibrancy.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

I agree totally, but good luck convincing the roads department to add on-street parking! I would say that the major suburban arterials could use off-peak street parking too, but that would inhibit people from doing 90 on city streets so it'll never happen...

 

[Darkstar416]

I agree totally, but good luck convincing the roads department to add on-street parking! I would say that the major suburban arterials could use off-peak street parking too, but that would inhibit people from doing 90 on city streets so it'll never happen...

Although making Yonge 1-way north and Bay or Victoria 1-way south AND having only 3 lanes, on-street parking on one side and much wider sidewalks could solve this.

 

[EnviroTO]

I don't think it is the parking... I think it is the slowed traffic. A one way street would create the vibrancy of Wellington, Adelaide, and Richmond (i.e. none). Slow moving traffic lanes let people see the area and decide to stop as well as make pedestrians feel safer.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

And it has to do with what's actually on a street rather than the speed of the traffic.

 

[AlchemisTO]

"If a subway under Queen opened tomorrow, then yes, its vibrancy would be killed or altered very quickly."

The vibrancy of Bloor street has not been negatively affected by the subway system, or lack of surface transit.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Well, I think Queen could be turned into condo fodder very quickly...that's what would affect the streetlife, not the presence or absence of streetcars. I really don't see Queen West sticking around in the same way once the subway opens. It'll drift away on its own eventually, but the subway could drive it away really fast. If you're defining vibrancy as a lot of people walking around, than Queen may stay vibrant even if the whole thing becomes an east/west version of Bay Street. Who knows what'll happen to Queen should a subway bring higher rents, mini PATH networks, a few redevelopments, etc.