News   Oct 11, 2024
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News   Oct 11, 2024
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News   Oct 11, 2024
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Yonge Street Revitalization (Downtown Yonge BIA/City of Toronto)

I really hope they don't go half-assed on this but truly transform the street. You guys have become use to it but Yonge is a dump and an embarrassment to the city. I like it's gritty edgy feel and would never want to turn it into a Bloor Street but it is the most pedestrian unfriendly main road in the entire downtown. There is no where to even sit outside and have a coffee {little alone a meal} on the entire Union to Davenport stretch.

If I had my way I would make the entire street from Union to Bloor pedestrian-only but whatever they do I hope to hell it doesn't include any bike lanes as they will simply just take away from the sidewalks. I think it's obvious they will be getting rid of 2 lanes of traffic but if they add in bike lanes the sidewalks can't be wide enough to support patios and cafes.
 
I agree with you , I hope they don’t do a half ass job with it but turn it into a beautiful street with wide sidewalks, planters and trees with a one lane road.
 
It is 'interesting" that Mammoliti is so vocal against this project - could it be payback to local (and project supporting) Councillor, John Filion, who brought to light the Toronto Parking Authority land purchases that the OPP are now investigation and which Mammo and his chums supported? Clearly no love lost between these two!
This is in Wong Tam's ward, not Filion's. I believe the thread you are looking for is here.
 
Given severe peak overcrowding on Line 1, which is only going to get worse, I’d love to see a Yonge streetcar with really frequent service on its own ROW from Queen’s Quay to the bus bay at the Rosedale station. The sidewalks south of Bloor could be widened to the streetcar tracks. Delivery vehicles could use the streetcar ROW during the middle of the night when service wasn’t running. But no private cars ever. Something like this seems to work on parts of Swanston Street in Melbourne, though of course I would never expect it in Toronto.
 
Any reason in particular why it's being planned for 2021-2024, and not sooner?

To be honest, I'm uncertain.

It was my impression that the timeline was originally 2020-2023 and aligned with proposed road reconstruction (routine) in the vicinity of the Downtown Yonge BIA.

The project has subsequently grown to be the Lake to Davenport; but I believe the intention remains to align the start w/the reconstruction, which knowing transportation has just slipped a year.

I should add here, unless someone else knows different, I don't believe detailed design has even started yet.
 
By the way Northen Light, I just noticed your closing statement "An environmentally concientious libertarian inclined, fiscally conservative socialist" I love it! You described me perfectly.
.

Although the terms are inherently contradictory. You can’t be all those things, one must make choices :)
 
What's the rationale for only doing part of it? I suppose Montreal isn't as wealthy as Oslo (which did its entire downtown) but studies do show that it saves more money in the long run. Didn't Oslo's pay for itself in about 8-12 years?

From what I have read, heated sidewalks are not efficient when the temperature gets really cold, as it does in Montreal. The average high/low in January are 1C/-5C in Oslo, compared to -4C/-14C in Montreal. It's a significant difference. The snow that melts on the sidewalks has to go somewhere. Some of it evaporates, but some of the melted snow can freeze again before it gets to the sewer.
 

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