Yonge Street Revitalization (Downtown Yonge BIA/City of Toronto)

[Northern Light]

Don't worry too much @DirectionNorth; pretty sure this has the votes to pass; with a bit of safety margin.

Grimes has said he'll vote yes.

 

[reteequa]

Was pretty confused what exactly they were voting on today. Wasn't extremely clear with the operational stuff but I found this report that really cleared up stuff for me. This is just the layout of the street without the operational aspect. I also dont think ive seen it before. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-159585.pdf

 

[Northern Light]

YongeTOmorrow carries at Council!

The vote was 21-5

 

[afransen]

This is being discussed at Council as we speak.

It will surprise no one when I say Councillor Holyday is expressing opposition.

But even by his standards, he's making some uniquely stupid comments.

From Matt Elliott's Twitter feed:

View attachment 298014

View attachment 298015

He must have known the vote was not going to go his way, he's just grandstanding for his constituents who fear not being able to drive down Yonge.

 

[afransen]

So, what is to stop someone driving around the gate? "I just need to quickly get here". The gate makes it seem like a suggestion.

 

[MisterF]

So, what is to stop someone driving around the gate? "I just need to quickly get here". The gate makes it seem like a suggestion.

Agreed, the gates are ugly and funnel pedestrians to the sides. Retractable bollards would be a lot better.

And before someone gives the classic Canadian "but winter" excuse, retractable bollards can work just fine in the cold.

 

[reteequa]

Is there enough room below the street for this to be feasible? The subway is decently shallow

 

[DSC]

Agreed, the gates are ugly and funnel pedestrians to the sides. Retractable bollards would be a lot better.

And before someone gives the classic Canadian "but winter" excuse, retractable bollards can work just fine in the cold.

The cold, yes but MAYBE not the salt and sand. Frankly, Transportation has a very hard time maintaining the infrastructure it installs. Look at the small trench drains on the Esplanade north sidewalk as an example. These were installed in 2014 or 2015 and are now totally filled with sand, earth and 'stuff'. They no longer function as drains to send sidewalk water into the tree roots. In this case it should be possible to unscrew the drain covers and remove the "stuff' but this is not done and they are now, apparently, planning to remove them. It's partly lack of $$$ but more a lack of effort! I am afraid "complicated" retractable bollards would be beyond them!

 

[Northern Light]

Is there enough room below the street for this to be feasible? The subway is decently shallow

Yes.

We're not talking about 3M high 'bollards'.

We're talking 1M (or less).

The subway is more than 3ft down.

That said, there are competing utilities, (hydro, fibre, gas etc, water, sewer) and as such it might involve some careful placement.

But it should be feasible.

(from an available room, point-of-view).

 

[Northern Light]

The cold, yes but MAYBE not the salt and sand. Frankly, Transportation has a very hard time maintaining the infrastructure it installs. Look at the small trench drains on the Esplanade north sidewalk as an example. These were installed in 2014 or 2015 and are now totally filled with sand, earth and 'stuff'. They no longer function as drains to send sidewalk water into the tree roots. In this case it should be possible to unscrew the drain covers and remove the "stuff' but this is not done and they are now, apparently, planning to remove them. It's partly lack of $$$ but more a lack of effort! I am afraid "complicated" retractable bollards would be beyond them!

Of course, if the City would install hydronic snowmelt under the new Yonge, the salt would no longer be necessary..............

I know, I know.....

LOL

 

[drum118]

Time to happen for most of the street in the first place. Time to remove all on street parking as well.

Council approves redesign of busy downtown Yonge St. for pedestrians​

 

[picard102]

Is there enough room below the street for this to be feasible? The subway is decently shallow

You need at least a 1.2m hole for a .9m retractable bollard. Dundas is one of the shallowest stations in the system IIRC due to the solid rock they had to blast through in the area.
Might be easier to have removable bollards that are manually placed, then you'd only need about a half meter of clearance.

 

[afransen]

Maybe there are creative options if depth is a challenge:

 

[bgobgo]

The Globe and Mail Editorial Board has weighed in and they like:

Globe editorial: Wider sidewalks and fewer cars: Why Toronto’s plan for Yonge Street is the future of cities

The change will be dramatic, but not radical. An earlier version had called for a portion of Yonge to become pedestrian-only; the current plan will still see cars up and down the street

www.theglobeandmail.com

 

[SunriseChampion]

Of course, if the City would install hydronic snowmelt under the new Yonge, the salt would no longer be necessary..............

I know, I know.....

LOL

Yeah, for sure! Right under the line item for burying the Gardiner.

We can dream of a decent city. They can't take that from us, at least not until we're as deep underground as the Gardiner should be.

Hydronic snowmelt.....in this small-thinking town. I'd eat my record collection.