TTC: Streetcar Network

[drum118]

Mississauga like a lot of European cities is moving the the pedestrian crosswalk back from the intersection and more in line with LRT platforms end. Doing this for Toronto and other cities crosswalk is a safety measure for pedestrians and cut down on drivers trying to make a right turn.

Some cities do not allow drivers to make that right turn based on how far they are from the intersection and if they do and get caught, they get a ticket. Since we are NA, drivers will not obey that stopping distance by turning unsafely to pedestrians movements.

The current law for crosswalks is drivers must wait until the pedestrian is on the other sidewalk before they can cross that crosswalk to make a turn, but not enforces these days as well most drivers are not aware of the change for crosswalks.

"As of Jan. 1, a new law in Ontario indicates drivers and cyclists must now stop and yield the whole pedestrian crossover until the person is completely off the roadway. This rule also applies at school crossings where there is a crossing guard holding a stop sign."

Edit
This means that even if the crosswalk is unmarked, vehicles must stop and yield to pedestrians. Drivers should make sure to watch for the elderly or people with disabilities who may take more time crossing. Failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk will result in a $810 fine and 4 demerit points.

 

[Bojaxs]

"As of Jan. 1, a new law in Ontario indicates drivers and cyclists must now stop and yield the whole pedestrian crossover until the person is completely off the roadway. This rule also applies at school crossings where there is a crossing guard holding a stop sign."

If someone is crossing Hurontario will an LRV have to wait for that pedestrian to finish crossing before advancing through the intersection?

That will extend trip length and is why we need to construct these LRT lines with refuge islands in the middle of the road.

 

[drum118]

If someone is crossing Hurontario will an LRV have to wait for that pedestrian to finish crossing before advancing through the intersection?

That will extend trip length and is why we need to construct these LRT lines with refuge islands in the middle of the road.

Yes the LRV will have to wait like any driver until the pedestrian is on the other sidewalk. Its the law and it will cost that driver of the LRV to pay a $810 fine and loose 4 demerit points.

There are numerous cases where pedestrians are crossing any street crosswalk on a red forcing drivers to slow down or stop for that person or drive behind them legally. Hurontario is a bitch of a road to cross at anytime of the day as the lights are too long for n-s traffic. There are other major roads that have the same issues.

I have seen side streets or cross streets who lights are too short or too long with no traffic on them.

 

[nfitz]

"As of Jan. 1, a new law in Ontario indicates drivers and cyclists must now stop and yield the whole pedestrian crossover until the person is completely off the roadway. This rule also applies at school crossings where there is a crossing guard holding a stop sign."

I'm struggling to find further information, and how this changes the old law that went into effect years ago ... heck, over a decade ago!

 

[drum118]

I'm struggling to find further information, and how this changes the old law that went into effect years ago ... heck, over a decade ago!

Ontario’s New Crosswalk Rule Can Be Confusing For Drivers | Young Drivers

yd.com

Fail to Yield Traffic Ticket in Ontario

Received a Fail to Yield to Pedestrian ticket? Avoid large fine, Demerit Points, & insurance hike. Free, Confidential Consultation Now!

www.trafficlawparalegal.com

 

[nfitz]

Ontario’s New Crosswalk Rule Can Be Confusing For Drivers | Young Drivers

yd.com

Fail to Yield Traffic Ticket in Ontario

Received a Fail to Yield to Pedestrian ticket? Avoid large fine, Demerit Points, & insurance hike. Free, Confidential Consultation Now!

www.trafficlawparalegal.com

I'm still not seeing anything new there. That's all the old rule that's been in place for over a decade ago. You just posted about a January 1st change - surely you aren't talking about something from so long ago as if it changes anything now!

 

[futurebound]

Ontario’s New Crosswalk Rule Can Be Confusing For Drivers | Young Drivers

yd.com

Fail to Yield Traffic Ticket in Ontario

Received a Fail to Yield to Pedestrian ticket? Avoid large fine, Demerit Points, & insurance hike. Free, Confidential Consultation Now!

www.trafficlawparalegal.com

This only relates to pedestrian crossovers, the ones with yellow flashing lights and the white "stop for pedestrian" signs. Drivers are still allowed to proceed once their path is clear at normal intersection crosswalks.

 

[nfitz]

This only relates to pedestrian crossovers, the ones with yellow flashing lights and the white "stop for pedestrian" signs. Drivers are still allowed to proceed once their path is clear at normal intersection crosswalks.

They are a mainstay of streetcar routes though. But I wasn't previously aware that they had them (or adding them?) on Hurontario.

 

[Bojaxs]

that’s a problem why? It’s grade separated; it’s not like there will be cars in the way.

You're not looking at the full picture. If a tram is given priority through an intersection, the cars will obviously get the red light to stop, but where are the pedestrians crossing the street suppose to stand while they wait for the tram to pass by? In the middle of a lane of traffic?

You can't have "aggressive" TSP for an LRT/ streetcar line if there are no safety measures in place for pedestrians. This is the role of the refuge island. Also an extra set of crossing lights, typically built somewhere on the island to alert pedestrians to not cross the tracks due to an oncoming tram.

 

[nfitz]

You're not looking at the full picture. If a tram is given priority through an intersection, the cars will obviously get the red light to stop, but where are the pedestrians crossing the street suppose to stand while they wait for the tram to pass by?

Sure you can. It would know 2-3 minutes earlier roughly when the streetcar would pass. So don't start a crossing phase after that time.

 

[urbanclient]

This only relates to pedestrian crossovers, the ones with yellow flashing lights and the white "stop for pedestrian" signs. Drivers are still allowed to proceed once their path is clear at normal intersection crosswalks.

Mississauga like a lot of European cities is moving the the pedestrian crosswalk back from the intersection and more in line with LRT platforms end. Doing this for Toronto and other cities crosswalk is a safety measure for pedestrians and cut down on drivers trying to make a right turn.

Some cities do not allow drivers to make that right turn based on how far they are from the intersection and if they do and get caught, they get a ticket. Since we are NA, drivers will not obey that stopping distance by turning unsafely to pedestrians movements.

The current law for crosswalks is drivers must wait until the pedestrian is on the other sidewalk before they can cross that crosswalk to make a turn, but not enforces these days as well most drivers are not aware of the change for crosswalks.

Yeah when I read this while out and about today I wanted to chime in with this. I second what @futurebound said.

@drum118 , the Young Drivers link you posted literally talks about this. You're incorrect about this applying to intersections as most people understand it. That law does not apply to an intersection with multiple sets of red-yellow-green traffic lights for vehicles and green person / red hands for pedestrians to cross.

"Drivers were confused as the rule suggested that they must wait until pedestrians crossed completely to the other side at a crosswalk or crossover. Many motorists interpreted a crossover as an intersection, suggesting that by waiting until the roadway was completely cleared at such intersections, creating increased traffic and wait times.

Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation clarified the rule by defining what a pedestrian crossover was. The MTO confirmed that a pedestrian crossover was 'a defined, painted crosswalk with overhead lights which flash when triggered by a pedestrian who presses a button.' In comparison, a school crossing is a pedestrian crossing where a school crossing guard helps pedestrians to cross the road and carries a crossing stop sign." https://yd.com/blog/ontarios-new-crosswalk-rule-can-be-confusing-drivers

Driving near pedestrian crossovers and school crossings

Learn the rules for pedestrian crossings and the penalties for endangering people on the road.

www.ontario.ca

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

Unfortunately, the misnamed "safety islands" that we currently use, and the possible use of proper "pedestrian refuge islands" are under the jurisdiction of Toronto Transportation Services. For them "transportation" means the motor vehicle, and nothing else. Not public transit. Not cyclists. Not pedestrians. Unless forced to by city council.

I'm worried the nicknamed Transportation Czar, Andrew Posluns who will serve as the city’s first chief congestion officer, may consider transportation as being the motor vehicle ONLY. I hope not. Should be considering all the people, and whatever form of transportation they use, including streetcars.

 

[DSCToronto]

Unfortunately, the misnamed "safety islands" that we currently use, and the possible use of proper "pedestrian refuge islands" are under the jurisdiction of Toronto Transportation Services. For them "transportation" means the motor vehicle, and nothing else. Not public transit. Not cyclists. Not pedestrians. Unless forced to by city council.

I'm worried the nicknamed Transportation Czar, Andrew Posluns who will serve as the city’s first chief congestion officer, may consider transportation as being the motor vehicle ONLY. I hope not. Should be considering all the people, and whatever form of transportation they use, including streetcars.

You keep posting similar things and the City's Chief Congestion Officer is supposed to look at congestion and come up with ways to reduce it Most of the congestion is caused by roads being dug up and partly or fully blocked for FAR too long and far too many single-occupancy vehicles. If there were less congestion, transit would certainly benefit.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I had an appointment near Broadview station today, and did not want to drive in the snow or pay for parking. I got the 506 at Sumach, rode to Broadview and then the 504 to Broadview station. I have to say, both there and return went flawlessly. And I noticed that everyone paid and seemed sane and sober. This is the first time I've traveled eastward from home on the streetcar in a decade, and the passenger profile was totally different, with just normies going about their lives. The free transfer on the return trip was an added bonus.

 

[PL1]

The 2 hour free transfer is great