Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes)

[duffo]

Come to think of it, is there any streetcar ROW in the city, in-use or planned that also has curb-separated bike lanes? The Queens Quay ROW has a "multi-use" path, which is essentially the city using doublespeak to ignore its own by-laws on cycling on the sidewalk. But a true curb-separated bike lane alongside a streetcar ROW? I think it's not done here.

College St? Really, we should be modelling the streetcar ROWs after Europe, high-speed transit (removing close-together signalized intersections, implementing TSP, improving switches) alongside low-speed/"pedestrianized" road space for people/cyclists/cars.

 

[Northern Light]

Come to think of it, is there any streetcar ROW in the city, in-use or planned that also has curb-separated bike lanes?

College Street

****

In general, though, it will not be done, because the ROW on most routes is insufficiently wide to allow for it.

Which is to say, on for example, (most) of Queen, if you did this, you would have to remove the curb lanes for cars entirely (forcing any cars on to the streetcar tracks) which would slow transit and cars.

The width of most curb lanes on streetscar routes is such that if you placed bike lane/cycle track to the trackside, you'd be putting cyclists between the door zone and the tracks. Bike and tracks don't mix well and streetcars can't do evasive action nor stop quickly.

If you placed the cycle track to curbside, you'd have cars regularly encroaching into streetcar row and holding up service, especially in winter.

That said, you will see an expansion of cycle tracks on College, in all likelihood, as the councillors support it.

It can certainly be done, but we would have to be ready to completely dump parking on all streetcar routes (which I favour, btw), but i don't think the politics are there for it......... yet.

It might also require some further innovation.

 

[Admiral Beez]

College St? Really, we should be modelling the streetcar ROWs after Europe, high-speed transit (removing close-together signalized intersections, implementing TSP, improving switches) alongside low-speed/"pedestrianized" road space for people/cyclists/cars.

I think the biggest barrier to implementing the European model is on-street parking. Wherever there is a streetcar track there should be no on-street parking. Sort of a reverse Los Angeles.

Where L.A. City Is Quietly Removing Bike Lanes and Adding On-Street Car Parking - Streetsblog Los Angeles

Six streets where LADOT added motorist parking at the expense of bicyclist safety. And the city wonders why traffic deaths keep increasing?

la.streetsblog.org

We can't let business owners, and increasingly big chains dictate how we get around.

 

[TwinHuey]

I was by this today and had to stop and take a photo.

Danforth cycle track at Kelvin Ave (east of Dawes).

 

[turbanplanner]

I think the biggest barrier to implementing the European model is on-street parking. Wherever there is a streetcar track there should be no on-street parking. Sort of a reverse Los Angeles.

Where L.A. City Is Quietly Removing Bike Lanes and Adding On-Street Car Parking - Streetsblog Los Angeles

Six streets where LADOT added motorist parking at the expense of bicyclist safety. And the city wonders why traffic deaths keep increasing?

la.streetsblog.org

We can't let business owners, and increasingly big chains dictate how we get around.

Disagree, the ST clair ROW is slower than it was pre ROW, when they figure that out we can consider further options!

Parking is also banned during rush hour on streetcar routes

 

[Admiral Beez]

Parking is also banned during rush hour on streetcar routes

I often drive St. Clair from Mt. Pleasant to/from Dufferin and I can attest that lots of cars and commercial vehicles are parked or standing on St. Clair during rush hour, especially between Yonge and Avenue Rd. It’s maddening.

 

[nfitz]

Disagree, the ST clair ROW is slower than it was pre ROW, when they figure that out we can consider further options!

What's your source for that? I'm looking at July 2005 compared to this July.

The scheduled round-trip time is faster for most time periods. But on average faster (though dwell times have increased). One oddity though, is although the round-trip travel time for Saturday afternoons is 70 minutes now, compared to 78 minutes in 2005, the early evening time is 65 minutes now, compared to 60 minutes in 2005. I'm not sure if the definition of early evening has changed, or if the old schedule was impossible for that period.

Given how impossible streetcar schedules generally used to be before the mid-2010s, compared to now, I expect it's actually better than the numbers show.

 

[TRONto]

IIRC, you can find that info on Steve Munro's site. I remember him doing that analysis and it being slower post ROW. If you consider all the new left hand turns, you can see it making sense.

 

[turbanplanner]

IIRC, you can find that info on Steve Munro's site. I remember him doing that analysis and it being slower post ROW. If you consider all the new left hand turns, you can see it making sense.

I feel like they should just react to turning traffic rather than a set schedule

 

[turbanplanner]

I often drive St. Clair from Mt. Pleasant to/from Dufferin and I can attest that lots of cars and commercial vehicles are parked or standing on St. Clair during rush hour, especially between Yonge and Avenue Rd. It’s maddening.

That's a reason to get TPS to do a better job then, parking is permitted in bloor west village but if someone's illegally stopped I'll see a tow truck pull them away at rush hour

 

[PL1]

That's a reason to get TPS to do a better job then, parking is permitted in bloor west village but if someone's illegally stopped I'll see a tow truck pull them away at rush hour

Probably problematic, but maybe allow tow trucks to haul illegally parked vehicles w/o police interaction?

 

[turbanplanner]

Probably problematic, but maybe allow tow trucks to haul illegally parked vehicles w/o police interaction?

The towies are some of the biggest scum bags in the city tbh

 

[Toronto1834]

It would appear that the installation of the majority of the Eglinton TOday project is being deferred until next year. Disappointing.

August 2024

• Pending contractor confirmation, installation is planned to commence between Avenue Road and Chaplin Crescent (within the limits of the Eglinton Way BIA) with section between Chaplin Crescent and Bathurst Street under consideration.

2025

• Remainder of Complete Street installation and road resurfacing planned to commence in spring 2025 to best align with the opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT

eglintonTOday Complete Street Project

City Council has approved the installation of eglintonTOday Complete Street Project on Eglinton Avenue West between Bicknell Avenue and Mount Pleasant Road. A copy of the Staff report is available at IE13.2 In 2014 City Council approved the Eglinton Connects Planning Study which articulated...

www.toronto.ca

 

[WillTo]

It would appear that the installation of the majority of the Eglinton TOday project is being deferred until next year. Disappointing.

August 2024

• Pending contractor confirmation, installation is planned to commence between Avenue Road and Chaplin Crescent (within the limits of the Eglinton Way BIA) with section between Chaplin Crescent and Bathurst Street under consideration.

2025

• Remainder of Complete Street installation and road resurfacing planned to commence in spring 2025 to best align with the opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT

eglintonTOday Complete Street Project

City Council has approved the installation of eglintonTOday Complete Street Project on Eglinton Avenue West between Bicknell Avenue and Mount Pleasant Road. A copy of the Staff report is available at IE13.2 In 2014 City Council approved the Eglinton Connects Planning Study which articulated...

www.toronto.ca

So we've given up on 2024 LRT opening?

 

[Northern Light]

So we've given up on 2024 LRT opening?

Doesn't matter.....winter is not construction season; and the point was to begin work after Crosstown has presumably alleviated traffic, the buses at the very least.

If it opens in October you're not starting a project on October 15th and finishing it before New Years....