Despite what Ford says The Streetcar in Toronto is here to stay.

[EnviroTO]

Much as you TTC fans hate Rob Ford he may be the guy to solve this problem.

Rob Ford is car centric. His reasoning for getting rid of streetcars and building subways is the same... nothing at street level impeding cars. He isn't going to be the guy to give transit signals greater priority.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Both jurisdictions fall under the City and by extension the Mayor. Maybe the problem is the lack of a message from the top that these priority signals will be used starting Monday morning or heads will roll.
Much as you TTC fans hate Rob Ford he may be the guy to solve this problem.

Miller couldn't get the roads department to implement transit signal priority because it is city council that must vote to direct the roads department to do so. It must be city council and not just the mayor who can put pressure on the roads department to do so.

 

[spider]

Miller couldn't get the roads department to implement transit signal priority because it is city council that must vote to direct the roads department to do so. It must be city council and not just the mayor who can put pressure on the roads department to do so.

I don't believe that a Council vote is required to micro manage such things. My observations on St. Clair as recently as yesterday are that allowing the streetcar to go first in the cycle in no way hinders car traffic, the cars get their green light for the same period of time and the streetcar is gone or loading passengers at a far-side platform. There are no losers except for some obstinate bureaucrats.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I don't believe that a Council vote is required to micro manage such things. My observations on St. Clair as recently as yesterday are that allowing the streetcar to go first in the cycle in no way hinders car traffic, the cars get their green light for the same period of time and the streetcar is gone or loading passengers at a far-side platform. There are no losers except for some obstinate bureaucrats.

Hmmm. An obstinate bureaucrat may also make sure that the streetcars in Toronto will also stay. Could work both ways.

 

[EnviroTO]

The city spends the bulk of their meetings dealing with mundane topics like street parking on Minor Crescent, number of cars parked on property 123 Whogivesacrap Street, etc. Since the Roads Department objective is moving cars it doesn't seem to unreasonable to expect that council would need to direct them to improve transit flow in order for it to happen.

 

[spider]

Since the Roads Department objective is moving cars it doesn't seem to unreasonable to expect that council would need to direct them to improve transit flow in order for it to happen.

You are correct, the mundane topics you mentioned are in response to taxpayers requests. Council doesn't have to wait for a citizen complaint to act in this case.
The direction to the Roads people would be to simply stop impeding TTC movements, it would have no effect at all on automobiles and trucks.

The conspiracist in me is thinking maybe the TTC and the Union are just fine with the status quo and are the real problem because of this attitude. Why would they give away the opportunity to blame some one else for their shortcomings? Streetcar is late---Traffic congestion, Streetcars are bunching---Traffic congestion, never the TTC line management or operators.

 

[doady]

The conspiracist in me is thinking maybe the TTC and the Union are just fine with the status quo and are the real problem because of this attitude. Why would they give away the opportunity to blame some one else for their shortcomings? Streetcar is late---Traffic congestion, Streetcars are bunching---Traffic congestion, never the TTC line management or operators.

Bunching is common on any extremely busy transit line that has no proof-of-payment or fare-paid boarding system running in mixed traffic. It has nothing to do with the TTC union. It is a big problem in Mississauga and Brampton as well, for example.

 

[spider]

Bunching is common on any extremely busy transit line that has no proof-of-payment or fare-paid boarding system running in mixed traffic. It has nothing to do with the TTC union. It is a big problem in Mississauga and Brampton as well, for example.

The St. Clair line is on a ROW, not in mixed traffic.

 

[doady]

The St. Clair line is on a ROW, not in mixed traffic.

Is bunching a big problem on St. Clair??? It is still a mixed traffic route, as it has to stop at traffic lights and there is no priority. And again, extremely busy and no all-door boarding.

If the TTC Union was responsible for bunching, you'd see bunching on the subway lines as well. But there aren't, so you make any sense.

 

[lafard]

The St. Clair line is on a ROW, not in mixed traffic.

And nowhere near as bad for bunching as it was before when it did run in mixed traffic.

It's still thwarted by abysmal signal timing, but is actively managed and bunching is relatively well controlled.

ROW can only do so much. Lack of signal priority on all stretches hurts things, and Spadina's operating beyond its design capacity with current vehicles.

 

[spider]

If the TTC Union was responsible for bunching, you'd see bunching on the subway lines as well. But there aren't, so you make any sense.

Your Magic word for the day, SIGNALS.

Spadina's operating beyond its design capacity with current vehicles.

I thought the Spadina route was being served by trains until I was told differently, the last time I was on Spadina I saw 7 streetcars in only 3 or 4 blocks.

 

[nfitz]

thought the Spadina route was being served by trains until I was told differently, the last time I was on Spadina I saw 7 streetcars in only 3 or 4 blocks.

When was the last time you were on a streetcar train in Toronto?

 

[doady]

Your Magic word for the day, SIGNALS.

Again, another nonsensical post.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

Rob Ford should answer the question: Why are so many North American cities installing streetcars (not just on right-of-ways, but in mixed traffic as well) in their cities?

Washington D.C., for example, is in the process of building, not removing, an eventual network of 53.1 km (33 mi.) of streetcars through their city. Some on right-of-ways, some in mixed traffic. They are being built to revive their downtown neighbourhoods and build up property values.

Why does Rob Ford want to depress the neighbourhoods around the streetcars? Revenge? Of course, subways are better, but they cost a lot more than light rail and streetcars. Do not use the excuse that streetcars block automobiles, when it is the automobile that blocks everyone including streetcars, especially single-occupant automobiles.

H Street streetcar tracks, Washington, DC

Washington also has about 170 km subway network with an additional 40 km planned. What does Toronto have planned? the Spadina and Richmond Hill extensions?

 

[RedRocket191]

Washington also has about 170 km subway network with an additional 40 km planned. What does Toronto have planned? the Spadina and Richmond Hill extensions?

Why should we care how many kilometres of subway Washingto DC has planned? It's not a penis measuring contest.