Dufferin Street: Eliminating the jog

[reaperexpress]

The columns are flush to where the retaining wall was, leaving no jog in the sidewalk.

Walking to/from the north east corner to/from the south for a bus is going to be fun.

See no problem for bikers. Slip sliding away.

There will be no visibility whatsoever for people exiting the underpass. Good luck trying to turn right with out running over pedestrians.

 

[MetroMan]

Don't forget that there will also be a fairly wide sidewalk inside the tunnel. This will give the corner enough room for drivers to see an approaching pedestrian.

Nonetheless, if that presents a problem, they'll simply put a "no right turn on red" here. Only if a pedestrian were jay walking would they be at risk.

 

[current]

Photos from June 30 of the north side of the new Dufferin underpass looking south.


Looking southeast with Bohemian Embassy, Westside Gallery Lofts and Bridge condos under construction in the background.


In this photo you can see that the concrete base of the underpass is recessed under two of the lanes on both sides of the central support columns in order to accommodate any new future streetcar line.


From Gladstone Ave, Price Chopper and the bus stop that will be eliminated by the new underpass.

 

[kettal]

I give the price chopper 2 more years, at most.

 

[MetroMan]

Thank you very much current for those pics. I was just going to ask how landscaping is going on the north end.

Do we know if the RailPath ramp is being built like in the renderings? I've heard some rumblings about the south leg of the RailPath all but confirmed so they might as well prepare for it during the construction of this tunnel.

As for the streetcar future proofing, it's a welcome move but Dufferin should no doubt already be a part of Transit city. Even if they built the CNE to Bloor (Dufferin subway station), this would encourage more ridership and get a lot of buses off the road. Isn't Dufferin the most popular bus route?

 

[EnviroTO]

I don't imagine they will do much with the RailPath until the Georgetown South project. Starting in October the GO project will be working on this bridge doing something.

 

[Dan416]

Thank you very much current for those pics. I was just going to ask how landscaping is going on the north end.

Do we know if the RailPath ramp is being built like in the renderings? I've heard some rumblings about the south leg of the RailPath all but confirmed so they might as well prepare for it during the construction of this tunnel.

As for the streetcar future proofing, it's a welcome move but Dufferin should no doubt already be a part of Transit city. Even if they built the CNE to Bloor (Dufferin subway station), this would encourage more ridership and get a lot of buses off the road. Isn't Dufferin the most popular bus route?

Yeah you would expect Dufferin to be part of Transit City! Very suspicious it was left out!

 

[kettal]

Dufferin is also one of the hilliest arteries in town. It would make a great subway alignment for drl if you ask me.

 

[Jaye101]

Much too far east in my opinion, especially north of Bloor. St. Clair West is at Bathurst, and Eglinton West is at Allen, it would leave little room for extension. I think Dundas West would be great for the Dwntown relief line, but that doesn't mean Dufferin doesn't need a higher order of transit.

 

[Parkdalian]

I don't imagine they will do much with the RailPath until the Georgetown South project. Starting in October the GO project will be working on this bridge doing something.

Agreed. From what I've heard the Rail Path is taking a back seat to the Georgetown South project. I wouldn't be surprised if it took at least two-three years before the Rail Path extension is completed.

 

[kettal]

Much too far east in my opinion, especially north of Bloor. St. Clair West is at Bathurst, and Eglinton West is at Allen, it would leave little room for extension. I think Dundas West would be great for the Dwntown relief line, but that doesn't mean Dufferin doesn't need a higher order of transit.

What kind of higher transit would be practical for dufferin? It's too narrow for reserved lanes.

The proximity to the subway hasn't stopped people from packing the Dufferin bus all these years. I agree that extending a Dufferin subway north of Eglinton wouldn't be practical.

 

[nfitz]

What kind of higher transit would be practical for dufferin? It's too narrow for reserved lanes.

Short of a tunnel, I think a Bathurst-style streetcar from Exhibition to Dufferin Station would be the best solution. Though you'd likely have to build some kind of Spadina station connection at Dufferin ... and lord knows where you'd loop the current Dufferin bus.

 

[Jaye101]

How about merging the 509 with a new Dufferin streetcar through Exhibition Place, Queens Quay is going to be rebuilt anyways so extra allowance can be granted for longer platforms if there was a need for it. This would also allow a direct connection to the Downtown Core increasing the transit capacity coming into downtown to alleviate some of the stress in the system we see today as well as offer through service to Exhibition Place. Dufferin is very narrow, however the amount of buses that use the road during peak is so overwhelming that combined with stops, this configuration most likely decreases the roads capacity to the point the equates it to one lane lost in each direction. Even so, a St. Clair or Spadina right of way configuration could not be implemented due to physical restrictions. One creative method of overcoming this restriction is using what is planned for Queens Quay. Both north and south streetcars could travel on the east side of the street reducing the needed space for platforms and the roadway (two lanes) can be restricted to one way travel in peak direction. Non peak travel could be absorbed by Bathurst, Ossington, and the increased transit capacity. The streetcars could run north through an underground connection at Bloor to Eglinton's Dufferin station where an underground connection can also be made and where the Dufferin bus can loop north to Steeles rather than Wilson station.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

anybody notice a deviation from the rendering in this photo in regards to the left side retaining wall and all that conduit?

built:

rendering:

 

[kettal]

The practicality of running a streetcar on Dufferin is good. The political barriers preventing it are overwhelming, though. Perhaps the jog elimination will make it a more efficient bus route. Articulated buses should be considered, and definitely all-door POP loading.