Jarvis Streetscape Improvements Environmental Assessment

[299 bloor call control.]

Funny reading this thread and seeing what the publicly showcased plans were for Jarvis, what we ended up getting for Jarvis, and seeing that Jarvis will go back to square one. All because of the last-minute change of plans for bike lanes.

Had permanent narrowing of Jarvis taken place, we wouldn't be seeing those reversable lane signals be strung back up and lines repainted yet again. Nobody wins.

Throughout the Jarvis process, staff said any narrowing of the street wouldn't have taken place until scheduled reconstruction of the street, which wasn't to happen until the end of this decade. The bike lanes could be seen as an interim measure to slow down the street a bit, remove that 5th lane which presents pedestrian challenges of its own, and provide a bikeway to serve the community.

The problem was how hard certain parts of the cycling community pushed for the bike lanes. It was a needless fight that polarized motorists and cyclists, neighbourhoods against neighbourhoods, and thanks to Stintz's diatribe, families in Moore Park versus families downtown. The fight burnt a *lot* of political capital and created an easy opening for virtually every mayoral candidate to come out against the lanes (except Ford, strangely) during the 2010 election.

 

[Jonny5]

The graphic on this page clearly shows the ramp remaining, and providing access to York and Lakeshore (which then brings drivers to Bay and York). The loop is being removed, but access will continue for everything. I wasn't aware that they were also providing access to Simcoe ... not sure I understand how that provides access to downtown ... isn't Simcoe one-way south (north of Bremner)?


It clearly says reconfiguration not removal.

This (last page) says the ramp will terminate at Simcoe and this says that plan was adopted by council July 11. Everything after Simcoe will be removed. Simcoe is two way up to Front.

 

[nfitz]

This (last page) says the ramp will terminate at Simcoe and this says that plan was adopted by council July 11. Everything after Simcoe will be removed.

The report says nothing like this. There's a figure on the last page showing a proposed road that is being eliminated, that also happens to show the ramp terminating at Simcoe. There's no indication on this that the ramp is actually going to end at Simcoe instead of York, and a lot of other documents indicating it will end at York. I think you maybe reading too much into this figure, which looks more like sloppy recycling than an authorization to end the ramp at Simcoe.

Simcoe is two way up to Front.

Ah yes, you are correct. Forgot where the transition is ...

 

[Michael62]

Earlier this year I attended a meeting concerning the creation of a new north/south street between Queen’s Quay and Harbour St. The street would have intersected the “ramp” park located inside of the York St exit ramp from the Gardiner. It was to allow access to the new RBC building going up at 85 Harbour (Water Park Place III) In order for that street to be created the York St Exit from the Gardiner would have to be removed.

At that meeting we were told and saw the plans for the new “ramp” park after deconstruction of the ramp. We were also told that the Yonge/York/Bay ramp would be removed and replaced by a new exit at Simcoe St.

It was approve by city council on August 25, 2010 (item PW35.12) and followed with an Environmental Assessment to be presented in the fall of 2012.

see also (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-32505.pdf)

We were told that the York ramp would be removed and the “ramp” park would be improved. We were also told and shown schematics of Harbour Street improvements from Simcoe St to Bay Street. After the Yonge/Bay ramp was removed.

As a matter of interest the PATH connection from ACC under the Gardiner which will connect with 90 Harbour and RBC would not be possible with the present Yonge/Bay ramp configuration. The space under the Yonge/Bay off ramp is not high enough to connect an elevated PATH across Harbour Street to connect to RBC/90 Harbour

On September 4, 2012 at a public meeting that I attended, the proposed north/south street was excluded from the Environmental Assessment Study. (item PW16.1) from July 11 Council meeting

The 90 Harbour Street section 37 requirements a total of $10 000 000 (ref 11 295626 STE 28 OZ) concerning the modification of York/Bay/Yonge Off-ramps as approved by the city August 2010. They are also required to upgrade the “ramp” park once the York exit has been removed and take responsibility for the PATH connection from ACC to the 90 Harbour Complex

 

[nfitz]

Earlier this year I attended a meeting ...

I'm confused, in part of your post you talk about modifcations to York/Bay/Yonge, and elsewhere you talk about removal.

Are you saying that you believe that the only exit on the Gardiner between Spadina and Jarvis will be a simple ramp that terminates just west of Simcoe Street?

I guess whatever is happening, the ESR that's about to be released should clarify.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

How many voted against removing the bike lane on Jarvis. i don't understand how it went through since there are more councillors against Ford than when he took office pls the expense of removing it. Plus the Councillor for the area is Kristyn Wong-Tam and she is against removing the bike lane (and I heard one of the councillors speak at council who said that councillors usually will vote based o whether the councillor for the area is for or against a proposal

To me, it was a surprising outcome, I thought it was in the bag. The Jarvis bike lanes were a placeholder until a firm plan and funding is in place to widen the sidewalks, correct the Charles/Jarvis.Mt Pleasant intersection and beautify the street. In another year or two we go through this all again (removal of the reversible lane) so it isn't over by a long shot - though unfortunately no bike lanes are in the plan, at least not in the options that were in the study & EA from 3 or 4 years ago.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

How many voted against removing the bike lane on Jarvis. i don't understand how it went through since there are more councillors against Ford than when he took office pls the expense of removing it. Plus the Councillor for the area is Kristyn Wong-Tam and she is against removing the bike lane (and I heard one of the councillors speak at council who said that councillors usually will vote based o whether the councillor for the area is for or against a proposal

See the post #504 - http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/showthread.php/4842-Is-Toronto-bike-friendly/page34

 

[Michael62]

@nfitz, My understanding from the meetings that I have attended is the York/Bay/Yonge ramps will be removed. The original exit from Gardiner will come down on the west side of Simcoe St and join Harbour St Traffic will have a choice to turn north on Lower Simcoe towards Front St, turn south on Lower Simcoe towards Queens Quay or continue east on Harbour St. If you choose to travel east on Harbour, at York St you will have the same options, turn north, turn south or continue to travel east. Similarly if you continue east on Harbour, at Bay you will have the same three choices, and then again at Yonge Street It is reconfigured in the sense that traffic will continue on Harbour to access York, Bay and Yonge,

Lower Simcoe is a two way street running north from Queens Quay, I don't know exactly when Lower Simcoe turns into regular Simcoe. We have a lot of streets down here that have been connected to older streets. To keep the original legal addresses the same, they simply named the extensions of street "Lower". There is Lower Spadina, Lower Simcoe, and Lower Jarvis. It can get confusing down on the on the waterfront, hahahahahahaha

 

[Southcore]

@nfitz, My understanding from the meetings that I have attended is the York/Bay/Yonge ramps will be removed. The original exit from Gardiner will come down on the west side of Simcoe St and join Harbour St Traffic will have a choice to turn north on Lower Simcoe towards Front St, turn south on Lower Simcoe towards Queens Quay or continue east on Harbour St. If you choose to travel east on Harbour, at York St you will have the same options, turn north, turn south or continue to travel east. Similarly if you continue east on Harbour, at Bay you will have the same three choices, and then again at Yonge Street It is reconfigured in the sense that traffic will continue on Harbour to access York, Bay and Yonge,

Lower Simcoe is a two way street running north from Queens Quay, I don't know exactly when Lower Simcoe turns into regular Simcoe. We have a lot of streets down here that have been connected to older streets. To keep the original legal addresses the same, they simply named the extensions of street "Lower". There is Lower Spadina, Lower Simcoe, and Lower Jarvis. It can get confusing down on the on the waterfront, hahahahahahaha

That would be at Front Street.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Instead of improving Jarvis Street, the current councillors would rather go back to the old, auto-oriented mini-expressway it was.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world is narrowing roadways with a "road diet". Not Toronto.

[video=vimeo;21903160]http://vimeo.com/21903160[/video]

So 1950's.