King Street (Streetcar Transit Priority)

[felix123]

Number of cops doing enforcement is down by their own press release, and yet issued infractions have climbed markedly with this latest release.

Got a theory besides increasing rate of non-compliance?

Maybe the cops left doing enforcement on King are really fast robocops?

 

[AHK]

All the King intersections were gridlocked today. No enforcement at all at Spadina for cars blocking King that enter the instersection and can’t clear before the light turns red. Streetcars were lined up eastbound and it was ten minutes to get through.

Same thing at Yonge and then again at Jarvis.

I do not believe this situation is a King Street Pilot problem in of itself - these are backups from the Gardiner Expressway entrances, with cars heading south entering the King Street intersections without the road on the south side being clear to exit the intersection. A problem well before the King Street Pilot, and a total and consistent lack of police enforcement of rules of the road against entering a blocked intersection. Unfortunately, nothing new, or changed, with respect to the pilot.

Over the past few days, during the morning rush hour, there has been quite consistent enforcement in the Portland / Spadina block, but no enforcement visible, later in the day. However the amount of vehicular traffic going along King Street is way down, notwithstanding the number of scofflaws around.

Another totally unacceptable situation is this Alsco truck, parked, making a delivery, right in the middle of the Portland eastbound streetcar stop. Passengers in the middle section of the car had to scramble to get to doors which were not blocked by the truck. By the time I was close enough to get a good image, the streetcar doors were closed and it was about to pull away.

 

[Leo_Chan]

I saw a couple of these. Are they being removed to make room for the patios and public spaces?

 

[DSC]

I saw a couple of these. Are they being removed to make room for the patios and public spaces?

I think it is against the City standards to have any bike poles at transit stops.

 

[nfitz]

A litany of cars ignoring the law. And the stats buttress that impression.
What do you see? Bangles and butterflies?

For the most part, I don't see any cars. Typically if I walk along, I see 1 or 2 cars in the space of 5 minutes that shouldn't go through an intersection but do - a mix between those clearly trying to sneak across, and those that look completely and utterly dumbfounded, like they've never seen a traffic light before in their lives. As it get's dark, it get's worse. Perhaps improved signage. I don't know why there aren't big no-entry signs.

But certainly a lot less cars total than there used to be. Which the stats also show.

At what times of day do you see a litany? Where are you usually when you see this? I seldom get west of Simcoe.

 

[nfitz]

I think it is against the City standards to have any bike poles at transit stops.

Then why do they keep installing massive newspaper box structures at transit stops?

 

[pstogios]

All the King intersections were gridlocked today. No enforcement at all at Spadina for cars blocking King that enter the instersection and can’t clear before the light turns red. Streetcars were lined up eastbound and it was ten minutes to get through.

Same thing at Yonge and then again at Jarvis.

I see this all the time and no one seems to care. Maybe we need to make more noise than just posting on a messageboard.

Please write to Joe Cressy councillor_cressy@toronto.ca, King Street Pilot kingsteeetpilot@toronto.ca and John Tory Mayor_Tory@toronto.ca.

 

[pstogios]

Another totally unacceptable situation is this Alsco truck, parked, making a delivery, right in the middle of the Portland eastbound streetcar stop. Passengers in the middle section of the car had to scramble to get to doors which were not blocked by the truck. By the time I was close enough to get a good image, the streetcar doors were closed and it was about to pull away.

Did you contact Alsco? It doesn’t do much to change their behaviour if you only post here.

 

[steveintoronto]

For the most part, I don't see any cars.....At what times of day do you see a litany? Where are you usually when you see this? I seldom get west of Simcoe.

Mid-afternoon and morning usually. Down there again today, walked from Yonge over to Bathurst as part of a ritual walk with a 90lb Black Lab. Dropped in at Lee Valley, but found what I needed and more at Rotblott's on Adelaide, plus dog had excellent romp in the off-leash opposite. I used to live three blocks from there.

We almost got taken out crossing with the pedestrian light for us, by a car making an illegal left hand turn at Peter Street and when we were headed along King. Two HTA charges, failing to yield, and illegal left hand turn.

One only has to watch a few light cycles at any intersection of the Pilot to see rampant disregard by scofflaws.

Did you contact Alsco? It doesn’t do much to change their behaviour if you only post here.

I tried to get off a couple of pics today, parking violations were so rampant, but with a 40 kg dog on automatic, it was difficult. FedEx truck illegally parked at the streetcar stop just east of Lee Valley, he was illegally stopping a few times a block headed west. And on the south side a Cintas truck was illegally parked.
They're legion along there. As to how some can't see this is troubling...

I repeat, no-one is claiming that the total traffic flow is (edit: NOT) down considerably, it's not even the absolute numbers of scofflaws, it's the *upward trend* of non-compliance that's the telling indicator.

 

[JamesKoole]

I see this all the time and no one seems to care. Maybe we need to make more noise than just posting on a messageboard.

Please write to Joe Cressy councillor_cressy@toronto.ca, King Street Pilot kingsteeetpilot@toronto.ca and John Tory Mayor_Tory@toronto.ca.

Done and done. I’ve written the Mayor a few times regarding this issue. It’s been going on for years and years with no signs that anyone from City Hall or the TPS care.

Perhaps a big plow on the front of the Flexity would work...just plow these selfish drivers out of the way.

 

[JamesKoole]

Done and done. I’ve written the Mayor a few times regarding this issue. It’s been going on for years and years with no signs that anyone from City Hall or the TPS care.

Perhaps a big plow on the front of the Flexity would work...just plow these selfish drivers out of the way.

I just emailed the Mayor once again on the issue. Perhaps a few more emails pointed his way might get some action on enforcement of gridlock laws.

 

[BMO]

Mid-afternoon and morning usually. Down there again today, walked from Yonge over to Bathurst as part of a ritual walk with a 90lb Black Lab. Dropped in at Lee Valley, but found what I needed and more at Rotblott's on Adelaide, plus dog had excellent romp in the off-leash opposite. I used to live three blocks from there.

We almost got taken out crossing with the pedestrian light for us, by a car making an illegal left hand turn at Peter Street and when we were headed along King. Two HTA charges, failing to yield, and illegal left hand turn.

One only has to watch a few light cycles at any intersection of the Pilot to see rampant disregard by scofflaws.
I tried to get off a couple of pics today, parking violations were so rampant, but with a 40 kg dog on automatic, it was difficult. FedEx truck illegally parked at the streetcar stop just east of Lee Valley, he was illegally stopping a few times a block headed west. And on the south side a Cintas truck was illegally parked.
They're legion along there. As to how some can't see this is troubling...

I repeat, no-one is claiming that the total traffic flow is down considerably, it's not even the absolute numbers of scofflaws, it's the *upward trend* of non-compliance that's the telling indicator.

Pictures or it didn't happen. /s

 

[steveintoronto]

Pictures or it didn't happen. /s

I'm just about to dig through today's pics, I might have one of the FedEx guy...it'll be blurred if I have it, my arm was getting torn off by Big Black Lab on a mission.

 

[steveintoronto]

I'm just about to dig through today's pics, I might have one of the FedEx guy...it'll be blurred if I have it, my arm was getting torn off by Big Black Lab on a mission.

Addendum: Nope, fraid I didn't catch that, I'll be back down there again tomorrow I hope, and with the phone pre-set for pics. It's epidemic, not hard at all catching pics, but as a slightly off-topic pic, here's an illegally parked car typical of how the bike paths are blocked, let alone motorist sightlines needed to cross main streets. I didn't realize I still had this pic on my card:

Note the "BMO" on the licence plate:
Are you the bloke wot dun it?

Harbord and Major, looking east.

I'll have some pics for you on King shortly, best I make good my word now...

 

[nfitz]

One only has to watch a few light cycles at any intersection of the Pilot to see rampant disregard by scofflaws.

Sure, after standing for a while, you do see it. But there's so much fewer cars. The ones doing it aren't really creating much issue - heck, half the time, they are waiting stuck behind a streetcar, unable to pass it. I suspect they'd be faster to use a different road!

I repeat, no-one is claiming that the total traffic flow is down considerably

That's not true. I'm claiming it's down considerably.

... it's the *upward trend* of non-compliance that's the telling indicator.

I thought it was improving a bit actually - perhaps I'm just paying less attention.