It would not be correct at all. The current lack of signal priority has nothing to do with budget or foresight - the money has already been spent to update the priority system for the pilot. The system was pre-existing at at 8 out of 12 signals in the pilot area (as indicated in the
City's open data), and in many places you can see the new streetcar detectors that were installed just past the new far-side stops.
I'm aware of the present status quo as we discussed a month or so ago. It is clearly not "priority" in terms of what could be achieved. For a start, as we and others have discussed, there's no signals or phase for streetcar only.
I accessed your link, but it makes nothing any clearer on the issue, I'll continue trying. There's very little showing by Googling, I'll keep trying, but for now, I found only these references:
[...]
This shift is expected to cut the number of non-transit vehicles on the road by at least half. Where will they go? Barbara Gray, general manager of the city's transportation services department, said that there is capacity on parallel routes such as Richmond Street and Adelaide Street to absorb vehicles that had been using King.
Movement on those other roads can be facilitated by fiddling with the traffic-signal timing, a process that is expected to continue throughout the pilot.
The presence of those parallel routes explains the relatively modest scope of the pilot project. Making the changes to King only between Bathurst Street and Jarvis Street – barely 2.5 kilometres – means that people catching the streetcar at, for example, Liberty Village will continue to make the first part of their trip in mixed traffic. But restricting the pilot to that area also means that drivers have lots of options other than King. [...]
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/new...d-transit-live-up-to-itsname/article34976015/
[...]
Mr. Tory says the city has tried all sorts of things to make the King car move better: introducing all-door boarding on streetcars to get people on and off faster; limiting left turns by cars that stall the streetcars behind; upgrading traffic signals. It still trundles along at a stately pace. It is time to do something bolder. "In a 21st-century city," he told the executive committee, "we simply have to be prepared to try things to move us off the status quo."
[...]
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/new...idor-on-torontos-king-street/article35404374/
[...]
Another change that will require an adjustment period are the changes in signal phasing at many of the intersections within the Pilot Project area. New protected right turn phases have been added to the cycles, meaning that the pedestrian signals that used to switch to 'walk' a few seconds after the opposing traffic's light turned red now have a small delay built in. Despite this new protected right turn phase, many pedestrians are simply ignoring the fact that the 'walk' sign hasn't activated yet and begin crossing the intersection anyway, eliminating the ability for vehicles to make a protected right turn off of King. Like with drivers, this new timing will require a bit of adjustment for pedestrians as well.
With this being a Pilot Project, the TTC and the City have already stated that they plan to make adjustments and improvements to both the physical infrastructure and the vehicle/traffic signal timing as the project moves along.[...]
http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2017/11/king-street-transit-pilot-full-swing
So I ask, if my critique is so off-base, where is the evidence to contradict it? Why is there no apparent *upgrade* of the transit priority signalling to a standard done in many other cities?
There may indeed be 'new sensors' installed in some locations along King. What is the system status and mode of operation? Holding green for a few seconds to allow one streetcar at a time to make it through the intersection? Is that logic fixed in terms of not having an algorithm fed by other factors?
Bunching, as I found out all too easily riding the 504 at *Noon!* yesterday, is still rampant according to those I spoke with on the streetcar.
Clearly that indicates a system, transit corridor or not, that is operating far from optimally. And there appeared to be no assistance offered by priority in the intersection signals. I stood at the front of the streetcar...it was so jammed...a seat only became available much later. The car was stopped at many traffic lights.
Surely Toronto can do better than this?
Any clear and detailed reference on the TTC's having a distinct transit signal priority most appreciated. I don't see how this project can ever be declared representative of what can be achieved without them.
Already forces are marshalling to defeat this. And the City plods along like the $1M+ cost of this will buy them success.
Addendum: Cnclr Cressy has an opinion piece in today's TorStar:
[...]
In many world class cities such a move wouldn’t be seen as bold. Frankly, many cities implemented such changes more than a decade ago. But, this is Toronto. Radical incrementalism is our way.
The early results of the pilot show quick improvements so far. The reliability of streetcar travel times has improved, which means people spend less time waiting in the cold wondering when their streetcar will arrive. Average streetcar travel times have decreased by as much as 2.6 minutes during rush hour. And average vehicle travel times on adjacent streets have been barely impacted.
That’s not to say that everything is perfect. For many, the adjustment period has led to confusion and traffic tickets. The fact that we launched during the cold winter season has left a feeling of emptiness on the street before the patios reopen. And, far too many businesses — my own local constituents — have expressed concerns.
However, as a pilot project we are able to test, measure and refine as we go. Already we’re making changes. King St. is open for business and the city is rolling out campaigns to promote local business, as well as new street and pop-up festivals to bring people to King. Traffic signal changes and other tweaks are coming to speed up streetcars and vehicular movement on adjacent streets. And, we’re not done yet. [...]
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2017/12/20/no-going-back-on-king-st-makeover.html
"Traffic signal changes and other tweaks are coming". I certainly hope so. He puts it in the future tense, not the present or past. So I'm very encouraged to see that at least someone at Council realizes the corridor is no longer strangled, just still unable to breath properly.
And signals are going to need more than a "tweak". They're going to need serious investment...*whether this project continues or not!*. So why is Council living in a dream? The TTC lost more money, multiples more, on running free for the opening of the Spadina Extension than Council has budgeted for the King Korridor Pilot.
