Matthew Blackett's TTC map ideas

[junctionist]

On a side note, if something like that second map were to be used for the full subway map in trains, it shouldn't trade one convenient feature for another. In this case, the second map lacks the station address.

 

[DENTROBATE54]

There you go again, Dentrobate, with the whole not-reading-what-you're-responding-to thing. His first sentence: "I'm lifting this from the Spacing Wire."

Would it surprise you that I have a mild case of ADHD ? I tend to zone out through reading long passages. I'll try less skimming, more full readings next time.

About the street address, how does knowing that Pape Stn's at 650 Danforth Ave really matter, for instance. Most people refer to intersections when giving directions over the street number as visibility of actual numbering on buildings is minimal to none in many places.

If we're talking about reformation of the system map we could start with putting lines in proper scale (such that Wilson, York Mills and Ellesmere appear around the same height on the subway graphic, Eglinton aligned with Eg West and Kennedy and so on).

 

[unimaginative2]

Would it surprise you that I have a mild case of ADHD ? I tend to zone out through reading long passages. I'll try less skimming, more full readings next time.

Good to hear! It will make your own responses much more interesting and relevant. I think you're right about the station addresses. Given the choice between them and bus routes, I'd probably pick the latter if there were some better way of identifying the route numbers.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

The streetcar map is useless, the surface connection map already exists in a superior form in the Ride Guide.

 

[voxpopulicosmicum]

Thanks for posting, Darkstar! I generally really, really like the Spacing people's ideas for the TTC, but I'm not too crazy about these maps. It's mostly for the reasons already mentioned. The bus connections map looks great, but I really question its utility. How many people actually know the numbers of bus routes other than transit geeks and people who ride the route every day and don't need a map? It's okay in the Ride Guide where you can easily look where each route number goes, but on a wall mounted map it could prove more confusing than helpful.

I think more "regular" TTC riders need to get a dose of transit geekiness, and transit geeks need to think like "normal" people from time to time. These maps are a good start at finding some common ground between the two.

I take the point that streetcar service is inferior to subway service, but I don't see that as an argument against a streetcar map. It is clear that the streetcar lines and subway lines are different modes (hence the different colours). Perhaps it would be useful to add the extra step of including on the streetcar map the transfer points to other (bus) surface routes.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

The streetcar map is useless because streetcars are no different than buses, but bus routes aren't on that map. Are they going to make a third downtown transit map for the Dufferin, Bay, and Wellesley buses?

 

[nfitz]

The streetcar map is useless, the surface connection map already exists in a superior form in the Ride Guide.

. I find the Ride Guide useless by itself. With all those overlapping red lines, often if I'm not familiar with a route, the only way I can figure out which way the route goes - particularly when there are A, B, C, and D's, is to take a look at the route schedule on the website - which doesn't work well when you are standing at a station. I have no idea why colour isn't being used to make a better Ride Guide.

Also, I don't find the Ride Guide being posted on many buses, streetcars, or trains.

Really, you need something simple and iconic.

 

[junctionist]

Good to hear! It will make your own responses much more interesting and relevant. I think you're right about the station addresses. Given the choice between them and bus routes, I'd probably pick the latter if there were some better way of identifying the route numbers.

It's really not a matter of one or the other, because it's easy to put both on the map. I was once asked how to get to 2xxx Bloor West by someone who didn't know the intersection or station. Some businesses just provide an address. The address also provides the street that the subway is on, which isn't always obvious from the name of the line.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Really, you need something simple and iconic.

And a map showing every possible route number connection with every subway stop most certainly isn't iconic and simple...this information is already available in the Ride Guide, which tourists or anyone unfamiliar with the TTC is free to obtain. Unless you're a transit-fan or a local, you'd need a Ride Guide to know what a list of route numbers means (in terms of where these routes go), and since locals and transit-fans don't need this new map, it helps absolutely no one.

 

[unimaginative2]

There's actually a different TTC route map that I've seen a couple times. They have one in a committee room at City Hall, and it shows all the bus routes as a separate line with different colours. It's a fantastic map, but it's ha-uuge.

 

[nfitz]

And a map showing every possible route number connection with every subway stop most certainly isn't iconic and simple...

Indeed - I would never suggest such a thing - that is what the Ride Guide is for!

 

[scarberiankhatru]

^ and ^^: Yes, a better option would be to tweak the Ride Guide to make the more dense tracts of red less...nebulous.

 

[nfitz]

^ and ^^: Yes, a better option would be to tweak the Ride Guide to make the more dense tracts of red less...nebulous.

That's certainly worth doing. But the ride guide isn't posted on subway trains, streetcars, or buses.

I think a simple (simple) map somewhere on the advertisment panel of each streetcar, similiar to what was shown at the beginning of the thread, would help people understand ... and while you could expand the detail on it infinitely, until it's of no use to anyone, the amount of detail on the example at the beginning of the thread seemed about right to me.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Then pick up a Ride Guide! If you don't already know which routes connect to which stations, a list of route numbers will be entirely meaningless and useless without accompanying route maps for each route number...in other words, without a Ride Guide.

 

[JasonParis]

If the Streetcar-only map isn't acceptable to the TTC for general circulation in the system, then they should perhaps consider it for tourist guides, etc.