Road Safety & Vision Zero Plan

[W. K. Lis]

At the same time, I've seen intersections where the pedestrian crossing time now starts while the lights are red in all directions. Though that would be safer if they banned turns on red lights.

Indeed, every city is different. Parts of Montreal now have lights that go to flashing red, instead of solid red - perhaps to increase the visibility? First time I saw them, crossing quite a narrow street, I assumed that it was the equivalent to flashing yellow ...I quickly discovered that wasn't true while in the middle of the street.

Flashing red, you need to come to a stop, and if turning right, you may if the way is clear.

In Montréal, no right turn on the solid red traffic light.

 

[nfitz]

Flashing red, you need to come to a stop, and if turning right, you may if the way is clear.

I meant a flashing red hand pedestrian symbol - with a 0 underneath, instead of the number vanishing.

 

[H4F33Z]

What's planned at either end of this bridge? I fear it's going to be an orphaned island of ideal cycle infrastructure with nothing but paint once off the bridge.

It's quite the opposite actually. This has been a long requested connection in the network for around a decade. The bike lanes in Thorncliffe and Flemingdon were installed but were never quite useful due to the connection on Overlea missing. Those neighbourhoods were never connected. Now they're finally being connected, and in the broader network, they are vital for a north-south bikeway from Danforth to Eglinton.

As for paint once off Overlea. The Thorncliffe Park bike lanes were upgraded to cycle tracks in 2021 (thanks to me), I also wanted to advocate to upgrade bike lanes in Flemingdon as they are all very wide and spacious bike lanes. Unfortunately, due to the local councillor being the biggest anti-bike councillor (Denzil Minnan-Wong), my colleagues suggested it's just not worth the effort until he can get thrown out or city staff get their way.

 

[Northern Light]

View attachment 383625
It's quite the opposite actually. This has been a long requested connection in the network for around a decade. The bike lanes in Thorncliffe and Flemingdon were installed but were never quite useful due to the connection on Overlea missing. Those neighbourhoods were never connected. Now they're finally being connected, and in the broader network, they are vital for a north-south bikeway from Danforth to Eglinton.

As for paint once off Overlea. The Thorncliffe Park bike lanes were upgraded to cycle tracks in 2021 (thanks to me), I also wanted to advocate to upgrade bike lanes in Flemingdon as they are all very wide and spacious bike lanes. Unfortunately, due to the local councillor being the biggest anti-bike councillor (Denzil Minnan-Wong), my colleagues suggested it's just not worth the effort until he can get thrown out or city staff get their way.

Once again, congrats on your successful advocacy, but in the tradition of great ingrates everywhere, LOL; now you have to tackle Millwood north of Overlea/Laird Drive. That is such a hostile space for cyclists and pedestrians.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Before they "made up" rules for the benefit of the motorists in their fancy horseless carriages...

Before people were forced to stay on the sidewalks and obey traffic lights, so that the horseless carriages could move faster. Their horns were made to "yell" at the people to get out of their way.

 

[DSC]

I asked the VisionZerro a couple of questions, their reply may interest others.

1. Pedestrian Head Start. Currently the standard practice is to add pedestrian head start phases to all feasible intersections across the City (some operations do not permit a head start signal, such as advance protected left turns) and it is being done during scheduled corridor signal timing reviews. Corridors in the City are regularly reviewed for timing and during this time these head start phases are being introduced. As changes to one signal can impact the entire sequence of signals in the vicinity it is best to make these changes when it can be applied across a larger geographic area.

2. Pedestrian actuated signals. For your second point the pedestrian actuated signals are typically at locations were a lower order road meets a higher order road, where the lower order road does not have sustained volume to warrant non-actuated operation. This assessment is done by our traffic signals group to determine the operation of each signal. If you have precise locations in mind that you think could benefit from a signal operation modification I would recommend emailing 311@toronto.ca with the location information or filling out an online service request here: https://www.toronto.ca/home/311-tor...s-sidewalks-and-traffic-safety/traffic-safety. Requesting an assessment through these channels will provide you with a reference number, which will make future follow up easier to track.

Their answer in #1 makes perfect sense, I just wish they would 'get on with it". I am not as satisfied with their policy in #2 as I think they base the 'sustained volume' on traffic and not on traffic and pedestrians. As a pedestrian, I find it confusing to be walking along a street where at some lights I need do nothing except wait for a pedestrian signal to flash while at others I need to press the button.

UPDATE: The VisionZero folk just told me that "I can confirm that the turning movement counts that are collected at intersections by our operations team do include motor vehicles as well as people walking and biking."

 

[W. K. Lis]

I asked the VisionZerro a couple of questions, their reply may interest others.

1. Pedestrian Head Start. Currently the standard practice is to add pedestrian head start phases to all feasible intersections across the City (some operations do not permit a head start signal, such as advance protected left turns) and it is being done during scheduled corridor signal timing reviews. Corridors in the City are regularly reviewed for timing and during this time these head start phases are being introduced. As changes to one signal can impact the entire sequence of signals in the vicinity it is best to make these changes when it can be applied across a larger geographic area.

2. Pedestrian actuated signals. For your second point the pedestrian actuated signals are typically at locations were a lower order road meets a higher order road, where the lower order road does not have sustained volume to warrant non-actuated operation. This assessment is done by our traffic signals group to determine the operation of each signal. If you have precise locations in mind that you think could benefit from a signal operation modification I would recommend emailing 311@toronto.ca with the location information or filling out an online service request here: https://www.toronto.ca/home/311-tor...s-sidewalks-and-traffic-safety/traffic-safety. Requesting an assessment through these channels will provide you with a reference number, which will make future follow up easier to track.

Their answer in #1 makes perfect sense, I just wish they would 'get on with it". I am not as satisfied with their policy in #2 as I think they base the 'sustained volume' on traffic and not on traffic and pedestrians. As a pedestrian, I find it confusing to be walking along a street where at some lights I need do nothing except wait for a pedestrian signal to flash while at others I need to press the button.

Why does a human have to press a button to activate the pedestrian signals? If automobiles just have stop behind the stop line to activate by their presence, why can't the presence of a human (dog, raccoon, deer, etc.) activate the pedestrian signals so they can cross the street?

 

[DSC]

Why does a human have to press a button to activate the pedestrian signals? If automobiles just have stop behind the stop line to activate by their presence, why can't the presence of a human (dog, raccoon, deer, etc.) activate the pedestrian signals so they can cross the street?

In fairness, there ARE traffic lights which are only activated (for vehicles) if a vehicle is waiting - as seen on a camera and/or via an in-road loop. Of course, the driver does have to do nothing.

 

[evandyk]

Their answer in #1 makes perfect sense, I just wish they would 'get on with it". I am not as satisfied with their policy in #2 as I think they base the 'sustained volume' on traffic and not on traffic and pedestrians. As a pedestrian, I find it confusing to be walking along a street where at some lights I need do nothing except wait for a pedestrian signal to flash while at others I need to press the button.

Sherbourne and Queen's Quay is a perfect example. There are almost no cars traveling N/S, but there are a ton of pedestrians. But if no one pushes the button, it will give cars a green light without even turning on the pedestrian walk signal. It's ridiculous. Who expects that you need to push a button when there are 10 pedestrians and a bunch of cyclists waiting to cross?

 

[DSC]

Sherbourne and Queen's Quay is a perfect example. There are almost no cars traveling N/S, but there are a ton of pedestrians. But if no one pushes the button, it will give cars a green light without even turning on the pedestrian walk signal. It's ridiculous. Who expects that you need to push a button when there are 10 pedestrians and a bunch of cyclists waiting to cross?

Two minds with one thought, I was there this afternoon and have already reported it to 311 as instructed. You may want to do so too.

 

[DSC]

UPDATE. The vision zero folk tell me that "I can confirm that the turning movement counts that are collected at intersections by our operations team do include motor vehicles as well as people walking and biking."

 

[evandyk]

Two minds with one thought, I was there this afternoon and have already reported it to 311 as instructed. You may want to do so too.

Every time I go there, while walking home I think I should call them and say something, but by the time I'm done fighting with the snowsuit and trying to make the little monster go pee, I've forgotten about it entirely. Until next time.

 

[DSC]

Every time I go there, while walking home I think I should call them and say something, but by the time I'm done fighting with the snowsuit and trying to make the little monster go pee, I've forgotten about it entirely. Until next time.

Not to single you out at all, but if a few more people on UT stopped complaining to the rest of us on UT about problems that needed to be fixed (we may be lovely people but most of us are quite powerless) and complained to people who have the power (and MAY have the will) to fix things (like 311), then more things would be fixed.

 

[11th]

Why does a human have to press a button to activate the pedestrian signals? If automobiles just have stop behind the stop line to activate by their presence, why can't the presence of a human (dog, raccoon, deer, etc.) activate the pedestrian signals so they can cross the street?

The button extends the green phase. Vehicles clear a intersection faster than pedestrian. So if there is no pedestrian waiting to cross, the green phase can end sooner and return the right of way to the main road.
Nothing's worse than waiting 30 seconds for the green light when no one's crossing the road - this is true for both transit and non-transit vehicles.

 

[W. K. Lis]

The button extends the green phase. Vehicles clear a intersection faster than pedestrian. So if there is no pedestrian waiting to cross, the green phase can end sooner and return the right of way to the main road.
Nothing's worse than waiting 30 seconds for the green light when no one's crossing the road - this is true for both transit and non-transit vehicles.

Having the pedestrian head start when there are no pedestrians can also be toe-tapping. If we had cameras or sensors for pedestrians that actually work, that might be of some help.