Road Safety & Vision Zero Plan

[afransen]

Kitchener has implemented a continuous sidewalk.

Kitchener introduces new 'continuous sidewalk'

The City of Kitchener is taking a step forward with a new approach to sidewalks.

kitchener.ctvnews.ca

 

[Northern Light]

Kitchener has implemented a continuous sidewalk.

Kitchener introduces new 'continuous sidewalk'

The City of Kitchener is taking a step forward with a new approach to sidewalks.

kitchener.ctvnews.ca

Very similar to the raised crosswalk concept already use in Toronto and elsewhere, except that typically, in Toronto, we still do zebra stripe over asphalt (that's been raised) vs here where you see the normal sidewalk concrete continue.

 

[afransen]

Very similar to the raised crosswalk concept already use in Toronto and elsewhere, except that typically, in Toronto, we still do zebra stripe over asphalt (that's been raised) vs here where you see the normal sidewalk concrete continue.

I think sidewalk with concrete is a bit closer to the intent where it tells drivers they are crossing pedestrian space.

 

[adys123]

Very similar to the raised crosswalk concept already use in Toronto and elsewhere, except that typically, in Toronto, we still do zebra stripe over asphalt (that's been raised) vs here where you see the normal sidewalk concrete continue.

Raised crosswalks are different than raised crosswalks with continuous sidewalks. There is a small nuance there.

 

[Northern Light]

I think sidewalk with concrete is a bit closer to the intent where it tells drivers they are crossing pedestrian space.

I'm certainly open to that; though both designs feature the speed hump effect for slowing traffic.

The K-W design does seem to put the adjacent bike trail on a bit of an angle though......

Let me bring the picture forward from the link you provided:

You clearly see the sidewalk is the peak height with the approach on both sides involving a modest climb for cars.

 

[Northern Light]

A report to the next meeting of TEYCC addresses further safety improvements on Avenue Road, primarily from Davenport to Dupont. The section south thereof having been separately advanced for Cycle Tracks.

This section will see a 1 lane reduction from six to five, for now, some geometric improvements, a new crosswalk and a new median (no big streetscape, just a safety barrier).

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-246147.pdf

From the above:

 

[Towered]

Slip lane removal at Jane and Dundas has finally commenced.

 

[Admiral Beez]

IMO, we need to have more suicide or safety barriers on more of our bridges.

Passenger dies after vehicle on DVP struck by person falling from bridge

Officers were called to the DVP at Leaside Bridge at 11:59 p.m. for the fatal incident.

www.thestar.com

Paywall free: https://archive.is/VCkGG

It does seem counterintuitive to have a barrier on the Prince Edward Viaduct, but almost no where else. My friend's son killed himself from the Leaside bridge, like in the article above, for example. Thankfully in that case he didn't kill anyone else.

 

[Northern Light]

IMO, we need to have more suicide or safety barriers on more of our bridges.

Passenger dies after vehicle on DVP struck by person falling from bridge

Officers were called to the DVP at Leaside Bridge at 11:59 p.m. for the fatal incident.

www.thestar.com

Paywall free: https://archive.is/VCkGG

It does seem counterintuitive to have a barrier on the Prince Edward Viaduct, but almost no where else. My friend's son killed himself from the Leaside bridge, like in the article above, for example. Thankfully in that case he didn't kill anyone else.

Putting them on every bridge or even just every high bridge would be quite costly, and take a decade or more to deliver.

That said, the rebuild of the Overlea bridge over ET Seton Park will add barriers.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Here's a good video about how to implement vision zero through systematic safety.

Fantastic video. I especially liked 6:15 on how all bike lanes are red, so that everyone knows what's a bike lane, and 7:04 on Restrictiveness and how bike lanes are physically separate from car lanes. I so wish Toronto and Ontario governments understood and appreciated that denoting bike lanes with paint alone does not make bike infrastructure. What I also like about the Netherlands is that from my time there I never once saw a long shared path like the mess of Queens Quay, where cyclists travels at dozens of kph are somehow to safely separate themselves from pedestrians. A typical reply from our city may be, needs must or its in the planning/research phase (as if we need to invent these established concepts ourselves) or it's coming, just wait.

 

[Northern Light]

Fantastic video. I especially liked 6:15 on how all bike lanes are red, so that everyone knows what's a bike lane, and 7:04 on Restrictiveness and how bike lanes are physically separate from car lanes. I so wish Toronto and Ontario governments understood and appreciated that denoting bike lanes with paint alone does not make bike infrastructure. What I also like about the Netherlands is that from my time there I never once saw a long shared path like the mess of Queens Quay, where cyclists travels at dozens of kph are somehow to safely separate themselves from pedestrians. A typical reply from our city may be, needs must or its in the planning/research phase (as if we need to invent these established concepts ourselves) or it's coming, just wait.

Toronto is systematically converting painted bike lanes to separated cycle tracks wherever feasible. It will take awhile to get'em all done. But that work is underway on Bloor West right now, it was done on College last year, it will be done on Gerrard next year (Sherbourne to Parliament). Lots more of that coming. Sometimes in big sections, sometimes just a block for now. (ie. Woodbine from Cosburn to O'Connor is due up this year.)

 

[Northern Light]

Ah. The old "boil the ocean" dismissal - making overly ambitious demands that are impractical or impossible to fulfill, effectively avoiding action altogether. Instead, let's look at the areas of greatest need and start there, for example at Leaside.

Stop it! You're again doing what you do and writing angry, inflammatory missives that are even remotely linked to the truth.

I didn't dismiss anything. I took the time to give you a constructive, real answer, based on facts.

Did you not read the whole post where I noted we're adding barriers to the Overlea bridge? Apparently not. Sigh.

You wonder why you lack influence over your city, when your take is to give helpful strangers who take the time to answer your questions for free the finger.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Toronto is systematically converted painted bike lanes to separated cycle tracks wherever feasible. It will take awhile to get'em all done. But that work is underway on Bloor West right now, it was done on College last year, it will be done on Gerrard next year (Sherbourne to Parliament). Lots more of that coming. Sometimes in big sections, sometimes just a block for now. (ie. Woodbine from Cosburn to O'Connor is due up this year.)

Separated cycle tracks are almost always feasible, and should be the norm (rather than paint), not the exception. It just takes a city willing to take on those BIAs and councilors who demand on-street parking or putting restaurant patios into the space needed for bike lanes. Separated cycle tracks are desperately needed on Gerrard, but between Parliament and River, which seems to be told to wait until 202X? until Regent Park is finished.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Slip lane removal at Jane and Dundas has finally commenced.

Nice. We should have a rule that a slip lanes and sidewalks/pedestrian crossings never meet. Here's where a slip lane should live...outside of pedestrian areas, where traffic flow has priority, with few if any opportunities for drivers to encounter anything other than another vehicle.

It's an old article, but I remember this from Strong Towns, and liked the before and after example(s).

Slip Lanes Would Never Exist if We Prioritized Safety Over Speed

Slip lanes are the quintessential embodiment of what happens when speed is the #1 priority and safety becomes secondary. They are incredibly dangerous for pedestrians. Yet states and communities keep building them. Why?

www.strongtowns.org

In a bold move, with painted concrete barriers, Toronto city hall could block nearly all cyclists and pedestrian-heavy (define that, first) slip lanes as an expedient measure, while re-design and permanent rework of the intersections could be planned out. I like the look of this blocked slip lane in Washington DC, https://thewash.org/2022/11/15/more-open-pedestrian-spaces-are-coming-to-dcs-busiest-areas/. All it takes is some public/government cooperation and a few barriers, like Portland below. The end result was pretty, IMO.

 

[afransen]

Toronto is systematically converting painted bike lanes to separated cycle tracks wherever feasible. It will take awhile to get'em all done. But that work is underway on Bloor West right now, it was done on College last year, it will be done on Gerrard next year (Sherbourne to Parliament). Lots more of that coming. Sometimes in big sections, sometimes just a block for now. (ie. Woodbine from Cosburn to O'Connor is due up this year.)

There is still a distressing tendency to eliminate all those wonderful separations where they are most needed: intersections. A lot of bike lanes and even cycle tracks end in turn lanes.