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Road Safety & Vision Zero Plan

They also have to be removable for snow clearing.

As far as I'm concerned, the new design is not as safe as the older one; particularly the lack of overhead warning lights. The small LEDs off to the side are not as prominent.
 
As far as I'm concerned, the new design is not as safe as the older one; particularly the lack of overhead warning lights. The small LEDs off to the side are not as prominent.
I have certainly seen LED pedestrian signalling elsewhere that is unmistakeable in brightness etc. I do wonder how lighting installed at road level would fare in our winters.

In my experience the pedestrian-activated lights overhead are not as valuable without adequate lighting around the beg button. What really helps is to see the pedestrian before they have pushed the button. That tends to make the driver a lot less able to convince themselves that there was insufficient time to stop. "No surprises" applies.

A lot of the value of the lighting is to remove any doubt as to "who was there first".

- Paul
 
I have certainly seen LED pedestrian signalling elsewhere that is unmistakeable in brightness etc. I do wonder how lighting installed at road level would fare in our winters.

In my experience the pedestrian-activated lights overhead are not as valuable without adequate lighting around the beg button. What really helps is to see the pedestrian before they have pushed the button. That tends to make the driver a lot less able to convince themselves that there was insufficient time to stop. "No surprises" applies.

A lot of the value of the lighting is to remove any doubt as to "who was there first".

- Paul
There should also be a pedestrian beg button on the centre island/pedestrian refuge island in intersections. Especially, for those who are slow walkers and who will not be able to get all the way across the intersection. The pedestrian refuge island should be big enough for two people, offer some protection from turning vehicles, and have a beg button so they can continue crossing.
 
Great discussion and everyone who is adding his opinion seems to be light years ahead compared what Councillor McKelvie is proposing on Port Union road:

She seems to be in favour to add a centre turn lane, to sell paint as infrastructure and basically creating another highway through a residential neighbourhood.

How can such a disrespectful street design for human lives be put forward?
 
That's awful. Was the driver hurt?
In the long run, is there a way to force heavy vehicle traffic off of Twyn Rivers?
I didn’t see the driver, cab was empty. The police officer didn’t seem in any rush, just taking pics with her cell phone. I often ride this route and I’ve never seen any heavy trucks or anything with air brakes on Twyn Rivers.
 
In a report mostly focused on new Cycling infra, that's coming to next week's Planning and Infrastructure Ctte, there is also mention of some new sidewalk installations this year.


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Child, 4, dies after single-vehicle crash in Vaughan, driver charged​

Sister, 10, also in hospital in critical condition, police say​

From link.A four-year-old boy is dead and a 16-year-old driver is now facing multiple charges after a single-vehicle crash in Vaughan on Sunday.
York Regional Police said they were called to Athabasca Drive, near Dufferin Street and Teston Road, around noon.

The driver of a black, 2017 Mercedes C Class had gone off the road and hit three people in a residential driveway, police say.

A ten-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy were rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police announced Monday that the boy had died. His sister remains in critical condition, according to a police news release.

A male neighbour was also taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Const. Laura Nicolle of York Regional Police told reporters at the scene Sunday that before the crash, the children had been outside playing with their bikes when the neighbour noticed they were having an issue with a bike chain and came over to help.
2-children-critically-injured.jpg

Officers said a black Mercedes Benz struck three people who were in a driveway. (Mark Bochsler/CBC)
They were on their own property and that's when the vehicle went off the road and collided with them," Nicolle said.

"It's such a devastating situation."

A 16-year-old male from Richmond Hill was arrested at the scene. Police announced Monday that he is now facing multiple charges, including dangerous operation causing death and criminal negligence causing death.
Athabasca Drive has posted speed limit signs of 40 km/h. Big deal when the road itself is DESIGNED for drivers doing 60+ km/h.

See https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.8871787,-79.5001254,3a,75y,198.36h,76.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQ7QDIcx02oIsauRSG_hZsg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
 
^the article doesn't support the conclusion you're trying to wring from it. Nowhere does it say or even imply the width of the road somehow caused the accident. There are good arguments to be made in favour of narrowing our roads. But you're just filtering every occurrence through your super specific view/bias.
 

Child, 4, dies after single-vehicle crash in Vaughan, driver charged​

Sister, 10, also in hospital in critical condition, police say​

From link.A four-year-old boy is dead and a 16-year-old driver is now facing multiple charges after a single-vehicle crash in Vaughan on Sunday.

2-children-critically-injured.jpg

Officers said a black Mercedes Benz struck three people who were in a driveway. (Mark Bochsler/CBC)

Athabasca Drive has posted speed limit signs of 40 km/h. Big deal when the road itself is DESIGNED for drivers doing 60+ km/h.

See https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.8871787,-79.5001254,3a,75y,198.36h,76.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQ7QDIcx02oIsauRSG_hZsg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The road in question has a 9M cross-section.

That's actually narrow by suburban standards where the default choice has been 11M for sometime.

I don't like the road design, particularly for its absence of sidewalk on one side of the road.

But I'd be loath to reach the conclusion that it was a crucial factor here, absent more evidence.

Narrowing the road for the purpose of adding a sidewalk is just feasible (road width needs to be about 7M on a street like this.

Though from the point of view of steetscape and safety, it would be ideal to have the sidewalk 1M in from the curb.

That would likely cut the parking capacity of these homes substantially.

I can't say I would feel bad about that, but I'm not sure how enthusiastic the locals would be.
 
Force the drivers to slow down.

One-lane_chicane_1.jpg

I like chicanes to some extent (landscaped bumpouts); though the design above would draw the ire of emergency services as it would very difficult for a fire truck to navigate; even ambulance would find that a chore.

There's a balance to be struck in terms of ensuring everyday safety for pedestrians, cyclists (and all road users, really) and accepting that roads at any speed (as with almost anywhere else) are not, and will never be, risk-free environments.

They so serve the purpose of getting people from A to B in a vaguely timely manner; and in some cases, such as emergency services, impairing that really could cost lives as well.

Keep in mind, I'm pro-sidewalk, pro-bike lane, pro-transit, pro-streetscape and pro-narrower roads.

But I do think is important to admit to a limit in that regard.

1200px-Bremsschwelle.JPG

From link. (Humps at crossings and intersections.)

As speed humps go, that one doesn't look too bad.

I will tell you though, when my dad had a broken back; and had to go to hospital, the ambulance driving over speed humps was hell on earth.

Ambulances by the way have some of the worst suspension I have ever experienced in my life, it was hard sitting in one as a passenger.

But I digress.

We need to make our roads, cars and drivers safer............

The first and last of these are hardest............but I expect as cars become increasingly automated, accidents will be greatly reduced in frequency and severity...........or so I would hope.
 

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