Roads: Gardiner Expressway

[salsa]

So, in other words, Waterfront TO does have a vested interest in removing the Gardiner. They would be able to make money off this to fund their other projects. This is why I think they shouldn't have been involved in the study - at least not so much.

Their mandate is to create an attractive waterfront. The "improve option" is nothing more than lipstick on a pig, that will seriously hinder the full potential of the waterfront. It has to go.

Seriously? No thanks.

 

[RC8]

If you've spent any significant amount of time there as a pedestrian, you can almost hear the awful noise from the highway in those 'improved' pictures.

 

[junior43]

Their mandate is to create an attractive waterfront. The "improve option" is nothing more than lipstick on a pig, that will seriously hinder the full potential of the waterfront. It has to go.

Seriously? No thanks.

You're only reaffirming my point. Waterfront toronto is only concerned about the waterfront, not the GTA and the impacts this would have.

This is a large city, there will always be noise. If you want a quiet picnics go camping, or to the island.

 

[Dan416]

If you've spent any significant amount of time there as a pedestrian, you can almost hear the awful noise from the highway in those 'improved' pictures.

The awful noise from the highway? Gimme a break.

 

[junctionist]

If you've spent any significant amount of time there as a pedestrian, you can almost hear the awful noise from the highway in those 'improved' pictures.

For that reason, I can't picture many people strolling there like in the renderings with the expressway intact. The waterfront's revitalization is critical. The Port Lands is almost as big as the entire downtown core.

 

[BurlOak]

Looking at this picture, it is the low bridge that looks the worst and is the biggest obstruction. Maybe they should remove Lakeshore Blvd. and keep the Gardiner. It does need a new coat of paint though.

This really shows how the alignment above the railway track would free up the waterfront and nicely combine the Gardiner with the true obstruction between the City and the Water (i.e. the Railway).

If the geese are ok with the noise, the people can adjust too.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

The awful noise from the highway? Gimme a break.

The noise is rather annoying.

 

[W. K. Lis]

The noise is rather annoying.

Louder than the airplanes taking off from the island airport, sometimes. Maybe not as loud as some lawnmowers.

 

[CapitalSeven]

This really shows how the alignment above the railway track would free up the waterfront and nicely combine the Gardiner with the true obstruction between the City and the Water (i.e. the Railway).

OK. Please make a rendering of that from ground level showing the ramps that would be required to get most of the traffic off if it and down to the streets, and we'll all consider how it would improve the waterfront area.

 

[drum118]

The lake Shore bridge in the above photo is to be replace since it has to longer to open up the month of the Don as well being higher for the flood plains.

What was plan for this area and what is going to happen now, we got to thank Ford this mess.

There is a meeting on this area as well up to Leslie St on Thursday

Do the walk & talking there, since that where it accounts the most, not the board.

[h=2]Port Lands Planning Framework & Transportation and Servicing Master Plan[/h]Public Meeting Details
Date: Thursday, February 13, 2014
Time: Drop-in from 6:30-7 p.m./Presentation and Facilitated Discussion from 7 to 9 p.m.
Location: EMS Training Centre (Toronto Fire Academy) - 895 Eastern Avenue, Toronto, ON (southwest corner of Eastern Avenue and Knox Avenue). See map.
TTC: Take the 501 Queen street car towards Woodbine Avenue and exit near Greenwood Avenue.
Parking: Parking is available on site.
Accessibility: Fully accessible

 

[the lemur]

I can see how aligning the part of the Gardiner between about Yonge and Cherry over the tracks would work, but I have to wonder if the railways would not be dead set against that and whether reconfiguring the ramps for Yonge and Jarvis (and Sherbourne) would really eat into the allowance for Lake Shore.

 

[salsa]

I can see how aligning the part of the Gardiner between about Yonge and Cherry over the tracks would work, but I have to wonder if the railways would not be dead set against that and whether reconfiguring the ramps for Yonge and Jarvis (and Sherbourne) would really eat into the allowance for Lake Shore.

Your proposal is an example of the "replace option", however that was ruled out due to cost. The only options being considered are either maintaining it or tearing it down.

 

[drum118]

Base on the meeting, 95% of over 200 people supported tear it down including me.

The plan for roads within the Portland are are to single (2) lanes only plus 2 for transit.

The goal is having a 20% model split for traffic and 80% foe everything else.

The original Master transit plan back in 2005 for the whole waterfront call for an LRT line on the Lakes Shore, approved by TTC commissioners and City council. When the province request that this master plan be broke out, TTC removed the LRT Line for the plan unknown to everyone involved with the EA including me until a few years later.

If the Portland is going single lane like the Queens Quay, then the Lake Shore should be 6 lanes total with LRT using 2 of them. Waterfront agrees with this idea.

We have to think of the future, not today needs as we have no room for an extra Million cars hitting the road by 2031. We must improve transit badly to do this.

The current thinking is a new GO station be built on the east side of the DVP where the DRL will meet with it as well a transit hub there as well. Broadview would continue south, but more to the east to the Lake Shore as well over the Shipping channel.

 

[salsa]

Which version do I prefer? That’s simple: remove this chunk of the expressway because its function can be substantially replaced by a much more attractive surface roadway. Toronto would not be the first city to do this, and it will certainly not be the last.

Can this option actually get through Council as it is now constituted? Very, very unlikely. But the whole thing will be back for another round in 2015 when detailed feedback from the EA is completed. The challenge will come if Council approves “Maintain” in 2014 and the EA proceeds only to look at that option in detail for the next year. A new Council may be faced with backtracking to make up for the partisan, shortsighted nature of today’s political environment.

http://stevemunro.ca/?p=9184

 

[the lemur]

The plan for roads within the Portland are are to single (2) lanes only plus 2 for transit.

The goal is having a 20% model split for traffic and 80% foe everything else.


If the Portland is going single lane like the Queens Quay, then the Lake Shore should be 6 lanes total with LRT using 2 of them. Waterfront agrees with this idea.

We have to think of the future, not today needs as we have no room for an extra Million cars hitting the road by 2031. We must improve transit badly to do this.

The current thinking is a new GO station be built on the east side of the DVP where the DRL will meet with it as well a transit hub there as well. Broadview would continue south, but more to the east to the Lake Shore as well over the Shipping channel.

This sounds a like a huge deal ... but doesn't it assume the routing of the DRL? I thought that wasn't determined yet.