Roads: Traffic Signals

[afransen]

I think this is a role that could be played by advocacy organizations like Strong Towns. I hear there is some effort to organize a local chapter in Toronto but it is just getting off the ground. We need organizations like this to meet with councillors and advocate for these alternative approaches.

 

[Northern Light]

I think this is a role that could be played by advocacy organizations like Strong Towns. I hear there is some effort to organize a local chapter in Toronto but it is just getting off the ground. We need organizations like this to meet with councillors and advocate for these alternative approaches.

strongtownstoronto@gmail.com

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[Northern Light]

Alternatively, there are a host of other groups that advocate in similar ways.

Walk Toronto
Cycle Toronto
Vision Zero Canada
The Centre of Active Transportation (TCAT)

And one can also, of course, join one's assorted neighbourhood association.

I think the last one can be among the most effective, when people say they are concerned about their child crossing the street, its often though their NA that they lobby a Councillor for a stop sign or a traffic light.

Those types of groups rarely have an awareness of other options, having someone join who says; what if we could make it safer for your child, by shortening the crossing distance, or by slowing and smoothing the traffic rather than stopping it, might make very material difference.

 

[afransen]

Good video by Shifter featuring Paige Saunders about some of the infrastructure improvements being made in Montreal.

 

[Towered]

Why is a traffic light being installed literally 50 meters south of Spadina and Bloor?? *rolls eyes*

Just to go back to this one for a second, I took the picture below right from Bloor and Spadina, looking south. The new lights are literally 8 car lengths in distance, and it’s not even a road:

 

[dullturtle06]

So I just visited halifax and saw how little traffics lights there are. Pedestrian crossing are used very often and allow safe mid block crossing. Traffic moves effectively and is only stopped when required. I am convinced a sizable amount of congestion in Toronto is due to city council and their traffic light spamming. Halifax also is implementing vision zero principles using flexy posts and concrete curbs. Oh and these are not the Toronto ones that are tossed around by a vehicle hitting them. They are bolted to the pavement and have standard height signage attached to the top. Gottingen street halifax is good example.

 

[Towered]

Even Halifax has more balls

 

[Coolibop]

Winnipeg has similar, but they also seem to have better adherence to speed limits, probably in part due to speed cameras.

 

[TRONto]

So I just visited halifax and saw how little traffics lights there are. Pedestrian crossing are used very often and allow safe mid block crossing. Traffic moves effectively and is only stopped when required. I am convinced a sizable amount of congestion in Toronto is due to city council and their traffic light spamming. Halifax also is implementing vision zero principles using flexy posts and concrete curbs. Oh and these are not the Toronto ones that are tossed around by a vehicle hitting them. They are bolted to the pavement and have standard height signage attached to the top. Gottingen street halifax is good example.View attachment 498935View attachment 498942

I wouldn't say 'safe mid-block crossing' for Toronto. I use the pedestrian crossings with the (many times correct) assumption that cars are not going to stop.

 

[reaperexpress]

I wouldn't say 'safe mid-block crossing' for Toronto. I use the pedestrian crossings with the (many times correct) assumption that cars are not going to stop.

Just because Toronto's unsignalized crosswalks are poorly designed does not mean that unsignalized crosswalks are inherently unsafe.

 

[TRONto]

Just because Toronto's unsignalized crosswalks are poorly designed does not mean that unsignalized crosswalks are inherently unsafe.

agreed, hence the "for Toronto"

 

[dullturtle06]

agreed, hence the "for Toronto"

Ya toronto still has not switched to the rrfb signs that are installed all over ontario and North America. The lights are more "aggressive" which increases compliance and safety.

 

[lenaitch]

Ya toronto still has not switched to the rrfb signs that are installed all over ontario and North America. The lights are more "aggressive" which increases compliance and safety. View attachment 499085

The problem I have with the 'new' (Level 2) crossover signage in Ontario is the flashing beacons are off to the side rather than overhead in the driver's field of view where they are in the older 'Level 1' configuration. In some cases, because of curb design, trees, or whatever, they can be quite a bit off to the side to the point of being obscured. In a couple of communities that I know of in Central Ontario that originally had this design of crossover (in both cases a built-up area reduced speed zone interrupting a highway speed zone), they have been replaced with full signals.

In my opinion, if they repeated both the signs and lights overhead the lane it would be much safer.

 

[dullturtle06]

The problem I have with the 'new' (Level 2) crossover signage in Ontario is the flashing beacons are off to the side rather than overhead in the driver's field of view where they are in the older 'Level 1' configuration. In some cases, because of curb design, trees, or whatever, they can be quite a bit off to the side to the point of being obscured. In a couple of communities that I know of in Central Ontario that originally had this design of crossover (in both cases a built-up area reduced speed zone interrupting a highway speed zone), they have been replaced with full signals.

In my opinion, if they repeated both the signs and lights overhead the lane it would be much safer.

Yes so rrfb signals above the crosswalk with led lights lighting up the area underneath. But as far as I know thats not in the ontario standard. Should be though.

 

[afransen]

Yes so rrfb signals above the crosswalk with led lights lighting up the area underneath. But as far as I know thats not in the ontario standard. Should be though.

I would like for most of these crossings to be raised to make it easier for drivers to comply and yield to pedestrians.