Toronto Bathurst Quay Revitalization | ?m | 2s | City of Toronto | Kearns Mancini

[innsertnamehere]

Apparently they have reached an agreement with the feds (who manage the port aspect - which was restricting them from widening that stretch of the trail over the lake) to fix the pinch point. I believe it's going to be a simple wooden deck over the corner for now, with the long term plan to put in a wavedeck.

 

[ADRM]

Apparently they have reached an agreement with the feds (who manage the port aspect - which was restricting them from widening that stretch of the trail over the lake) to fix the pinch point. I believe it's going to be a simple wooden deck over the corner for now, with the long term plan to put in a wavedeck.

Yep. Cressy indicated in replies to that tweet posted above that phase 1 of the broader project is fully funded, and a solution to that pinch point is captured in that phase:

5. Portland Slip Pinch Point Planning status: Project is designed, funded and approved. Implementation status: Expected for completion Summer 2017. Due to significant recent growth in pedestrian and cycling activity along the revitalized Queens Quay promenade and Martin Goodman Trail, an existing sidewalk 'pinch point' located between the northwest corner of the Portland Slip and the curb edge of Queens Quay West has resulted in an unsafe condition. Measuring approximately only 3 metres in width, this 'pinch point' requires trail and sidewalk users - travelling at varying rates of speed and in opposing directions - to navigate a shared, narrow space flanked by water on one side and an active roadway on the other. In response, the City of Toronto and Waterfront Toronto have collaborated on the design of a wedge-shaped sidewalk widening to be suspended over a portion of the slip. This widening will more than double the current width of sidewalk in this area, thereby alleviating the current 'pinch point' condition and permitting the safe separation of pedestrian and cycling movements with existing capital funding.

 

[ADRM]

From the latest WT CEO report:

Bathurst Quay Streetscape and Public Realm Improvement Plan – Public Realm
The project was presented at the Issues Identification stage. Panel recommendations included:
• The long-term vision needs to be clearly set out at the next meeting;
• Extending the streetcar service to the airport should be a consideration;
• Consider piloting small projects that help improve air quality;
• Reconsider the focal point of the site from the centre of the site to the water’s edge promenade; and
• Consolidate parking to one location.

The project was reviewed at the Issues Identification stage and therefore no vote was taken.

 

[Automation Gallery]

From the latest WT CEO report:
Extending the streetcar service to the airport should be a consideration;.

Ugh?, are they talking about bridging a line to the island terminal?

 

[ADRM]

Ugh?, are they talking about bridging a line to the island terminal?

No no, it's all in service of reducing the amount of vehicular traffic into and out of BB, which is absolutely the right goal.

A significant focus of this project has been the air quality here, which is among the very worst spots in the city, mostly due to the unending queue of cars.

 

[bilked]

Bicycle storage (short and longer term) should be a big part of this mix. It's the easiest way to get from downtown to the airport (much quicker in rush hour than by car/uber/taxi), but storage options are brutal, basically limited to a few ring a posts around Little Norway Park.

 

[ADRM]

Bicycle storage (short and longer term) should be a big part of this mix. Its the easiest way to get from downtown to the airport (much quicker in rush hour than by car/uber/taxi), but storage options are brutal, basically limited to a few ring a posts around Little Norway Park.

Agreed, though for me, that's not an option to the core (at least to the financial core) because there are no practical safe cycling connections that get you there. They should really prioritize that as well, though Council...

 

[drum118]

Ugh?, are they talking about bridging a line to the island terminal?

It was looked at in 2008 and rejected. The amount of riders using transit to get to the airport would cause more problems for everyone, especially riders going elsewhere.

If you are taking the line underground to the airport, the cost of building a loop like Union is off the scale as well interfering with traffic getting off/on the ferry building it.

If the current expansion is about $450 million for Union and no money to do it since 2008 when it was $250 million, where does the CEO expect to get the money for the loop let along the extension?? Why do you see the current option to killing the Union Loop??

Traffic is a bitch south of QQW today and adding a streetcar line and looping in front of the current entrance will be worse.

 

[jje1000]

From the latest WT CEO report:

Bathurst Quay Streetscape and Public Realm Improvement Plan – Public Realm
The project was presented at the Issues Identification stage. Panel recommendations included:
• The long-term vision needs to be clearly set out at the next meeting;
• Extending the streetcar service to the airport should be a consideration;
• Consider piloting small projects that help improve air quality;
• Reconsider the focal point of the site from the centre of the site to the water’s edge promenade; and
• Consolidate parking to one location.

The project was reviewed at the Issues Identification stage and therefore no vote was taken.

Definitely not sure how they'll get around extending the streetcar, considering how messy the road grid is around there. I suppose they could branch off the Queens Quay line with a loop ending at the drop-off area, but it's a lot of trouble for a short, walkable distance.

I think wayfinding and public realm improvement (maybe a canopy for inclement weather + a wider sidewalk) would be an infinitely better use of money and effort there.

 

[ponyboy]

How many air travelers would conceivably ride their bike to/from Billy Bishop airport? Wouldn't carrying bags and briefcases rule that out in most cases? A survey of passengers would answer this question.

Seems like the right solution is avidly enforced anti-idling rules for that district, with stiff penalties. In addition/Better yet, they could give priority for Taxis/Ubers that are hybrid or electric only at low-speed.

I don't understand the need to bring a streetcar loop all the way to the terminal/tunnel. Many airports have public transit/rail stops a few hundred meters from the terminal. A nice covered walkway from QQ to the terminal would help.

 

[bilked]

How many air travelers would conceivably ride their bike to/from Billy Bishop airport? Wouldn't carrying bags and briefcases rule that out in most cases?

In addition..., they could give priority for Taxis/Ubers that are hybrid or electric only at low-speed.

Yes please.

 

[smuncky]

Makes no sense to extend the tracks. This is a ~3 min walk.

From the westbound stop: +/- 250m

From the eastbound stop: +/- 275m

 

[Automation Gallery]

This is a ~3 min walk.

Yeah, tell that to the hundreds of thousands of people that use the airport in winter

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

do you have contact info for them?

 

[drum118]

Yeah, tell that to the hundreds of thousands of people that use the airport in winter

What percentage will these supposed riders be compare to the ones bitching about the extra time it takes them to drop these riders off in the first place???

When we did the EA for Queens Quay back in 2007 plus, we looked at an option of having either the 509 or 511 servicing the airport, but we found the numbers we too low to justify doing it in the first place. Also, it was felt that traffic impact would cause more problems than it was worth doing if number could be had. TTC opposed it out right from the word GO.

A tunnel could be built on someone else dime and it would be like any transfer in Europe, but only shorter than most of them.