Toronto Queens Quay & Water's Edge Revitalization | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

[Atlantis]

I walked down Queen's Quay yesterday from Bathurst and noticed a couple intersection cameras there. Thought they were a one off, till I started noticing them at every intersection heading east. Here are a few shots I took. Some intersections aren't fully covered yet in all four directions, so perhaps they still have more to put up. Wonder if these are red light cameras or just regular traffic cams.

 

[salsa]

June 14

The street doesn't seem to drain too well in some areas judging by your photos, which is not good.

 

[Kitsune]

I walked down Queen's Quay yesterday from Bathurst and noticed a couple intersection cameras there. Thought they were a one off, till I started noticing them at every intersection heading east. Here are a few shots I took. Some intersections aren't fully covered yet in all four directions, so perhaps they still have more to put up. Wonder if these are red light cameras or just regular traffic cams.

Nothing special - just optic sensors to tell the traffic lights if cars are waiting.

 

[Tuscani01]

What's the benefit of optic vs loop sensors?

 

[Atlantis]

Ah thanks for the insight Tuscani01. I thought there might've been more to them than that.

 

[Tuscani01]

LOL... New forum issues. It was Kitsune that answered the question. I asked another question.

 

[Miscreant]

That parking garage that fronts Queen's Quay is just brutal.

But thanks for the photos. Looks like it's coming together.

 

[Kitsune]

What's the benefit of optic vs loop sensors?

I'm curious about this too - when I lived in Calgary it was almost always optic sensors. The traffic lights there are mounted sideways over the roadway - and normal when mounted to a pole with no road overhang.

 

[reaperexpress]

What's the benefit of optic vs loop sensors?

My guess is that it simply comes down to cost and convenience.

Loop sensors are relatively cheap to install, but they get destroyed every time you resurface the road and periodically break due to freeze/thaw. Overhead detectors might save money in the long run since they cost less to maintain. This all depends on how long they last, which is a variable I don't know.

The city has been using overhead detection for many years, but previously it had only been where they are necessary: where the city doesn't own the pavement for an approach (such as southbound out of the MLG Loblaws driveway), or where loops are physically impossible (bridge expansion joints, etc).

But now it seems like overhead detection is the new standard, being used in all sorts of situations.

 

[W. K. Lis]

As I understand it, it simply comes down to cost and convenience.

Loop sensors are relatively cheap to install, but they get destroyed every time you resurface the road and periodically break due to freeze/thaw. The hope is that overhead detectors will save money in the long run since they cost less to maintain. This all depends on how long they last, which remains to be seen.

The city has been using overhead detection for many years, but previously it had only been where they are necessary: where the city doesn't own the pavement for an approach (such as southbound out of the MLG Loblaws driveway), or where loops are physically impossible due to expansion joints on bridges (some highway ramps, can't remember which off the top of my head).

But now it seems like overhead detection is the new standard, being used in all sorts of situations.

In Europe, they have sensors for pedestrians. If a pedestrian takes longer than normal to cross (walkers?), the pedestrian signal stays on longer. If the pedestrian clears the intersection faster (running?), it shortens the time. Also, the pedestrian don't have to press a button, it's just their presence that starts the process, like the automobiles.

 

[Megaton327]

Got some photos today. Overall looking good for Friday opening--MGT is now open, on schedule, from Bay to Lower Simcoe, and most of it is now fully paved with just 2 small sections having only the first layer (the stretch on the south side of the intersection with Spadina, and a small western portion of the Peter Slip Bridge which is currently in use as a pedestrian detour).

The final stretch of the MGT West Extension, from Bathurst to Stadium (consisting of moving the traffic lanes to the north side of the street, and changing the bike lanes to a bidirectional bollard-separated cycle track on the south side) is mostly complete--the only thing left is the installation of the bollards/flexi-posts in the white line to separate the track from the traffic lane:

The MGT west extension is mostly complete from Yo Yo Ma to Bathurst, including line painting:

MGT paving fully completed from Yo Yo Ma to Lower Spadina:

MGT also now fully paved from Lower Spadina to the west side of the Peter Slip Bridge--note there is a small section between this image and the last one, on the south side of the Lower Spadina intersection between the two pedestrian crosswalk mixing zones, with only the first layer:

South Side Promenade is now, as best as I could tell, complete along the entirety of the Peter Slip Bridge. I am assuming the pedestrian detour will end today (Tuesday the 16th), and they will finish paving the MGT at that point to meet the scheduled opening of this stretch tomorrow (Wednesday the 17th):

MGT, and with it the entire street, open from Bay to Lower Simcoe:

The MGT phased opening looks like it should have no problems proceeding on schedule to be completed on Thursday. The west extension from Yo Yo Ma to Stadium, as far as I know, was not formally stated to be included in the grand opening date of Friday the 19th but it seems that even that stretch should make it.

On another note, transit signal priority is scheduled to be fully activated over the course of today and tomorrow--fingers crossed the automatic switches at Spadina finally go live as well. Great to be in the home stretch and see it finally coming together all of a sudden!

 

[Atlantis]

LOL... New forum issues. It was Kitsune that answered the question. I asked another question.

LOL I didn't even notice that! This new form style will take a couple tries to get reoriented with

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

you are forgetting that EMS wants to use these new ROW and to do what you want, it defeats the issue they want.

I often wonder how much of a good idea it really is it looks good on paper but how particle is it. Like if streetcars are approaching at the same time an emergency vehicle wants to use one who has the right of way and as the emergency vehicle can move off of it but the streetcar cant?

 

[the lemur]

I was able to ride just now from Dan Leckie to Yo-Yo Ma on the trail, then on the road to Robertson/Rees, back on the trail to York. The lights at Spadina were red in all directions for an incredibly long time.

 

[WislaHD]

From this point, the QQ streetfront does not look all that bad. It isn't a palm tree lined Rio or what you get in Nice or Barcelona's waterfront but impressive in its own style.