Tuscani01
Senior Member
Nah, I meant East.
Personally, I did find the buses faster than the previous 509, so I don't blame anyone for missing them. They would usually come 2-3 at a time so if the first was full, I could hop on the next one.
Toronto Queens Quay & Water's Edge Revitalization | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto
- Thread starter AlvinofDiaspar
- Start date
Nah, I meant East.
Personally, I did find the buses faster than the previous 509, so I don't blame anyone for missing them. They would usually come 2-3 at a time so if the first was full, I could hop on the next one.
Jonny5
Senior Member
"I just logged into the website and everything is fine at this particular moment so all these hundreds of people must be wrong."
nfitz
Superstar
My point is, we are having a discussion about the signals not working; this being supported by claims of 30-minute travel times from Dan Leckie to Union. Turns out it's only a 12-minute travel time, and the rest is waiting.
Meanwhile I can't fathom why anyone would head out to catch a streetcar in the middle of a huge service gap - which anyone living in Toronto knows is endemic - without first checking when the next one is coming.
And I experienced such troubles with the buses ... I waited 20 minutes, had 4 buses pass me, with no signs of any bunches coming, and proceeded to walk from Queens Quay up to Union and caught a GO Train instead.
wopchop
Building Toronto
Because there was 50mm of rain coming down last night?
LNahid2000
Senior Member
True. I walked for 10 minutes with an umbrella last night and was completely soaked.
TOareaFan
Superstar
That might answer the second part of nfitz question but it reinforces the "why leave your home without checking where the streetcars are" part.
wopchop
Building Toronto
Fair. But I know that occasionally NextBus says the bus will arrive in 2 minutes and continue to say that for far longer than 2 minutes.
You could do everything right and still wait 18 minutes for a streetcar.
nfitz
Superstar
It happens. Perhaps there was an accident, or some extreme weather event.
Service will likely be spotty until they get used to things. I'd keep an eye on a site like http://doconnor.homeip.net/TransSee/RouteStops.php?a=ttc&r=509 or http://whereismystreetcar.appspot.com/#INB_2ljxn,-4q6vr,1kh,33k|RTE_509 which will clearly show exactly where the streetcars are, and confirm they are moving before walking out the front door.
Heck, I do just that at home every day for the 506 ... and sometimes I end up walking to a different route.
Tuscani01
Senior Member
The point is you never had to check in the past, so how do you expect everyone to just start checking all of a sudden? People had expectations based on the previous levels of service, and the service they have today doesn't even meet that level, despite them being told for over 2 years that service was to be improved.
In my 2 years living down there, I never once needed to look at Nextbus because there was always a streetcar or bus just a few minutes away. It's not a result of an accident, or poor weather. The TTC itself has acknowledged that it is not right at the moment, and many have noted that there is usually a group of streetcars being held at Exhibition Station, despite none heading Eastbound, causing large gaps in service.
nfitz
Superstar
And yet I pointed out the only time I ever tried to take 509 when it was bustituted, I did have to wait. Never?
The service level is the same as it was back in 2012.
Given the number of people I heard living in the Bathurday/QQ area complaining about how poor the service was, I really have a hard time swallowing the "never once" comments.
The perceived service level for the 509 may be the same as it was in 2012, but there are a bunch more people living in the area, meaning more people are using that route, meaning that the real service level is less than what it was.
That said, the area is still a big mess so there's no easy solution, but kudos to the TTC for at least acknowledging the problem and making some effort to fix it
What amazed me was that despite all of the signage and social media notifications, a large number of people stood waiting for the bus on Tuesday and had no idea there was a streetcar. Of course, some of them have only ever used the 509 as a bus because of how long the streetcar has been gone.
That said, the area is still a big mess so there's no easy solution, but kudos to the TTC for at least acknowledging the problem and making some effort to fix it
What amazed me was that despite all of the signage and social media notifications, a large number of people stood waiting for the bus on Tuesday and had no idea there was a streetcar. Of course, some of them have only ever used the 509 as a bus because of how long the streetcar has been gone.
Forgotten
Active Member
About 3 weekends ago in the middle of the afternoon I walked from Bay and QQ to the Eaton Centre and saw a huge line of people in front of Royal Bank Plaza and didn't see a single Harbourfront bus going in either direction. You're giving the TTC too much credit.
Tuscani01
Senior Member
No credit at all... I tried the bus in the evening rush for a week and ended up resorting to walking. In the AM, the bus would get me from Spadina to Union in about 10 minutes, going home was just a disaster.
DSC
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From WT
• On Thursday, October 16, modifications to the signal timing were made at each intersection to improve the flow of traffic during construction. It’s important to note that the transit signals – and some of the signalized intersections currently in place – are temporary. The final signal design will be implemented when the two-way road is commissioned next year.
The 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina streetcars have returned to Queens Quay, marking a major milestone in the revitalization of Toronto's waterfront boulevard.
By Samantha Gileno
Streetcars are operating on Queens Quay again. And while it’s a major milestone for the project – and for people who ride the streetcar – it’s important to note that construction continues and the street will not operate in its final configuration until the road is commissioned next year. A huge amount of thought and effort has gone into designing a state-of-the-art signal system that will give transit priority and at the same time allow cars to move better than they did before on Queens Quay. But until that system is up and running, the signalization in place today – including the number of signalized intersections – is temporary.
To keep transit moving during construction, there is currently a dedicated transit phase which allows streetcars to proceed while all other vehicular and pedestrian movements are stopped. Over the next few days, we will be assessing these signals to make sure they are working as effectively as possible during construction. We appreciate your patience as we make the interim signal timing more efficient.
Once the road is commissioned next spring, the full transit priority signalization plan will be implemented. This will include the installation of all new traffic and transit signalization controllers along Queens Quay. These new controllers will allow for much more sophisticated transit priority operations along Queens Quay. Once the new system is up and running:
• Streetcars will stop less frequently because their signals will be coordinated with those used by east-west vehicular traffic. That means both streetcars and vehicles will travel together giving streetcars the maximum amount of time to clear the intersection.
• The system will include up to a 15 second extension of the east-west green if a streetcar is within a close distance of the intersection. If a streetcar is waiting, and there are no other vehicles in the area, the system can also shorten the length of a red light at a north-south crossing. This will help reduce the number of times a streetcar is stopped at a red light.
• The corridor will be optimized to ensure that traffic signals are coordinated reducing the number of stops and starts which lead to slower overall travel times.
• Temporary intersections will be removed resulting in fewer stops for streetcars and vehicular traffic.
Completely rebuilding – and reconfiguring – a street in a dense urban area is complicated. It’s a bit like preparing a formal dinner with several different courses. As we complete major sections of work, such as sidewalks, stretches of roadway or the streetcar corridor, we re-open those areas for public use. But to continue with the dinner analogy, we’re still working on the final courses and the meal can only fully be enjoyed after we’ve finished dessert.
Queens Quay is on schedule to be complete before the Pan Am Games. Thanks for your patience as we continue to build Toronto’s new waterfront boulevard.
• On Thursday, October 16, modifications to the signal timing were made at each intersection to improve the flow of traffic during construction. It’s important to note that the transit signals – and some of the signalized intersections currently in place – are temporary. The final signal design will be implemented when the two-way road is commissioned next year.
The 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina streetcars have returned to Queens Quay, marking a major milestone in the revitalization of Toronto's waterfront boulevard.
By Samantha Gileno
Streetcars are operating on Queens Quay again. And while it’s a major milestone for the project – and for people who ride the streetcar – it’s important to note that construction continues and the street will not operate in its final configuration until the road is commissioned next year. A huge amount of thought and effort has gone into designing a state-of-the-art signal system that will give transit priority and at the same time allow cars to move better than they did before on Queens Quay. But until that system is up and running, the signalization in place today – including the number of signalized intersections – is temporary.
To keep transit moving during construction, there is currently a dedicated transit phase which allows streetcars to proceed while all other vehicular and pedestrian movements are stopped. Over the next few days, we will be assessing these signals to make sure they are working as effectively as possible during construction. We appreciate your patience as we make the interim signal timing more efficient.
Once the road is commissioned next spring, the full transit priority signalization plan will be implemented. This will include the installation of all new traffic and transit signalization controllers along Queens Quay. These new controllers will allow for much more sophisticated transit priority operations along Queens Quay. Once the new system is up and running:
• Streetcars will stop less frequently because their signals will be coordinated with those used by east-west vehicular traffic. That means both streetcars and vehicles will travel together giving streetcars the maximum amount of time to clear the intersection.
• The system will include up to a 15 second extension of the east-west green if a streetcar is within a close distance of the intersection. If a streetcar is waiting, and there are no other vehicles in the area, the system can also shorten the length of a red light at a north-south crossing. This will help reduce the number of times a streetcar is stopped at a red light.
• The corridor will be optimized to ensure that traffic signals are coordinated reducing the number of stops and starts which lead to slower overall travel times.
• Temporary intersections will be removed resulting in fewer stops for streetcars and vehicular traffic.
Completely rebuilding – and reconfiguring – a street in a dense urban area is complicated. It’s a bit like preparing a formal dinner with several different courses. As we complete major sections of work, such as sidewalks, stretches of roadway or the streetcar corridor, we re-open those areas for public use. But to continue with the dinner analogy, we’re still working on the final courses and the meal can only fully be enjoyed after we’ve finished dessert.
Queens Quay is on schedule to be complete before the Pan Am Games. Thanks for your patience as we continue to build Toronto’s new waterfront boulevard.
nfitz
Superstar
But you said you never had to wait for one ... I think you used never twice in the same post.