Toronto Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

When they do install better bollards, they should do a good job of restoring the granite pavement around the bollards. They shouldn't just leave asphalt patches in place for years. It's surprising that they didn't take this issue into consideration earlier. These sorts of attacks have been happening in Western cities for a few years now. The bank towers have had bollards around their entrances since some time after 9/11.
 
Hundreds of pedestrians are killed by cars mounting sidewalks in North America every year. Good design mandates that be mitigated in at least the most vulnerable and probable areas with bollards or acceptable barriers and bus shelters built of something more substantial than cardboard and mucilage.

Bus shelters *used to be* built with concrete bases. And in some regions, they still are. When properly rebar-ed, it would stop most vehicles capable of high speed.

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W. K. Lis said:
It's not just incidents like earlier this week, but also collisions, medical episodes, blown tires, etc..
Click to expand...
Absolutely. You can't prevent nut-jobs from doing harm, but by offering general protection to pedestrians and cyclists by good design and inherent safety, it hardens what would be/are otherwise soft targets, for accidents or malintention.
 
Work going on today to install the moat glass at the eastern end of the eastern Front Street Moat (nearest Bay). They also seem ready to finish off the York Street moat cover and glaze it.
 
Re barriers: My preference would actually be to find a bike rack (like the circular ones that you find all over the place downtown) that is thick enough that it can double as a bollard to prevent a vehicle from going through it. That way you have something that physically separates the sidewalk from the street, but is not visually obtrusive, and is actually functional for something. Concrete rectangular planters would also be welcome.

There's no reason why a safety feature can't also be something that improves the public realm. The two aren't mutually exclusive.
 
Regarding the existing bollards, I'm fairly positive they are purely cosmetic (they're definitely not concrete).

I've seen a few of them that have been hit by vehicles. They just bend right over.
 
Platform changes coming May 2 (although it's not clear which platforms are closing):
source: https://www.gotransit.com/en/the-future-go/improvements/union-station-revitalization/platformchanges

Starting May 2, we’re enhancing safety and communications features on platforms at Union Station, including platform lighting, electronic signage, a new PA system and making repairs to stairwells. Lakeshore East passengers on two weekday afternoon trips will change platforms and some Barrie passengers will be sharing their platform with VIA Rail passengers. It’s always good to check the departure boards before heading up to your platform.

If your trip is not listed, that means your platform is likely not changing.

YOUR NEW PLATFORM

Lakeshore East
Lakeshore East
DEPARTURE TIME NEW PLATFORM
17:35 27

18:00 25/26

Thank you for your patience as we continue to make improvements to your GO commute.


SAFETY TIPS
The best commute is a safe one.

  • Spread along the platform, be aware of your surroundings and leave yourself with extra travel time
  • Stand behind the yellow line, as it puts you at a safe distance from oncoming trains
  • Do not block stairwells or doorways, and do not stop at the bottom or top of escalators
  • Never cross the tracks


UNION STATION REVITALIZATION
Recently we finished significant improvements to the train shed and are now enhancing safety and communication features of Union Station before we start increasing its capacity for GO expansion. Union Station was built nearly a century ago, and significant improvements are needed here and across the GO Transit network to meet growing ridership demand and support future service increases. Work will continue at Union Station for a number of years to come.



Across the region, our growth is a sign of success and opportunity, but our transportation networks are at their limit. When it comes to building transit, it’s time to get moving. That’s why Metrolinx is delivering the largest transit infrastructure program in Canadian history to keep the GTHA moving today and tomorrow.



These improvements will create the convenience of two-way, all day transit with 15-minute service or better within the most heavily traveled Metrolinx-owned rail corridors, twice the train trips during rush hour and four times the number of train trips outside of rush hour and on weekends. They will also relieve congestion by providing more reliable, predictable journeys across the region thanks to reduced crowding on highways, roads and local transit systems. For more information, visit Metrolinx.com
 
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