TTC: Jane (LRT) RapidTO

[W. K. Lis]

Jane LRT RapidTO...

5 minute headway on the 35 Jane bus and 935 Jane Express bus would make it more "rapid", if you miss bus.

Left turns should be allowed for the buses from the right lane, ahead of ALL other traffic. IF they use diagonal bar signals for transit signals, like they have outside of Ontario. (Southbound Jane buses from westbound Steeles, turning left from southbound Jane to eastbound Eglinton.)

From link.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I'm assuming the Jane RapidTO is a "temporary" stepping stone, until the Jane LRT actually appears. That would depend on pro-LRT politicians at Toronto City Hall and at Queen's Park.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Jane LRT RapidTO...

My "ranked" ratings for the options presented in the link...

2. Priority Bus Lanes​

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3. Priority Bus Lanes on Key Segments​

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5. Queue Jump Lanes at Key Intersections​

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4. High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes (3+)​

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1. Keep Existing Conditions with Minor Road & Public Transit Changes​

 

[sixrings]

I'm assuming the Jane RapidTO is a "temporary" stepping stone, until the Jane LRT actually appears. That would depend on pro-LRT politicians at Toronto City Hall and at Queen's Park.

If the first half to eglinton has to be underground anyways why not build it as OL west. Then after eglinton surely it could be elevated because NIMBYs do not oppose elevated transit since they are most concerned with the cost of the project until it hits Jane subway station. That seems like a win for everyone.

 

[Rainforest]

By the way, is it really a good idea to combine a bus lane with the bike lane?

If the number of cyclists is substantial, then the bus will have to keep weaving into the general traffic lane in order to bypass cyclists. Or, to limit its speed to the speed of the slowest cyclist.

Furthermore, is it going to be safe for the cyclists when the big metal beast with limited visibility returns to the right lane?

 

[micheal_can]

If the first half to eglinton has to be underground anyways why not build it as OL west. Then after eglinton surely it could be elevated because NIMBYs do not oppose elevated transit since they are most concerned with the cost of the project until it hits Jane subway station. That seems like a win for everyone.

That would be a good option.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Options
2. Priority Bus Lanes
3. Priority Bus Lanes on Key Segments

...make the Jane LRT RapidTO into a BRT. Until we are ready for a LRT. Currently, the 35 Jane and 935 Jane Express are 10-minute service (insert laughter here). However as a BRT, it needs to have a 5-minute service, like the subway (allegedly, but not with the current service cuts, but that's for another thread).

This all depends if the city actually wants to give public transit a higher priority or not. Currently, the city gives the automobile a higher priority than public transit and pedestrians.

The City of Toronto's priorities should be…

1. emergency vehicles
2. pedestrians
3. public transit
4. cycling
5. delivery & contractor trucks
6. autos with more than one person
7. single-occupant autos
8. personal trucks or SUVs

 

[W. K. Lis]

Proposed Bus Stop Changes​

From link.

Option 1 – Existing Conditions with Minor Road & Public Transit Changes​

• Remove stops with no pedestrian protected crossings:
  • Opp 4359/4359 Jane Street
  • 2900/2901 Jane Street
  • Courage Avenue
  • Opp 2265/2265 Jane Street
  • Raven Road
  • Patika Avenue
  • Goldwin Avenue/Cornell Avenue
• Average customer travel distance from front door to bus stop: about 240 m or 4 minutes walk

Option 2 – Priority Bus Lanes & Option 3 – Priority Bus Lanes on Key Segments​

• Remove stops with no pedestrian protected crossings, optimize stop spacing and maximize benefits of priority bus lanes:
  • Option 1 planned stop removals
  • Hullmar Drive
  • 4148 Jane Street/San Romanoway
  • Eddystone Avenue
  • Clair Road/Spenvalley Road
  • Sheppard Avenue West (southbound near-side only)
  • Troutbrooke Drive
  • William Cragg Drive
  • Beverly Hills Drive/Downsview Avenue
  • Wright Avenue/Speers Avenue
  • Harding Avenue
• Average customer travel distance from front door to bus stop: about 250 m or 4 minutes walk

Option 4 – High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes (3+) & Option 5 – Queue Jump Lanes at Key Intersections​

• Remove stops with no pedestrian protected crossings and optimize stop spacing:
  • Option 1 planned stop removals
  • Sheppard Avenue West (southbound near-side only)
  • Troutbrooke Drive
  • Harding Avenue
• Average customer travel distance from front door to bus stop: about 240 m or 4 minutes walk

What about the other bus routes that also use Jane Street? Will their bus stops also be remove?

For example, the 170 Emmett bus (replacing the 32D Eglinton West via Emmett) stops at Jane Street (on Emmett Avenue) and at Goldwin Avenue (on Jane Street, currently shared with 32 Jane bus). Could the Goldwin Avenue bus stop only serve the 170 bus?

Another example, the 158 Trethewey bus (replacing the 32C Eglinton West via Tretheway) stops at Jane Street (on Trethewey Avenue), Harding Avenue (on Jane Street, currently shared with 32 Jane bus), and Wright Avenue (off Jane Street). Could those stops only serve the 158 bus?

What about the 335 Jane Night bus? Couldn't all the bus stops be used by the night bus?

 

[ARG1]

Latest on the Jane LRT RapidTO (by the anti-LRT folks at City Hall)...

I get you're bitter but, isn't this poisoning the well a bit?

Even the LRT projects that City supports (Waterfront East and Eglinton East) are currently going through deadlock due to lack of funds and complications, and the Jane LRT would be far more complicated than either of these. Reminder that the Jane LRT was basically on the chopping block even before Rob Ford was elected.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I see a bottleneck in the above image. On northbound Jane Street, northeast corner at Maple Leaf Drive. Couldn't they widen Jane Street by adding another northbound lane. Shift the bus stop into that lane, allowing single-occupant autos to pass the buses with the ramp and a northbound lane . Image from the PDFs in the Consultation Materials at this link.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Timelines​

February/March 2023​

Step 1: Develop Design Options & Preliminary Evaluation

Mid-2023​

Step 2: Evaluate & Identify Preferred Design Option

Mid-/Late 2023​

Report to City Council

2024+​

Step 3: Project Delivery

 

[micheal_can]

So, since this will not be an LRT, can we rename this thread?

 

[W. K. Lis]

So, since this will not be an LRT, can we rename this thread?

Done. (Don't know how to do a strikethrough on the thread title. Wanted "Jane LRT RapidTO", but went with the brackets on the thread title.)

 

[micheal_can]

Done. (Don't know how to do a strikethrough on the thread title. Wanted "Jane LRT RapidTO", but went with the brackets on the thread title.)

I was more thinking simply "Jane BRT" cus that is what is is.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I was more thinking simply "Jane BRT" cus that is what is is.

I think of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as a separate segregated right-of-way for buses. This "RapidTO" allows non-buses to use them. Usually, for right turns, though some will use them to pick up coffee, drop off or pickup people, or drop off or pickup food orders.

"Cars, trucks and taxis may use the bus lanes to access driveways or make right turns" from the link.