TTC: Other Items (catch all)

[Northern Light]

Just to bring the agenda out from behind the link:

 

[allengeorge]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1336772299266068482

 

[W. K. Lis]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1336772299266068482

Subject to change because of the COVID-19 vaccines (plural).

 

[Northern Light]

The big item here is the 2021 Annual Service Plan.

Link to that here:

http://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commission_meetings/2020/December_15/Reports/9_2021_Annual_Service_Plan.pdf

Some highlights/charts from same:

 

[Amare]

Great, so the 501 and 504 will both be simultaneous disasters next year in virtually all parts of each route? I cant wait.

They might as well just bustitute both routes for the entire year, but i'm sure all the service cuts wont even save riders on either route.

 

[Richard White]

I am a little confuzzled. How do McCowan Station and major intersections have unpaved routes and missing sidewalks?

McCowan Station lets out onto McCowan Road and a sidewalk much like its second exit. Ellesmere is different, you are quite literally walking down the side of the road to the underside of a bridge.

 

[H4F33Z]

I am a little confuzzled. How do McCowan Station and major intersections have unpaved routes and missing sidewalks?

McCowan Station lets out onto McCowan Road and a sidewalk much like its second exit.

I assume this is the reason. Missing sidewalks combined with multiple ramps and entrances for cars in the area. The pedestrian experience here is let's say, initmidating. And thus, is in the list. I assume this is also the reason for the inclusion of Sheppard West Station, being situated on Allen Rd (highway)

 

[ARG1]

View attachment 287905

I assume this is the reason. Missing sidewalks combined with multiple ramps and entrances for cars in the area. The pedestrian experience here is let's say, initmidating. And thus, is in the list. I assume this is also the reason for the inclusion of Sheppard West Station, being situated on Allen Rd (highway)

That's ignoring the fact that there a pedestrian bridge and park located on the 2nd floor of the station (you can see it with the circular glass roof in this picture), that's supposed to replace the sidewalk. What's shown at the front is just the waiting area for the busses.

 

[Richard White]

View attachment 287905

I assume this is the reason. Missing sidewalks combined with multiple ramps and entrances for cars in the area. The pedestrian experience here is let's say, initmidating. And thus, is in the list. I assume this is also the reason for the inclusion of Sheppard West Station, being situated on Allen Rd (highway)

You can't walk any further north without walking into traffic hence why the pedestrian walkway exists. It has to do with the way the exits from Progress and the 401 are structured.

 

[Northern Light]

I am a little confuzzled. How do McCowan Station and major intersections have unpaved routes and missing sidewalks?

McCowan Station lets out onto McCowan Road and a sidewalk much like its second exit. Ellesmere is different, you are quite literally walking down the side of the road to the underside of a bridge.

So, if you read this section it talks not only about missing sidewalks, but desire lines.

Desire lines refers to places people want to walk, creating a de facto foot path across grass, typically.

In that context, the discussion is one of formalizing the desire line so its not muddy when it rains, unusable in winter, and otherwise complete.

While I haven't discussed this with the relevant staff, I think I am safe in assuming they are discussing this:

You can seen an informal foot path or desire line, leading from the intersection of Grangeway and Progress to McCowan Station.

I imagine they are thinking of formalizing a paved trail or sidewalk here, probably with lights.

You can see this trail in this aerial pic, here:

All photos from Streetview

****

Secondary note: Having spoken with the City's chief planner, the medium term plan is still to return the Progress + McCowan intersection to at-grade and remove the highway on-ramp from Bushby.

But that may be a few years away, so I imagine they are looking at interim improvements.

 

[W. K. Lis]

So, if you read this section it talks not only about missing sidewalks, but desire lines.

Desire lines refers to places people want to want, creating a de facto foot path across grass, typically.

In that context, the discussion is one of formalizing the desire line so its not muddy when it rains, unusable in winter, and otherwise complete.

While I haven't discussed this with the relevant staff, I think I am safe in assuming they are discussing this:


View attachment 287912

You can seen an informal foot path or desire line, leading from the intersection of Grangeway and Progress to McCowan Station.

I imagine they are thinking of formalizing a paved trail or sidewalk here, probably with lights.

You can see this trail in this aerial pic, here:

View attachment 287913
All photos from Streetview

****

Secondary note: Having spoken with the City's chief planner, the medium term plan is still to return the Progress + McCowan intersection to at-grade and remove the highway on-ramp from Bushby.

But that may be a few years away, so I imagine they are looking at interim improvements.

We can see the footpath next to the sidewalk, that people use because of the "softer surface" (grass or sand), and being a "short cut".

 

[Johnny Au]

So, if you read this section it talks not only about missing sidewalks, but desire lines.

Desire lines refers to places people want to want, creating a de facto foot path across grass, typically.

In that context, the discussion is one of formalizing the desire line so its not muddy when it rains, unusable in winter, and otherwise complete.

While I haven't discussed this with the relevant staff, I think I am safe in assuming they are discussing this:


View attachment 287912

You can seen an informal foot path or desire line, leading from the intersection of Grangeway and Progress to McCowan Station.

I imagine they are thinking of formalizing a paved trail or sidewalk here, probably with lights.

You can see this trail in this aerial pic, here:

View attachment 287913
All photos from Streetview

****

Secondary note: Having spoken with the City's chief planner, the medium term plan is still to return the Progress + McCowan intersection to at-grade and remove the highway on-ramp from Bushby.

But that may be a few years away, so I imagine they are looking at interim improvements.

Even Google Maps shows desire lines on map mode.

 

[Steve X]

So, if you read this section it talks not only about missing sidewalks, but desire lines.

Desire lines refers to places people want to walk, creating a de facto foot path across grass, typically.

In that context, the discussion is one of formalizing the desire line so its not muddy when it rains, unusable in winter, and otherwise complete.

While I haven't discussed this with the relevant staff, I think I am safe in assuming they are discussing this:


View attachment 287912

You can seen an informal foot path or desire line, leading from the intersection of Grangeway and Progress to McCowan Station.

I imagine they are thinking of formalizing a paved trail or sidewalk here, probably with lights.

You can see this trail in this aerial pic, here:

View attachment 287913
All photos from Streetview

****

Secondary note: Having spoken with the City's chief planner, the medium term plan is still to return the Progress + McCowan intersection to at-grade and remove the highway on-ramp from Bushby.

But that may be a few years away, so I imagine they are looking at interim improvements.

This is the great Scarborough City Centre. A lot more could be done.

As for that Progress/McCowan, I think it'll be a traffic nightmare if the replaced that overpass with an intersection. That stretch of McCowan is a mess already. One day buses can move to Sheppard East station and bypass all that mess, maybe that's when they can reroute all the roads.

 

[Jonny5]

View attachment 287912

Is that land privately owned or publicly owned? I imagine if it's private they don't want to spend on building access routes based on a path that could suddenly be lost to a development proposal. But if it is City owned, they should be doing a much better job here.

 

[turini2]

View attachment 287860

This is great to hear! Hopefully they roll out some more of the Toronto 360 wayfinding too - and some more directional signage towards stations.
I've always thought that the stations set back from the Danforth could do with some big honking arrows/a TTC totem directing you to where the stations are - not everyone who uses the TTC is a local or an everyday commuter!