[Nadnev]

New lights have actually been installed as of last week one street to the west of this intersection, at Wimbleton and Dundas, though in this particular case it's needed as it's in the middle of a long stretch of Dundas that doesn't have lights and asshole drivers treat it like a highway. The street also curves and dips through here, creating a blind spot, and there's a nice park that families and kids use a lot more these days, so there needs to be some kind of traffic calming measure. Added bonus is that the lights will also finally connect the residential neighbourhoods north and south of Dundas, which until now had been impassable for non-drivers..

I can't help but feel that Toronto underutilizes the chicane. Instead of another set of lights here, I wonder if this would have been better suited to a chicane?
Slow down the driving speed of the vehicles with physical barriers, rather than forcing a complete stop.

 

[Northern Light]

I can't help but feel that Toronto underutilizes the chicane.

This is most certainly true.

Instead of another set of lights here, I wonder if this would have been better suited to a chicane?

I don't think so.

This is a 4-lane cross-section of Dundas coming off a bridge, going down a hill. A sudden contraction of the road from 4 lanes to two in this spot would likely lead to a lot of accidents, that's not really what chicanes are meant to achieve.

Now, I would gladly accept an argument that there are better alternatives to lights here; but I think they likely involve a permanent road diet ( - 2 vehicle lanes) and either add cycle tracks or an Multi-use path continuously for cyclists.

If pedestrians only had 2 lanes to cross, instead of 4, I think that would likely be a satisfactory outcome.

But that is a much larger project, and probably a political football too.

****

Separately, ideally, Royal York and Dundas would meet at an at-grade intersection, with lights. (that's the bridge just to the east in the photo above). But that would be very complex and costly, as the bridge also takes Dundas over the CP Mainline.

The crossing of the railway must be grade-separated, and Royal York is very, very close to the railway (and also passes under the railway with a separate structure.

To me, what should have happened is that either both roads should have gone under, or both should have gone over, but instead, you have something that more closely resembles a highway interchange than an intersection, and contributes to the speed issues here.

As noted though, that, if it ever comes up for a fix (debatable) is probably a Billion dollar re-do. That's a very pricey intersection.

But the problem is there's no way to un-do that mess without re-grading and/or aligning both roads.

 

[Toronto1834]

Special meeting of bid committee announced which includes spending $3m from cycling budget. No specific projects identified. Also includes spending 1.6m from Eglinton Connects budget. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/#/committees/2469/24263

 

[Coolibop]

Do you know how recent those cuts were?

I don't. By judging at the age of the sidewalk, my guess would be when the multi use path was installed. Unsure if this section was added for panam (another reason why there may be cuts) or existed prior.

 

[Undead]

Small update on the RH line crossing at Old Cummer:

Finch Corridor Trail Gap Feasibility Study

The Finch Corridor is a multi-use trail that stretches along the Finch hydro corridor from the Highway 400 in Etobicoke to Middlefield Road in Scarborough. The City of Toronto is conducting a feasibility study to explore options to close an approximately five kilometre gap in the trail between...

www.toronto.ca

 

[Natika33]

Only a guess, but I would say, its there to discourage/prevent cars from encroaching on the bike path bump out, while leaving an opening for bikes in behind.

One could probably argue for something more vertical, but I imagine its kept low for sightlines.

If anyone has a better notion, do share. I can check with staff in the next while, but not today.

I agree it should be more vertical. As is, that's an accident waiting to happen.

 

[W. K. Lis]

This is most certainly true.



I don't think so.

This is a 4-lane cross-section of Dundas coming off a bridge, going down a hill. A sudden contraction of the road from 4 lanes to two in this spot would likely lead to a lot of accidents, that's not really what chicanes are meant to achieve.

View attachment 499455

Now, I would gladly accept an argument that there are better alternatives to lights here; but I think they likely involve a permanent road diet ( - 2 vehicle lanes) and either add cycle tracks or an Multi-use path continuously for cyclists.

If pedestrians only had 2 lanes to cross, instead of 4, I think that would likely be a satisfactory outcome.

But that is a much larger project, and probably a political football too.

****

Separately, ideally, Royal York and Dundas would meet at an at-grade intersection, with lights. (that's the bridge just to the east in the photo above). But that would be very complex and costly, as the bridge also takes Dundas over the CP Mainline.

The crossing of the railway must be grade-separated, and Royal York is very, very close to the railway (and also passes under the railway with a separate structure.

To me, what should have happened is that either both roads should have gone under, or both should have gone over, but instead, you have something that more closely resembles a highway interchange than an intersection, and contributes to the speed issues here.

As noted though, that, if it ever comes up for a fix (debatable) is probably a Billion dollar re-do. That's a very pricey intersection.

But the problem is there's no way to un-do that mess without re-grading and/or aligning both roads.

View attachment 499469

Royal York Road & The Kingsway in 1950...

From link. By the 1950's, the "future" was the automobile, so they created bridges and ramps because of the railway.

 

[Northern Light]

Small update on the RH line crossing at Old Cummer:

View attachment 499564

Finch Corridor Trail Gap Feasibility Study

The Finch Corridor is a multi-use trail that stretches along the Finch hydro corridor from the Highway 400 in Etobicoke to Middlefield Road in Scarborough. The City of Toronto is conducting a feasibility study to explore options to close an approximately five kilometre gap in the trail between...

www.toronto.ca

I'm familiar w/this project and will get UT and more fulsome update soon.

While the above is not on the early fall list of consultations to be announced, there are many en route.

 

[Northern Light]

Special meeting of bid committee announced which includes spending $3m from cycling budget. No specific projects identified. Also includes spending 1.6m from Eglinton Connects budget. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/#/committees/2469/24263

The project is identified. I know, reading these can be a pain:

I will have to check w/staff to see how many raised bike lanes at bus stops this buys.

 

[Toronto1834]

The project is identified. I know, reading these can be a pain:

View attachment 499603

I will have to check w/staff to see how many raised bike lanes at bus stops this buys.

I saw that, I just assumed from the total $5m amount it must have been in preparation for a specific project. So $5m just for transit platforms? That seems like a lot.

 

[DSC]

I saw that, I just assumed from the total $5m amount it must have been in preparation for a specific project. So $5m just for transit platforms? That seems like a lot.

Since they do not say how many platforms, I am not sure you can say it seems expensive.

 

[Towered]

Royal York Road & The Kingsway in 1950...
View attachment 499600From link. By the 1950's, the "future" was the automobile, so they created bridges and ramps because of the railway.

Looks like both Dundas and Royal York crossed the railway at grade back then. As @Northern Light suggested, it would have been better and simpler to have both roads either go under or over the railway, and not require all the highway-esque ramps that were built. It's needlessly complicated. The mess at Six Points was undone so there's always hope something similar could happen here, but I'd agree that it's highly unlikely to ever become a priority.

 

[max]

The mess at Six Points was undone so there's always hope something similar could happen here, but I'd agree that it's highly unlikely to ever become a priority.

Yeah, I agree it's very unlikely. Six Points happened because doing so unlocked a bunch of land next to a subway station for development. At RY&D on the map there are three obvious parcels that get opened where the ramps are, and they look far smaller than what's available at Six Points. Couple that with land being next to the CP mainline and the money they get from development is probably not worth it.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Looks like both Dundas and Royal York crossed the railway at grade back then. As @Northern Light suggested, it would have been better and simpler to have both roads either go under or over the railway, and not require all the highway-esque ramps that were built. It's needlessly complicated. The mess at Six Points was undone so there's always hope something similar could happen here, but I'd agree that it's highly unlikely to ever become a priority.

Royal York Road was put UNDER the railway tracks, while Dundas Street West was put OVER the railway tracks.
Royal York Road & Dundas Street West are similar to Gerrard Street East and Carlaw Avenue, but they decided to avoid traffic signals to make it more "convenient" for motorists.

From link.
They could have put the railway over both roads and a regular signalled intersection, but they had the funds to do a more expensive solution back in the 1950's.

 

[Towered]

Yeah, I agree it's very unlikely. Six Points happened because doing so unlocked a bunch of land next to a subway station for development. At RY&D on the map there are three obvious parcels that get opened where the ramps are, and they look far smaller than what's available at Six Points. Couple that with land being next to the CP mainline and the money they get from development is probably not worth it.

Not unless the city finally grows a pair and breaks the yellowbelt!