[the lemur]

As much as I support TIFF and encourage street festivals, I can't help but be annoyed that they will be closing the city's busiest surface TTC route for their purposes. Especially so, when John Street is right there and is being increasingly designed for such parties.

I agree, it makes no sense. It should be open to transit, pedestrians and cyclists, maybe taxis. That's it.

 

[Solid Snake]

I would do something like this for both King and Queen between Don Valley and Roncesvalles
Forgive my improvised drawing below

NOW

1______Sidewalk_________
2<-----Cars---------------
3<-----Cars/Streetcar-----
4------Cars/Streetcars---->
5------Cars-------------->
6______Sidewalk_________


AFTER

1______Sidewalk_________________
2______Sidewalk/Bike lane_________ (removing a car lane)
3<-----Streetcar ROW--------------
4------Streetcars ROW------------>
5------Cars one way--------------->
6______Sidewalk_________

 

[AndreaPalladio]

I agree, it makes no sense. It should be open to transit, pedestrians and cyclists, maybe taxis. That's it.

Presumably they want to be able to extend the red carpet out into the street that weekend, which is when they are concentrating the big hollywood movies and stars and most expensive tickets now?

 

[yin_yang]

I watched the Melbourne video and was struck by an almost total lack of fat people despite the fact that the city is portrayed as one giant food court.

fat people live in the suburbs and drive, dude. they hide because they are ashamed of being fat. you won't find them in that video.

 

[TOareaFan]

We definitely need the tramway idea (lane reserved for streetcars some or all of the time, in the absence of a separated ROW).

We have it on King now....we just choose not to enforce it....so it gets ignored totally.

 

[the lemur]

Presumably they want to be able to extend the red carpet out into the street that weekend, which is when they are concentrating the big hollywood movies and stars and most expensive tickets now?

How often does the red carpet really extend beyond the sidewalk?

I imagine 'civilian' vehicles means that police and emergency services will still have access as needed, but does that also mean limos can drive through?

 

[the lemur]

fat people live in the suburbs and drive, dude. they hide because they are ashamed of being fat. you won't find them in that video.

I think spider inadvertently raised an interesting point there. Melbourne's core does appear to be surrounded by car-centric suburbs underserved by transit. The city does have a reputation for food but it's more café culture and innovative restaurants than food court fare of poor nutritional value, plus it's more walkable than it is drivable. That's my impression, anyway.

 

[Johnny Au]

I agree, DRL is too many years away away.

Here's my attempt to help with both relieving the King & Queen streetcars now, and providing a faster alternative to going east & west downtown:

An express bus line:

Firstly, it's buses, probably articulated buses, so no need for track work, no construction of tracks or overhead wire. With regular buses there would hopefully be less issues with getting the vehicles supply needed. This would hopefully make it faster to implement.

These run in mixed traffic. No need for the political fight taking away car lanes or re-arranging the street for transit lanes (at least not for now). Yes they will get stuck in traffic.

It should be faster than the streetcars because:
A. The stop spacing will be much wider, this is an express bus with wide stop spacing, to complement the local service of the streetcars. Since it's a new additional line there won't be a political battle to remove stops like the streetcars are going through.
B. It runs on faster roads: Richmond & Adelaide through the core, with Eastern in the east part should be faster roads to run surface vehicles on that King & Queen.

So, this bus is meant for those who want a faster trip than the streetcar. The part running on King & Roncesvalles could be as slow however. I'm not sure what to do about that.

This runs in addition to the current streetcar lines, to offload some ridership from them and provide a faster alternative.

The TTC would very likely have commuters on that bus route pay double fare, just like the other downtown express bus routes.

 

[ehlow]

The TTC would very likely have commuters on that bus route pay double fare, just like the other downtown express bus routes.

Then no one would take it

There are express bus routes that don't take extra fare: like Finch East Rocket for example.

The Express-to-downtown buses like the Mt Pleasant-Jarvis bus should be made regular fare and run all day in my opinion, to try to relieve the Yonge line.

 

[Johnny Au]

Then no one would take it

There are express bus routes that don't take extra fare: like Finch East Rocket for example.

The Express-to-downtown buses like the Mt Pleasant-Jarvis bus should be made regular fare and run all day in my opinion, to try to relieve the Yonge line.

The TTC should have removed those double fares from the downtown express routes. I am just saying that the downtown express route you are proposing would be treated like any other downtown express route by the TTC, knowing the TTC.

The suburban express routes fortunately don't have double fare within city limits.

 

[innsertnamehere]

fat people live in the suburbs and drive, dude. they hide because they are ashamed of being fat. you won't find them in that video.

Look around downtown Toronto, not many overweight people. Its no different here, city dwellers tend to walk and be more active, which means less overweight people.its amazingwhat a 10 minute walk to the subway every day will do for your health, really.

 

[ehlow]

Look around downtown Toronto, not many overweight people. Its no different here, city dwellers tend to walk and be more active, which means less overweight people.its amazingwhat a 10 minute walk to the subway every day will do for your health, really.

But there's so much late night poutine within short walking distance in the city, not to mention beer & other tempting things on the walk home

JK, I agree, even just 20-30 minutes a day of guaranteed walking is much better than nothing.

In the winter when it was colder than -5 I would've been tempted to drive, but I walked anyways because it's the easiest way to get to work, so it kind of forces you to get exercise in the winter as well if it's part of your commute.

 

[W. K. Lis]

If the city wants to get the automobile off the streetcar tracks downtown, don't make the surface so smooth. That only invites the drivers to ride on the streetcar track lane. See this thread.

Maybe it's time Toronto should return to using cobblestones between the streetcar tracks, especially downtown. In theory, there is supposed to be no parking, so discourage the use of the streetcar lane. Either cobblestones or a rough surface. They still use cobblestones between the tram tracks in Europe, why not here?

I remember Toronto when they had cobblestones between the tracks. Automobile drivers still drove on the tracks, but moved over to the right on the smoother surface. Isn't the rule or suggestion that one should be driving on the right side?

Make things rough for cars.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

But there's so much late night poutine within short walking distance in the city, not to mention beer & other tempting things on the walk home

Oh man it's a struggle. What goes through my head my way home:

"Do I want a patty, or a big 8 ounce burger, or a massive poutine, or some roti, fried chicken, a sandwich, some ridiculously cheap candy from the dollar store? Ugh... I could buy a whole pizza with the extra $10 in my pocket. No no no keep walking, only two more blocks until you're home."

And this starts from the moment I get on the subway to head home lol. But 4 out of 5 days I manage to resist my urges, so my waistline is all good

In the winter when it was colder than -5 I would've been tempted to drive

-5 is all it takes!? You horrible Canadian. I'll happily walk in the cold with a good jacket, but it's the freshly fallen snow that will annoy me to no end.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

If the city wants to get the automobile off the streetcar tracks downtown, don't make the surface so smooth. That only invites the drivers to ride on the streetcar track lane. See this thread.

Maybe it's time Toronto should return to using cobblestones between the streetcar tracks, especially downtown. In theory, there is supposed to be no parking, so discourage the use of the streetcar lane. Either cobblestones or a rough surface. They still use cobblestones between the tram tracks in Europe, why not here?

I remember Toronto when they had cobblestones between the tracks. Automobile drivers still drove on the tracks, but moved over to the right on the smoother surface. Isn't the rule or suggestion that one should be driving on the right side?

Make things rough for cars.

These were removed because drivers started complaining.