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The more I go to events like Taste of the Danforth, Buskerfest and Open Streets TO, the more I'm convinced that Yonge Street needs to become a pedestrian mall. Today it was amazing to see how packed Yonge was for Buskerfest, despite the heavy rain and it being a weekday. I never would have expected to see so many people on Yonge at 2 PM on a rainy Thursday afternoon.
 
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TheTigerMaster said:
The more I go to events like Taste of the Danforth, Buskerfest and Open Streets TO, the more I'm convinced that Yonge Street needs to become a pedestrian mall. Today it was amazing to see how packed Yonge was for Buskerfest, despite the heavy rain and it being a weekday. I never would have expected to see so many people on Yonge at 2 PM on a rainy Thursday afternoon.
Click to expand...

There's no doubt there's enough pedestrian traffic to justify it, and they vastly outnumber the amount of cars on Yonge.

I would probably just do Queen to College to start. I'd do it cheap & fast like NYC did with Broadway. Just throw chairs, tables and planters on there.

Maybe O'Keefe lane just south of Dundas Square could become a Melbourne style laneway:

Modern-20Melbourne_20120323155733157811-600x400.jpg
 
TheTigerMaster said:
The more I go to events like Taste of the Danforth, Buskerfest and Open Streets TO, the more I'm convinced that Yonge Street needs to become a pedestrian mall. Today it was amazing to see how packed Yonge was for Buskerfest, despite the heavy rain and it being a weekday. I never would have expected to see so many people on Yonge at 2 PM on a rainy Thursday afternoon.
Click to expand...

Speaking of which http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/reimagining-yonge-street-with-the-nxt-prize-1.2743730
 
ehlow said:
Speaking of which http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/reimagining-yonge-street-with-the-nxt-prize-1.2743730
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That would be a good start. The pedestrian friendliness should go from Queen all the way up to Bloor (from the lake would be even better). There is a lot of development happening between College and Bloor, so if we are remaking the street, lets fix it up until Bloor. Ideally I would just close down Yonge for traffic and just allow deliveries, passive use, cycling and wide sidewalk and two rows of big shady trees.

I doubt it will go anywhere. Car lobby is too strong here, and planners have no cloud to implement this. I'm still waiting for the John St. improvements.
 
www.thestar.com

Toronto traffic is gridlocked and transit is lacking. Here’s how three other cities have solved both

From London to Singapore, cities have pulled in tons of cash that can support infrastructure by charging drivers to go through its city centres.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

Paywall free: https://archive.ph/2FCel

My solution to Toronto’s gridlock? I don’t drive nor take transit during rush hour. I bikeshare if I need to go somewhere. I walk to the grocery shop. I work from home. Not everyone can do this, but I’m glad I’ve found a solution that works, especially on those rare occasions where I need to drive to clients in Toronto during the day and see just how bad it is.

As for my ideas for the city's solution to gridlock? Dramatic increase in parking enforcement in rush hour corridors, with court seizure and auction of any commercial vehicles parked in no-parking zone, including Amazon drivers hopped up on curbs or sidewalks. No more restaurants taking curb lanes or bike lanes. $10,000 a day fee for condo developments that block lanes or bike lanes. Remove parking on major roads permanently across much of the city - build Green Ps to compensate. I expect storefront retailers have no idea how many of their customers walk rather than drive to their stores - but we had storefronts long before we had private cars, so the business is still there.
 
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Resurrecting this thread as I noticed that the infamous Jarvis street middle lane has been coned off this week and the directional signals covered up, at least for a few blocks north of Queen.
What is that about?
 
Jonny5 said:
Resurrecting this thread as I noticed that the infamous Jarvis street middle lane has been coned off this week and the directional signals covered up, at least for a few blocks north of Queen.
What is that about?
Click to expand...
This may be:

Closure Type: Hazard
Time Frame: Daily
From: July 16, 2024 Until: July 31, 2024Hours:9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Contractor: A & F Di Carlo Construction Inc
Description: PERMANENT SURFACE REPAIRS TO TORONTO WATER CUTS. 1 DAY BASE REPAIRS, 1 DAY TOP COAT
 
lead82 said:
That would be a good start. The pedestrian friendliness should go from Queen all the way up to Bloor (from the lake would be even better). There is a lot of development happening between College and Bloor, so if we are remaking the street, lets fix it up until Bloor. Ideally I would just close down Yonge for traffic and just allow deliveries, passive use, cycling and wide sidewalk and two rows of big shady trees.

I doubt it will go anywhere. Car lobby is too strong here, and planners have no cloud to implement this. I'm still waiting for the John St. improvements.
Click to expand...
Car lobby? You mean the one that closed 3 lanes of the lakeshore instead of a section of the martin goodman trail to install a gas line?
The same one that is adding bike lanes to industrial areas, despite bike lanes on bloor not having any increase months in?

How much traffic will there be on rainy days or during the winter?
 
turbanplanner said:
Car lobby? You mean the one that closed 3 lanes of the lakeshore instead of a section of the martin goodman trail to install a gas line?
The same one that is adding bike lanes to industrial areas, despite bike lanes on bloor not having any increase months in?

How much traffic will there be on rainy days or during the winter?
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Since the replied to post was made in 2014 I have a feeling that version of lead82 has no idea what you are referencing. A blissfully ignorant time where Bloor bike lanes didn't even exist.

Although in reference to Yonge, they were not wrong about nothing materializing.
 
Mariner35 said:
Would the fact that the idea is still alive yet unmaterialized prove the posters point. in 10 years Yonge has remained untouched. A victory for the dreaded Car Lobby. The war continues...
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i think it hasn’t happened because it doesn’t make sense.

There is lots of demand for fireworks on long weekends, doesn’t mean it makes sense for me to setup a store next to a park for the rest of the year
 
turbanplanner said:
i think it hasn’t happened because it doesn’t make sense.

There is lots of demand for fireworks on long weekends, doesn’t mean it makes sense for me to setup a store next to a park for the rest of the yea
Click to expand...

The Park Lobby would have a field day if there was a firework store near a park. #waronparks

Anyways, see you back here in 2034!
 
turbanplanner said:
Can we act like adults? You wouldn’t speak like that to me (or anyone) in person
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Excuse me sir! I speak to everyone like that.

Like the great William Arthur Ward once said. "A well developed sense of humour is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life". To be an adult is to enjoy life with a great sense of humour.

A very happy Friday to you my good sir. May your traffic be light and your bike lanes be clear.
 
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