drum118
Superstar
I was by the area around 5pm on Monday and very few cars using it in both direction.
A lot of feet traffic was seen using it.
A lot of feet traffic was seen using it.
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SGHA504
New Member
I'm going to take my maiden voyage through it tonight, on foot, on the way to softball. Can you feel the excitement! Or maybe that's just a slow day a work getting to me...
bigkiwibird
New Member
Accident waiting to happen
It looks like it is taking a while for the GO commuters heading west along Station Street to adjust to the Simcoe Street traffic, infrequent as it is. I've seen a few close calls already as people blindly cross Simcoe instead of heading up to the lights at Front. I hope somebody doesn't learn the 'hard' way that this is a proper street now and has to be respected accordingly.
It looks like it is taking a while for the GO commuters heading west along Station Street to adjust to the Simcoe Street traffic, infrequent as it is. I've seen a few close calls already as people blindly cross Simcoe instead of heading up to the lights at Front. I hope somebody doesn't learn the 'hard' way that this is a proper street now and has to be respected accordingly.
TOareaFan
Superstar
I have used it a few times already leaving work and here are my early observations:
1. You are correct, people going from and to Union seem to have not realized that their "free" crosswalk is now a normal street.....perhaps more dangerous than others because the drivers crossing Front (southbound) are doing so with enthusiasm.
2. The bike lane has already been a bit of an issue......it is short in length and ends kinda abruptly at Bremner....causing some difficulties between right turning vehicles and straight through cyclists.
3. Compared to my normal route home (west on Wellington to BJW south around SkyDome to Spadina then onto Gardiner) each night I have used it I have saved at least 10 minutes in my rush hour commute (and two of those times the Jays were in town).......it will take a while, I guess for that traffic to balance out and others to realize there is a quicker path to Spadina/Gardiner.
The problems in 1 & 2 above could/can/should be aided by having someone in a yellow vest (a police officer) there to alert/guide people to the new traffic flow...as for 3...I hope that no one ever figures it out
origin
New Member
Did anyone get a close-up photo of the old sign on the SkyWalk just to the left of the underpass entrance that had advertisements for many of the old restaurants that occupied the Skywalk? They just took it down a few weeks ago. I was gonna take a pic but when I went there it was already down.
royalrivers
Active Member
It seems that everyone has forgotten about this little street. I remember the line up of cars trying to get to York via Station Street. That seems to have gone. I was expecting bumper to bumper during rush, but it seems soooo empty at rush it makes me wonder if everyone is happier going to blue jays way/spadina ave cause it seems to be worse then ever.
Spent a few million on this to help relive the pressures around that area and no one has figured out its there!
Spent a few million on this to help relive the pressures around that area and no one has figured out its there!
TOareaFan
Superstar
sh sh sh....I am loving it!
condovo
Senior Member
I used the underpass last night (Labour Day night) at around 9:30. There's already some graffiti and burnt out lights in the west walkway. Trash bins were overflowing and there was garbage strewn everywhere. Shameful.
Woodbridge_Heights
Senior Member
Really? When I walked through it Friday night it was pretty clean and bright, especially for a railway underpass. I didn't notice any burnt out lights.
TOareaFan
Superstar
Where you carrying a can of spray paint, by chance?
yyz
New Member
yeah there’s some graffiti, but it’s a white wall, essentially a blank canvas, it’s a matter of time before it gets out of control, not sure how to prevent it except to install cameras or something. as far as lights go, the underpass has a state of the art lighting system. there are sensors that determine ambient light outside the tunnel and match the brightness intensity of the tunnel so as to not create that blinding sensation you experience when entering traditional tunnels while your eyes adjust to the changing lighting conditions. so while it may look like lights are burnt out, it’s really turning them off and on as needed to create the least amount of change for your eyes to adjust to, reducing risk of crashes and accidents.
as far as garbage goes, at least people are throwing their junk in the garbage to begin with (hence the overflowing bins), it could be all over the sidewalk. the city installed these puny ass bins with no capacity, even though the Rogers Centre is nearby and floods the underpass with pedestrian traffic after events, not to mention the Air Canada Centre, the festivals on the waterfront and tourists headed to the CN tower, they definitely need bigger garbage bins, or need to empty them much more often.
overall, this underpass has been life changing for residents of the area, it’s absolutely amazing (functionally mainly), and years overdue. It’s a pleasure to walk through it. I don't think i've walked through the York underpass since this one opened, and i don't miss the filthy, polluted, overcrowded piece of junk one bit, especially that one part thats been leaking water for 2 years... can no one fix that damn drip coming from the overhead go/via rails?
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Northern Light
Superstar
Mural
They should get a mural done to discourage the graffiti.
I wonder if the garbage cans are on the schedule for cleaning.......or if someone forgot to add that route......
They should get a mural done to discourage the graffiti.
I wonder if the garbage cans are on the schedule for cleaning.......or if someone forgot to add that route......
MatrixElement
Active Member
Simcoe Street Tunnel Opening Celebration Sep 22
Seems a bit late:
http://www.adamvaughan.ca/events_article.php?article=444
Seems a bit late:
http://www.adamvaughan.ca/events_article.php?article=444
Simcoe Street Tunnel Opening Celebration
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Date: September 22 2009
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Lower Simcoe St and Bremner Blvd
Join Councillor Vaughan and City staff to celebrate the opening of the Simcoe Street Tunnel and bike lanes, which connects Simcoe Street between Front St W and Bremner Blvd., under the railway tracks.
Back to events
Share on Facebook
Date: September 22 2009
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Lower Simcoe St and Bremner Blvd
Join Councillor Vaughan and City staff to celebrate the opening of the Simcoe Street Tunnel and bike lanes, which connects Simcoe Street between Front St W and Bremner Blvd., under the railway tracks.
Back to events
drum118
Superstar
Sept 15
They were working on the wall Sat
At 3:30 pm
They were working on the wall Sat
At 3:30 pm
Irishmonk
Senior Member
This is my favourite new piece of Toronto infrastructure. Every time I bike through it I smile.