As a Euro-import, I've always found lanes in Canada to be crazy wide. They are much narrower pretty much everywhere outside of North America.
Agreed. At least part of the reason given (at times) is that Toronto Fire needs wider lanes to support their vehicles.

Hamilton is taking a different tack: changing vehicle size to fit on narrower streets. They are definitely doing interesting work on the urbanism side.

 
Screen-Shot-2016-03-17-at-2.30.29-PM.png

A smaller European fire truck (top) and an oversized American one (bottom).

From link.

When cities try to redesign streets to reduce traffic injuries and get drivers to travel at safer speeds, the local fire department often steps in to prevent changes that it believes will hinder the movement of its enormous trucks. Fire departments prefer wide traffic lanes and street corners designed for turning trucks — exactly the sort of conditions that lead to higher rates of traffic injuries and deaths.

There are plenty of experts who argue that firetrucks should be designed to fit streets, not the other way around, but these critical voices usually come from outside the fire safety profession.

Well, that might be changing. In a post at FireChief.com, retired battalion chief Robert Avsec says there’s definitely a case to be made that American firetrucks are too large: They aren’t as maneuverable in heavy traffic, they’re expensive, and they’re inefficient for trips that aren’t fire emergencies.

The public would be better served, Avsec argues, by smaller trucks, like those used in European and Asian cities:

For many years I’ve held the opinion that European fire departments get a lot more bang for their buck from their fire apparatus. Fire apparatus used in Western Europe typically excel in these four areas.
  • They’re highly maneuverable on the narrow, winding streets.
  • There is very little wasted compartment space.
  • They have a much smaller apparatus footprint than American rigs.
  • They carry most equipment in enclosed compartments protected from the elements.
 
An interesting comparison is the very narrow lanes on the gardiner, especially eastbound past Jarvis. There's a natural slowing of traffic there, because the lanes are just barely wider than a car. Yet somehow everyone seems to make it OK. Time to get new firetrucks?
Those are temporary construction lanes, and even then I believe they are "normal" width - just don't have any shoulders which make them feel narrower.
 
An interesting comparison is the very narrow lanes on the gardiner, especially eastbound past Jarvis. There's a natural slowing of traffic there, because the lanes are just barely wider than a car. Yet somehow everyone seems to make it OK. Time to get new firetrucks?
The big win of smaller equipment is that residential streets can be calmed by narrowing lanes rather than speed humps (which don't work well).
 
June 02
More up on site
Seen one station, you basely seen them all with the same design and colour

They are still working under the SRT and the GO Line and that should be done by Sept at the latest. Part of the GO Platform and bridge is partly built
51224072433_e664f9cf88_b.jpg

51223152322_3abcb04653_b.jpg

51224073803_e0f650615a_b.jpg

51223862291_6726fbb4bf_b.jpg

51223153447_30daa2a07f_b.jpg

51223153687_55bdc85dac_b.jpg

51224074163_880e146ffe_b.jpg

51223153857_2b799d31b9_b.jpg

51223153912_49b89b0afe_b.jpg

51224628264_0f6ebfee9f_b.jpg

51224074588_e8d80211fc_b.jpg

51224628569_8f0f45e10a_b.jpg

51223154492_26e28fc7fe_b.jpg

51224937090_6e9752cac7_b.jpg

51224934175_25d0a79a91_b.jpg

51223154817_00fd87c177_b.jpg

51224715575_a1c7bc3f93_b.jpg
 
July 29
With the sidewalk on the southside of Eglinton Overpass now open, you can get a clear shot of the new station and area. Handrail waiting to be place on the driveway retaining wall and a barrier next to the sidewalk at the west end..

The whole area around all the stations and the SRT loop becoming one hell of a huge parking lot that will be larger than before.

The 3' thick road slab waiting to be finish off at the east end that goes under the SRT and TTC bus driveway. A small area next to GO current track is form and ready for concrete that will support both track 1 and the new east platform over the tunnel.

The mechanical building will house the roof for the east platform that partly built now.

Once the barrier next to the sidewalk install as well landscape, all 3 lanes should be in service sometime in Aug.

Don't see a stair or sidewalk from Eglinton to the new station entrance as well a rebuilt entrance to TTC/Metrolinx Subway station and bus terminal yet.

Looks like a new style of shelter for bikes on the west side
 
Because "Leslie & Sheppard" written out a gazillion times on white tiles at Leslie station looked so great, they thought they'd do something similar again? I hope this works better here.

42

And not by the same artist at that (the piece at Leslie was by Micah Lexier)...well, I guess the bright side is at least they don't have to worry about censoring it (unlike the Pioneer Village fiasco).

AoD
 

Back
Top