[MrsNesbitt]

Nanny stuff.

Right, because laissez-faire by contrast works so well doesn't it? When it comes to solving the problem of gridlock transit expansion is key but transit expansion happens slowly. In the meantime, carpooling, encouraging businesses to promote smarter commutes, enforcing accomodation for infrastructure to get people out of their single-occupant cars, and so on - the "nanny stuff" - can help at least mitigate gridlock, and are cheap ways to do so. Nothing truly great comes cheap so of course they won't be a magical cure-all to our transportation woes, but every bit counts. Even if it has to be forced on an unwilling, car-driving public.

 

[Johnny Au]

A certain arachnid's way is the Thai way:

No nanny state to worry about

Enjoy your hours-long stay stuck in traffic!

 

[Palma]

I have never heard of a summer TTC schedule. I'm not sure this exists outside of your imagination? Also students don't impact afternoon rush hour (schools are let out at 3:20).

I doubt he meant elementary school which get out at 3:20 or even high school but universities and colleges students deoes affect transit ridership and you see it come Sept when the subways are packed

 

[innsertnamehere]

University students are a huge provider of off peak service use as well, or just general all day use. probably close to if not more than 50% of GOs mid day ridership is students.

 

[MrsNesbitt]

A certain arachnid's way is the Thai way:

No nanny state to worry about

Enjoy your hours-long stay stuck in traffic!

This. If you've seen the episode of Don't Drive Here in Bangkok, it gets even scarier.

With regards to students on transit though I can't agree more. The aptly-named University line clears out considerably of young people at Queen's Park and St. George nearly every time, for fairly obvious reasons.

 

[freshcutgrass]

The only cure for congestion is to make the Transit alternative so attractive that it won't be ignored by enough people to get out of their cars where they can.

They could be giving free blow jobs with every transit ride, and people would still not get out of their cars.

You're right though...there's a cure for congestion, and it involves pricing it appropriately. Works every time. You just need the guts to implement it...and this city is just not ready for that quite yet.

 

[nfitz]

I have never heard of a summer TTC schedule. I'm not sure this exists outside of your imagination?

Service has been adjusted in the summer for years. These days, they also do it during Christmas break. For example, check out this link, showing seasonal changes effective June 19, 2011 - https://web.archive.org/web/2011070.../Service_Advisories/Service_changes/index.jsp what do you think all these season service reductions are for?

Not sure the need to be rude ... especially when you are wrong.

Also students don't impact afternoon rush hour (schools are let out at 3:20).

I see a lot of students from various schools at 5 pm. The schools are York University, University of Toronto, Ryerson, and all sorts of colleges.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Service has been adjusted in the summer for years. These days, they also do it during Christmas break. For example, check out this link, showing seasonal changes effective June 19, 2011 - https://web.archive.org/web/2011070.../Service_Advisories/Service_changes/index.jsp what do you think all these season service reductions are for?

Not sure the need to be rude ... especially when you are wrong.

I see a lot of students from various schools at 5 pm. The schools are York University, University of Toronto, Ryerson, and all sorts of colleges.

In addition, regular employees tend to schedule their vacation time when school is out. In doing so, the numbers of regular commuters also goes down whenever school goes out.

At the same time, routes that service attractions show an increase in ridership. Expect to see buses going to Canada's Wonderland (165A Weston Road North to Canada's Wonderland) for one as an example, and others to get an increases.

 

[Johnny Au]

Some universities have continuing education certificate programs, many of which begin during the evening and go into late at night.

 

[newearthling]

I know this is a bit off topic....but we were discussing the environmental impact of vehicular congestion earlier.

The Health Board has released a new study on congestion and health.

Path to healthier air – new study confirms traffic reduction needed

The largest local source of air pollution is motor vehicle traffic, accounting for approximately 280 premature deaths and 1,090 hospitalizations in Toronto.

"With over half of the health impact from Toronto's local air pollution attributed to motor vehicle traffic, expanding transportation options so that more people walk, cycle and take transit, is a prescription for better air and better health," added Dr. McKeown.

Considering the needs of pedestrians and cyclists when planning and building new public transit projects will help to greatly reduce harmful emissions and the negative impact on health. In addition, developing an urban freight strategy to reduce the amount of time spent on Toronto's roadways by polluting heavy-duty trucks is a strategy that would save lives.

 

[Rational plan]

They could be giving free blow jobs with every transit ride, and people would still not get out of their cars.

You're right though...there's a cure for congestion, and it involves pricing it appropriately. Works every time. You just need the guts to implement it...and this city is just not ready for that quite yet.

In reality there is no cure for congestion, If you accept the principle that additional road capacity encourages more trips and is soon filled up, then the same principle applies to transit. If you offer a higher capacity faster service then more people will travel. Within a few years you will have the same level of congestion you had before. The difference is you now have many more people now travelling along that corridor than before and therefore a lot more development could have been built. The only difference it's a better city if more people are traveling via high order transit, rather than additional land miles.

 

[newearthling]

CTV Toronto ‏@CTVToronto

#Toronto voters see downtown relief line as top transit priority: poll #TOpoli

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-v...f-line-as-top-transit-priority-poll-1.1782882

The poll, which was conducted on April 14 and surveyed 882 Toronto voters, found that 48 per cent of respondents believe the DRL is the most important transit project in Toronto, while 27 per cent said the Scarborough subway is top priority.

If approved, the proposed DLR line would run east-west through downtown Toronto, bending north toward the Bloor-Danforth subway line. Planners say the line would help ease congestion on the TTC, particularly at the Bloor-Yonge station.

Metrolink has supported a version of the proposal, which could cost up to $6 billion to complete.

According to the poll, the DRL was favoured most highly by residents in the downtown area (63%), the regions of Etobicoke and York (57%) and among John Tory supporters (64%).

Meanwhile, the Scarborough subway was favoured by 63 per cent of Scarborough residents and about half of Rob Ford supporters (48%).

...

Lorne Bozinoff, Forum Research president, said the DRL is a key issue that may sway voters in the upcoming election.

“There is obviously a lot of support out there across the city for a mayoral candidate who puts the DRL on the front burner, and risks the heat from Scarborough,” Bozinoff said in a statement.

“While residents of that community see their subway as their entitlement, the rest of the city know the Yonge line needs to be relieved of crowding,” he added.

...
more at source

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Well clearly subway subways subways is the word of the people. They should be willing to pay for it if that's the case.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Well clearly subway subways subways is the word of the people. They should be willing to pay for it if that's the case.

Subways where appropriate. Such as where there is no room to keep at least two lanes of non-transit traffic going each direction, such as downtown.

 

[BurlOak]

Subways where appropriate. Such as where there is no room to keep at least two lanes of non-transit traffic going each direction, such as downtown.

Isn't it funny that that above was used to justify tunnelling under the central part of Eglinton, and then after they want to reduce to 3 total lanes anyway (not 4 as you suggest) .