DavidH
Senior Member
Easy to say, impossible to do. Be patient; good things are coming, starting later this year.
Easy to say, impossible to do. Be patient; good things are coming, starting later this year.
DSC
Superstar
Update on the state of Front Street sidewalks at Union Station (Sir John A Macdonald Plaza, I guess). I walked on Front again today and they are making pretty good progress. The south side between Bay and York (except for the section immediately west of Bay) is starting to take shape. The pavers are NOT granite but are grey Permacon pavers similar to those used on Market Street. They look "OK", if not great. Traffic is being rerouted to the middle of the street and they appear ready to start some work adjacent to the Royal York. The only open holes are in the vicinity of Bay Street so almost all the complicated underground work appears to be done and I thus expect to see quite fast progress on 'street building'. The street really might reopen this fall.
pstogios
Senior Member
My LA friends weren't embarrassed--I was. One of them actually said "the city will look amazing when everything is done."
I agreed, then replied "but right now it is a major PITA to get around."
Being herded like mice through the tunnels/stairs/narrow sidewalks/diversions/etc all around Union, and at the Harbourfront, is tedious at best.
I feel bad for GO commuters that have to deal with this day-in, day-out.
I agreed, then replied "but right now it is a major PITA to get around."
Being herded like mice through the tunnels/stairs/narrow sidewalks/diversions/etc all around Union, and at the Harbourfront, is tedious at best.
I feel bad for GO commuters that have to deal with this day-in, day-out.
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Bad Bear
Active Member
Then your friends are more a "glass half full" kind of person than you.
pstogios
Senior Member
They also don't have to deal with this disaster everyday.
DSC
Superstar
Your LA friends seem more able to understand than you that upgrading major infrastructure (especially while keeping most things operating) is a complex task that takes time. Of course it's inconvenient but hardly a disaster. Grow up!
pstogios
Senior Member
It is a complex task. And it does take time.
It has also been delayed and overbudget. Are we supposed to accept that meekly?
I thought this was a discussion board where opinions critical of the status-quo are tolerated.
It has also been delayed and overbudget. Are we supposed to accept that meekly?
I thought this was a discussion board where opinions critical of the status-quo are tolerated.
MetroMan
Senior Member
I took my dog for a walk through the chaos and it's finally starting to come together. The sidewalks being installed are indeed a stone of some sort, hard to tell if it's granite though. The pedestrian realm is much improved in that sidewalks appear to be wider and the sidewalks are stone instead of poured concrete. The subway entrances are being rebuilt and there's very tall signage (20ft?) indicating the subway entrance. It'll be handy to pick out the subway entrances during crowded rush hour.
They're building in lay-bys for cabs and it looks like there'll only be one lane each way but this is hardly the woonerf that I recall had been planned. For example, they're rebuilding the traffic island that was supposed to be removed in the new and improved Front Street. Anybody know what became of that?
They're building in lay-bys for cabs and it looks like there'll only be one lane each way but this is hardly the woonerf that I recall had been planned. For example, they're rebuilding the traffic island that was supposed to be removed in the new and improved Front Street. Anybody know what became of that?
scamander24
Active Member
Here are the plans: (at least the latest ones I can find)
Source
There are traffic islands (with nothing on them, basically just a traffic calming measure), although it's hardly a woonerf.
isaidso
Senior Member
Are your friends from a super advanced alien civilization that builds infrastructure in some other way? Walking around with your fly open is embarrassing. Construction and detours aren't embarrassing, they're inconvenient.
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isaidso
Senior Member
Gain a little perspective please. Gaza is a disaster. This is progress and an exciting time for our city.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Let's nip the Gaza comparison right off the bud - it has no bearing on this thread.
AoD
AoD
khris
Senior Member
Was never supposed to be a woonerf as far as I know.
aquateam
Active Member
Aww, so this isn't going to turn into an Israel vs Palestine thread?
Anyway, construction means that the city is being invested in. If you want to see a city without construction you should visit Detroit. Of course, I'm temporarily living in another city so I get to see this work when it's done without having to deal with the hassles construction so I'm probably happier than other people about it
AlbertHWagstaff
Senior Member
Anyway, construction means that the city is being invested in. If you want to see a city without construction you should visit Detroit. Of course, I'm temporarily living in another city so I get to see this work when it's done without having to deal with the hassles construction so I'm probably happier than other people about it
A couple of tourists I spoke to while assisting them with directions thought it was great to see all kinds of infrastructure work and all the cranes in the sky. They recognized that these are signs of a lively city that is growing and improving as opposed to no activity and stagnating. The work will get done and progress is becoming visible. Imagine the years of construction on Yonge St. when they were building the subway. I wonder how many people then were commenting about how long it was taking and "get it done already"?