[amnesiajune]

The Yonge-401 "bypass" idea pushed by Cycle Toronto included a trail connection under the 401 to Yonge Blvd, which is not shown in the 10 year plan. Is that proposal dead or unfeasible at this point, or is there still talk behind the scenes?

I don't think it was ever alive or feasible. Cycle Toronto has pushed for it but it's never been seriously considered by the city or the provincial government (the provincial government being pretty important since the 401 is under their jurisdiction). The cost itself would probably be prohibitive.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I'd imagine the city asked MTO, MTO said no, and the city decided it wasn't worth the effort to try and get it through.

 

[ShonTron]

Instead, I would like to see a proper multi-use path through the Don Valley Golf Course to connect with Earl Bales Park.

 

[muller877]

Instead, I would like to see a proper multi-use path through the Don Valley Golf Course to connect with Earl Bales Park.

Who do you propose would pay for the netting that would protect bikers from golf balls?

 

[rbt]

Who do you propose would pay for the netting that would protect bikers from golf balls?

Seeing as both the park and the golf course are city owned: the city.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Instead, I would like to see a proper multi-use path through the Don Valley Golf Course to connect with Earl Bales Park.

Right now proposal at 325 Bogert Ave (basically large block at southwest corner of Sheppard West & Easton Rd) is proposing walking trail / steps down west-side of valley with bridge connection to multi-use trails in Earl Bales Park. Maybe possible to upgrade that proposal to multi-use trail with switchbacks down valley side.

Actually,... probably around 5-10 years ago (there was a couple of tries),... originally the North York Cycling and Pedestrian Committee (now named Bike North York) with *some* City Planning and Cycling Infrastructure staff proposed the following off-road multi-use trail (pink line) linking the new water reservoir at Earl Bales Park to York Mills Subway station (south exit) - this is a City objective to connect large park space to subway stations if possible.

Note:
- this multi-use trail follows the tree-line along at valley bottom along south western boundary of golf course
- use existing separate grade crossing under 401 at valley bottom
- use existing separate grade crossing of both Wilson Ave and Yonge Street since BOTH have existing bridges over the West Don River
- but likely need a river crossing under Wilson Ave

The City owned Don Valley Golf Course rejected the idea! And put in every possible road block for this multi-use trail,.... that's why my Yonge-401-DonValleyWest ByPass Multi-Use Trail network avoid land at valley bottom controlled by DonValley Golf Course!

One of their road block is insisting on 5metre (16.4ft) high chained linked golf netting throughout not really to "protect" trail users from flying golf balls,... but to ensure trail users stay off their golf course! BTW, that's a 2km long 5m high tight chain linked fence,... probably Toronto's version of TrumpWall to keep the trail users off the golf course!

The City has basically given up as the current cycling map shows to get from the multi-use trail system of EarlBales Park to York Mills subway, you'd have to cycle uphill along WestGate Blvd in a southwest direction towards Bathurst (away from YorkMills Station)! and then use recommended side-streets to get closer to York Mills Station back at valley bottom,... very topographically challenging.


There's a lot of people in south part of North York Centre and Yonge-401-HoggsHollow area that would love to see the City's Don Valley Golf Course permanently closed and converted to traditional city parkland,.... especially since this area has some of the lowest park space per capita (area of parkland divided by number of residents within 1km radius) due to all the intensification in the area and the inability of park space to increase at the same rate as the local population. One problem is the Don Valley Golf Course goes through 3 different wards,... so try dealing and getting 3 different City Councillor on side in agreement,... and that's basically just the first step!

Off-Road Multi-Use Trail connectivity for EarlBalesPark has focused more towards the northwest to form connection from Hinder's Property & Jewish Centre (easement) to existing off-road multi-use trail network in G.RossLord Park and Finch Hydro Corridor,... as shown in green line,... through Provincial Hydro lands!!!! Once again, dealing with the Province!!!

As seen, also beneficial to North York Centre via cemetery which encourages multi-use trail usage of their cemetery roads - free security for them! And cemetery already donated western valley land to City who will create multi-use trail connections to multi-use trails in Hinder Property/EarlBales Park.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Back to Reimaging Yonge/Beecroft/Doris,....

With new stage looking at cycling infrastructure along Beecroft and/OR Doris,.... City Staff and Consultant's currently leaning towards cycling infrastructure just on Beecroft since Yonge-401 proposal is on west side of Yonge like Beecroft and Beecroft is likely to be extended north to Drewry/Cummer then Steeles much sooner than Doris.

Doris is tougher to do and they claim require more property acquisition in southern segment from Greenfield Ave to Avondale, otherwise they "HAVE TO take out a proposed traffic lane of Doris south extension" (really BS since Woodbine was done with combination of protected bike lanes, unprotected bike lanes and bike sharrows!!!,... if needed they could use bike sharrows here without fear of eliminating traffic lane). OR they can even eliminate sidewalk along lower density house side of Doris at this southern segment if space need for bi-direction cycle track or off-road multi-use trail - technically Doris is "Collector Rd" and thus City standard is sidewalk on both side of Collector Rd but higher Major Arterial Road like Finch West eliminated sidewalk on both side of Finch West between NorFinch & Weston for off-road multi-use trail along south side only! That mean, City Staff can technically replace one of the sidewalk along this southern segment of Doris for proper cycling infrastructure.

Issues with avoiding cycling infrastructure along Doris are:
- There's 4 area schools (community hubs) along Doris (McKee elementary, Cardinal Carter Secondary, ClaudeWatson School for Arts and nearby Earl Haig Secondary)
- There's much more residential condos East of Yonge at along Doris, so local residents are missing out on the benefits of cycling infrastructure
- Beecroft has more offices and government buildings than Doris, so cycling infrastructure here service them (including City staff!) more than locals!

Ideally, add cycling infrastructure to both Beecroft Rd and Doris Ave,.... but City & Consultant seems only focusing on adding one - just Beecroft Road, more towards as part of Minimum Grid VS building active infrastructure to benefit local residents and workers.

Here, they butchered my proposal of more inclusive (for cyclist, jogger, runner, rollerblader, etc,...) Off-Road Multi-Use Trail along open green space, parkettes and parks along west side of Beecroft where cross-section would be Off-Road Multi-Use Trail then sidewalk then tree buffer then road,.... instead they proposed bi-directional CycleTracks as part of buffer between pedestrian and road but this mean pedestrian have longer distance of extra 10-15 feet (of CycleTracks) to cross when they cross Beecroft Road!

Their preferred solution for Beecroft now is their standard Complete Street cookie-cutter solution of uni-directional Cycle Tracks on both sides. Problem is east side of Beecroft has about 3 times as many cyclist-vehicle conflict points if you only count intersecting roads but including driveway exits from condos it's 6 times as many cyclist-vehicle conflict points!!!! Wow, and these are the same folks in charge with designing for Vision ZERO - to protect cyclist & pedestrian safety!

Finally, I gave them a earful for the lack of east-west connectors to link to destinations along Yonge. Walk along Yonge Street,.. where are bikes parked? At subway stations entrances, yet, neither of their 2 proposed east west connectors link to North York Centre or Sheppard-Yonge Subway station! Their east-west connector though the cemetery is stupid since the cemetery is closed as soon as it get dark! Arghhh,....

 

[pipolchap]

I would love to see bike lanes on all three roads, Yonge and Beecroft and Doris! Thanks to Shiner and other car-minded folks, such as Stormin' Norm Gardner, I wouldn't have seen the potential of having bike lanes on either Beecroft nor Doris. They look amazing anywhere! As seen on Bloor, if you build it, traveling by bicycle becomes a safe, convenient option for more people. Currently that option doesn't exist!

According to this article, the two people are hardly disagreeing. They both want bike lanes! Was there anybody who didn't want bike lanes at the drop-in meeting?
https://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/7608011-bike-lanes-key-to-re-imagining-yonge-street/

As a taxpaying cyclist in the area, bike lanes should be as ubiquitous as roads and sidewalks. As a taxpaying pedestrian in the area, I would like Yonge scaled back to 2 lanes in either direction. It's ridiculously overbuilt especially between Sheppard and Finch. As a taxpaying driver in the area, time the lights better and restrict (too many) turns to keep the flow consistent.

 

[amnesiajune]

I don't really get why "taxpaying" is worth distinguishing. Everyone's contributing to the city's tax base in some way or another. Nobody drives down from Richmond Hill to drive up and down Yonge Street in circles without doing anything.

Anyways, I think Yonge makes a lot more sense. Bike lanes on Doris & Beecroft aren't going to be good for much besides biking into & out of the area, which hardly anyone does because of the surrounding valleys. If the point of these bike lanes is to support local businesses, they need to go on Yonge, and having bike lanes on Yonge will make them redundant on the other two streets.

Having said that, it seems like the Yonge bike lane plans are being gently pushed into the shredder by John Tory and his caucus. Beecroft/Doris is better than nothing but it's not ideal.

 

[pipolchap]

I don't really get why "taxpaying" is worth distinguishing. Everyone's contributing to the city's tax base in some way or another. Nobody drives down from Richmond Hill to drive up and down Yonge Street in circles without doing anything.

It was a last minute addition to counter the "cyclist don't pay taxes" notion! LOL! In all seriousness, I pay a ***load of taxes living in the area.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

DORIS Avenue

As per Toronto Star article: "Yonge Street will become more pedestrian-friendly — whether or not drivers like it: Hume",.... "And don't even think of bike lanes. As Filion notes, “They aren't terribly popular except with cyclists.”"
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...ndly-whether-or-not-drivers-like-it-hume.html
Since Yonge Street is NOT likely to have any cycling infrastructure,.... City Staff and Consultant are leaning towards Cycling Infrastructure ONLY on Beecroft,... the challenge now is to convince the City Staff and Consultants that in addition to Beecroft Rd, Doris Ave should ALSO have Cycling Infrastructure and it can be done inexpensively!

Currently City Staff and Consultants are shying away from Doris Ave because:
- the southern segment between SpringGarden and Avondale Ave will be more expensive since Doris South Extension will need more land acquisition especially closer to Sheppard
- more dangerous for school-kids of the many schools along Doris Ave, since CycleTracks (uni-directional or bi-directional) will increase the road crossing distance of Doris Ave by abut 10 feet and introduce cyclist-pedetrian conflict points

BOTH of these problem can be easily solved by bypassing this southern segment of Doris Ave with Off-Road Multi-Use Trails through Willowdale Park, the Wilket Creek trail to Sheppard Ave (in shocking pink) where it connects to existing formal off-road multi-use trail through Glendora Park to Hwy 401 (in purple). Crossing 401 via Wilket Creek - storm sewer infrastructure crossing here has been explored previously and is dead as City bean-counter worry about liability issue,.... relies on rebuild that won't happen for decades!

Also a north connection through existing "Pot Trail" from Willowdale Park, the Wilket Creek trail to Doris Ave and Empress (in light pink) should be formalized as off-road multi-use trail by City. All this can be done very inexpensively, main cost are road narrowing curb-work, speed bumps and interlocking red bricks for high visibility crossing area as done on Maxome Ave at Finch Hydro Corridor Trail.

These off-road multi-use trail segments can be done as part of this project (faster and better) or even via Section 37 CommunityBenefit and Parkland dedication funding from various development project in area (slower - basically election cycle and won't be done for next one!). But active infrastructure for Doris from Empress to Finch Hydro Corridor Trail can only be funded through this project!

The benefit of adding active infrastructure along Doris is:
- more local condo residents along Doris Ave than Beecroft Rd
- more schools along Doris Ave; so by adding active infrastructure here, City promote active healthy lifestyle to school-kids!

Issue with City Staff and Consultants:
- focused on implementing a Complete Street template with CycleTracks only
- focused on mainly ONE north-south connector from Finch Hydro Corridor Trail to Yonge-401


NOTE: Dangerous and high jay-walking crossing at Doris Ave and Princess Ave (between Earl Haig Secondary School and EmpressWalk Mall - TTC North York Centre subway station) WILL get signalized intersection in-sync with existing near-by signalized intersection at Doris & Empress.

Also, for Doris South Extension, all the properties along west-side of Bonnington Place between Sheppard Ave to Anndale Ave belongs to City (money dispute with previous owner was last month) and will be demolished soon.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

About the east-west connecting streets (sorry if I missed the answer to this), what else is special about them besides just having traffic signals? Will they also have bike lanes or multi-use trails? Because these streets as they exist today feel more like arterial roads and are definitely not safe for cyclists. Furthermore if the city is serious about making Yonge St more pedestrian friendly, these side roads must be shrunk drastically. Just a reduction in crossing distance alone would be a huge improvement.

View attachment 123921

View attachment 123926

East-West Connectors:

In a previous post, I already discussed the logic in having east-west connectors along east-west streets that have signalize intersections along Beecroft Rd, Yonge St and Doris Ave.
http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...scape-improvements.25913/page-12#post-1264142

Under separate project, the City is already putting east-west off-road multi-use trail connector through Finch Hydro Corridor Trail just north of Bishop/Hendon Ave.

We're in agreement east-west connectors along Finch Ave and Sheppard Ave is NOT recommended since there's physically no room (like Yonge Street) and it'll be even more dangerous due to the high bus traffic volume and bus turning into TTC Bus Terminals.

That leaves 6 possible east-west connectors along:
- Kempford Blvd / Byng Ave
- Churchill Ave / Church Ave
- ParkHome / Empress Ave
- NorthYork Blvd / Elmwood Ave
- Elmhurst / Greenfield Ave
- Poyntz Ave / Anndale Drive
Note: Florence Ave / Avondale Ave is possible but Beecroft Rd doesn't extend that far south - so City looking at quiet street bike sharrows along Poyntz (west of Beecroft) to Botham, to Franklin, to Linelle to 401 crossing. And Doris extension is,....

City Staff and Consultants will NOT recommend all 6 east-west connectors,... but they'll willing to recommend 2 or 3, say:
- one for entire streetscape redo with uni-directional/bi-directional CycleTrack or Off-road multi-use trail
- one for on-road paint for (unprotected) bike lanes marking
- one for on-road paint for bike sharrow markings (painted bike and arrow marking in traffic lane shared with vehicles)

Thus, of these 6 (or 7) possible east-west connectors,... which three east-west connector would you recommend (focus between Beecroft & Doris, but some could technically be extended west of Beecroft and/or east of Doris via cheaper infrastructure via bike sharrow, recommended quite street routes, etc,...):
- one for,... entire streetscape redo with CycleTrack/Multi-UseTrail,... and why?
- one for,... on-road unprotected bike lanes,... and why?
- one for,... on-road bike sharrow,... and why?

 

[amnesiajune]

Another drop-in event on December 11th: https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/9082-REimagining-Yonge-PIC5-Flyer.pdf

"After completing a detailed evaluation and careful consideration of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 preferred alternatives, the study team is recommending the preferred alternative from Stage 1 - Transform Yonge, as illustrated below."

I'm a bit surprised (but also very pleased) that they didn't go with the Beecroft/Doris option as their recommendation.

 

[ADRM]

Another drop-in event on December 11th: https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/9082-REimagining-Yonge-PIC5-Flyer.pdf

"After completing a detailed evaluation and careful consideration of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 preferred alternatives, the study team is recommending the preferred alternative from Stage 1 - Transform Yonge, as illustrated below."

I'm a bit surprised (but also very pleased) that they didn't go with the Beecroft/Doris option as their recommendation.

Wow, yeah, agreed on both fronts. As for the potential operationalization of that recommendation, though, this'll have to pass both PWIC and Council, right? And PWIC will have the opportunity to kill it dead?

 

[amnesiajune]

Wow, yeah, agreed on both fronts. As for the potential operationalization of that recommendation, though, this'll have to pass both PWIC and Council, right? And PWIC will have the opportunity to kill it dead?

I think it's a budget item that would have to go to the full council once in this year's budget process, and again to the newly-elected council in 2019. Based on my understanding, PWIC would be looking at it if it was just an issue of painting bike lanes (like Bloor or Woodbine) but this gets treated differently because it's a full rebuild of Yonge, which is a capital project.