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-- More traffic hell coming for Toronto: University/Spadina Bike lanes and BIKE BOXES?
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More traffic hell coming for Toronto: University/Spadina Bike lanes and BIKE BOXES?

Dear lord.. we cant get rid of Miller fast enough!

quote:

Next flashpoint in bike-lane wars: University Avenue Posted: February 03, 2010, 11:42 AM by Rob Roberts By Natalie Alcoba, National Post A New York model of "separated" bike lanes could be coming to University Avenue, as city staff study ways to map out a denser downtown network. "It's one of several routes we're looking at. It's still in the pretty early stages," said Daniel Egan, manager of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure for the city. But University represents an attractive choice for city planners: it is wide enough to mark off space exclusively for bikes, unlike neighbouring Spadina Avenue where "sharrows," or shared lanes between bikes and cars, are being contemplated. Bike lanes are a contentious issue in Toronto -- some believe the city is not moving fast enough on creating a web of lanes, routes and trails, while others seethe at the idea of lanes on major arterial roads, such as Jarvis Street. It is already an issue in the mayoral race. An update on the Toronto Bike Plan released last spring described Queen's Park Crescent and University Avenue, between Richmond and Bloor streets, "as the streets with the most potential to establish physically separated or buffered bicycle lanes serving the downtown." Staff said the major north-south route could connect to existing lanes on Hoskin Avenue, Wellesley Street, College and Gerrard. "In combination with planned bicycle lanes on Simcoe Street, the Queen's Park Crescent-University Avenue bikeway would also provide a major new connection to Queens Quay and the waterfront Martin Goodman Trail," a staff report said. University still poses challenges, however, because of the various hospital entrances and the fleet of cabs that routinely hug the curb. "If you know University, there's a lot of taxi activity, and it's a pretty challenging environment to make a bicycle lane work. So if we can do something like the New York style that allows those things to keep happening, I think we'll have a better chance of making it work for cyclists and getting community and political support for it," Mr. Egan said yesterday. Staff met with members of the cycling community this week and still have more public consultation to do with businesses. He said the "New York style" involves using paint and plastic flexible bollards to separate the bike lanes from traffic and parking, while keeping the parking there. "The street can pretty much function the way it is now, but you've got a much safer, more comfortable space for cyclists to occupy," said Mr. Egan. The Toronto Cycling Committee has endorsed separated bike lanes as the preferred option for bike lanes on Sherbourne Street, which is set to begin reconstruction next year. The emphasis on downtown lanes coincides with the expected launch of a public bike-share program this year, at an estimated start-up cost of $11-million. Bike routes don't require council approval but bike lanes do, said Mr. Egan, so a report will come forward to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee in April that will include recommendations about specific projects, including whether or not to go forward with lanes on University. \

BIKE BOXES? Are you kidding me???

http://www.streetfilms.org/how-to-use-a-bike-box/ http://www.streetfilms.org/how-to-use-a-bike-box/

I love how they always use New york city as a shining example.


EARTH TO LEFT WING BIKE NUTS, NEW YORK IS ALMOST ENTIRELY MADE UP OF WIDE ONE WAY STREETS!

Also when i was there in sept i took pictures of broadway. Traffic Jams squeezed into what was left of the road and an empty bike lane.

First you piss & moan about how bikes are everywhere & in your way when you're driving.

Now you're bitching that there's a chance a designated spot for them that doesn't interupt traffic might be approved on the widest street in the core.

I often wonder if you bitch just so you can practice typing. Now I know.

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Originally posted by The Ear First you piss & moan about how bikes are everywhere & in your way when you're driving. Now you're bitching that there's a chance a designated spot for them that doesn't interupt traffic might be approved on the widest street in the core. I often wonder if you bitch just so you can practice typing. Now I know.

they plan to reduce traffic capacity. Any plan to reduce capacity gets a FAIL in my books.

Bike lanes should be an ADDITION to existing capacity.

My views on this topic are quite consistent

quote:

Originally posted by The Ear First you piss & moan about how bikes are everywhere & in your way when you're driving. Now you're bitching that there's a chance a designated spot for them that doesn't interupt traffic might be approved on the widest street in the core. I often wonder if you bitch just so you can practice typing. Now I know.

did you expect anything different in this thread compared to the others?

Nah. Not really.

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 they plan to reduce traffic capacity. Any plan to reduce capacity gets a FAIL in my books.

Anything that reduces automobile traffic in the downtown core gets a thumbs-up in my books!

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Originally posted by Jayx1 Bike lanes should be an ADDITION to existing capacity.

... How?

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Originally posted by PivotTechno Anything that reduces automobile traffic in the downtown core gets a thumbs-up in my books!

I feel the same way.

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Originally posted by PivotTechno Anything that reduces automobile traffic in the downtown core gets a thumbs-up in my books!

This doesn't reduce traffic, just capacity which actually increases traffic...

Turn your thumb upside down

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Originally posted by Intangible This doesn't reduce traffic, just capacity which actually increases traffic...

Exactly!

Not to mention increasing idling, which in turn increases gasoline consumption and smog. Yep, we're livin' green alright!

Not such a bad idea considering they want to avoid bikes from zig zagging through stopped traffic, and since bikes don't have the quick acceleration like cars to 'get ahead' of them, I think it'll prevent cyclists from getting hit when attempting to cross or turn.

Leave the cars for the suburbs, srsly. Both Jay & digi are from north of Steeles. make sense?

Name one city on the planet other than venice that does not have cars (and lots of them) downtown.


They are and always will be part of city life. Perhaps they will be fueled differently and more compact, but people will always want a degree of independence with a vehicle.

Reducing capacity def doesnt reduce traffic. It makes it worse. And if you get rid of cars, you will get rid of all the commerce that comes with it. If people from the burbs (and i include etobicoke, scarberia and north york as well as the 905 with this) stopped coming downtown, the city will die out really quickly. If you want a good example look no further than Detroit.

quote:

Originally posted by DeleteFromUsers ... How?

Lets do one way streets if we really badly and truly want to copy everything new york does.

One way streets increase capacity AND allow room for a bike lane. And you only need one bike lane! Also there are fewer chances for left turn accidents.

Pretty well any city worth living in has a grid of one way streets because its the next logical step to becoming a large city. And a step that our provincial way of thinking has largely ignored (along with getting rid of street cars which most cities did in the 50s and 60s)

quote:

Originally posted by Stilez Not such a bad idea considering they want to avoid bikes from zig zagging through stopped traffic, and since bikes don't have the quick acceleration like cars to 'get ahead' of them, I think it'll prevent cyclists from getting hit when attempting to cross or turn. Leave the cars for the suburbs, srsly. Both Jay & digi are from north of Steeles. make sense?

if bicyclists cant negotiate a downtown left turn then they shouldnt be riding their bike downtown.

I say the same thing about drivers who cant drive their cars properly.

Have to agree with Jay on this one. This city needs a better subway system to get people out of cars.

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Originally posted by miketg23 Have to agree with Jay on this one. This city needs a better subway system to get people out of cars.

exactly

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Originally posted by miketg23 Have to agree with Jay on this one. This city needs a better subway system to get people out of cars.

subways and commuter trains. And better urban planning!

University is such a god awful street to bike on. A lane - partitioned or not - would be excellent.

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Originally posted by Skipper University is such a god awful street to bike on. A lane - partitioned or not - would be excellent.

why not move over a small block to simcoe street? it runs the whole length of university.

Whats next? Bike lanes on the dvp???

I can't believe how much is given to such a small minority, at most downtown travels by bike are 1% of total travels... like wtf!?

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 Name one city on the planet other than venice that does not have cars (and lots of them) downtown.

Amsterdam

quote:

Originally posted by *~LiSa-LoO~* Amsterdam

not true.

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Originally posted by malek not true.

Sure was from what I saw, and my dutch landlords told me.

quote:

Originally posted by *~LiSa-LoO~* Amsterdam

been there many times.. and my family is dutch. they have lots of cars. What they do have though is a pedestrian street. I love pedestrian streets. But they only work when you have really good transit.

Amsterdam's pedestrian street is between two transit hubs. Centraal Station and The Dam Platz

Also when they do bike lanes they dont sacrifice capacity for them. And they also use parks and allyways as much as they can as bike only networks.

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