BLOG NUMBER 66; February 8, 2013. Toronto traffic

CITY OF TORONTO TRAFFIC:

THROUGH ROADS

The City needs to designate 'through roads' North-South and East-west. These roads would have access only at every third major crossroad intersection. The through roads would tunnel under the main intersections so that stop lights would not be required. Pedestrian overpasses and or tunnels would be designed and constructed at each main intersection.

TED WILLIAMS TUNNEL BOSTON MA

NORTH-SOUTH THROUGH ROADS:

• Bathurst, from Gardner to Eglinton 
• Jarvis-Mt Pleasant, from Gardner to Eglinton.

EAST- THROUGH ROADS:

• Adelaide and Richmond from Don Valley Parkway to Bathurst
• Eglinton from Hwy 427 to DVP

PEDESTRIANS    

Overpasses and tunnels at main intersections or designated cross walks.  Designate pedestrian, cycling and bus streets. No cars are permitted.

CAR FREE STREETS 

Pedestrians, cyclists and bus lanes only:

• Yonge Street between Esplanade and Bloor
• The Esplanade
• King Street from Spadina to Jarvis
• Dundas from University to Jarvis 

TAXIS

Locate Marshalling Yards at strategic locations Get rid of Taxi Lines on busy streets. Set up call boxes or cell phone ordering of cabs. Establish a course for cabbies: 'Learning  the do’s and don’ts of driving' while they are waiting in the yards.  

•      Locate the yards at parking towers, airports, bus terminals, Union Station, Hotels etc.
•      Call boxes at strategic intersections
•      Cell phone ordering 

     RAPID TRANSIT 
   
            Subways: 

•     The London Underground-- Carries more than one billion passengers a year. 
•     The NYC subway-- In 2011, the subway delivered over 1.64 billion rides. 
•      Complete plans for a St Clair subway

            Buses: 

•     Use them on through streets only and get rid of street cars.
•      Parking access at uptown subway terminals

   ONE-WAY STREETS 

      Plan a grid of downtown one way streets with bicycle lanes facing vehicular traffic on alternating streets

 PARKWAYS 

BUILD A NEW WESTERN PARKWAY
Use the Bathurst 'Thru Street"Tunnel to link Bathurst to the Spadina Expressway North. Tunnel to link Bathurst St to the Gardner Expressway

PROPOSED SPADINA

DON VALLEY PARKWAY--404

• Rush hour management--Close  the access points on 404 northbound at Don Mills, Lawrence, York mills and Shepperd fom 3pm to 6pm daily.
• Close the access points at the above streets on 404 southbound from 7am to 10 am daily. 
• Charge toll fees for Parkway use

HOV LANES 

• HOV Lanes on the DVP from Gardner to 16th Ave--both directions
• HOV Lanes on a New Western Expressway-- Gardner to 400 HWY
• HOV Lanes on the Gardner from 403 HWY to DVP both directions.
• Minimum speeds in HOV is 120 KM/HR

DELIVERIES TO DOWNTOWN 

•  Cameras to monitor stopping on busy streets
•  Serious fines for trucks with unscheduled deliveries
• Mail pick up depots, deliveries on foot or using bike courier
• Use off-street lane ways for deliveries
•       Delivery trucks MUST stop or park in lane ways
• All downtown deliveries must be scheduled to make sure the lane way is clear.

PARKING GARAGE TOWERS

City of Chicago Parking Towers

      Include facilities for taxi yards  

       

     Use strategic locations near the parkways

         1 block wide between Adelaide and Richmond at Jarvis St

         1 block wide between Adelaide and Richmond at Bathurst St

     

    Cover the Gardner between Jarvis St and Bathurst St with 8 levels of parking

          

    Sell parking spaces to the public

FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS

•      Federal Government pay one half of projected costs
•        Ontario Government pay one quarter of the projected costs
•      City of Toronto pay 1/8 of projected costs.
•      Sell equity shares to the general public.
•      Toll fees payable to each entity on a pro rata basis.

       QUOTE: 

A SIP OF WINE, A CIGARETTE,

AND THEN IT'S TIME TO GO  

I TIDIED UP THE KITCHENETTE; I TUNED THE OLD BANJO.

I'M WANTED AT THE TRAFFIC-JAM.

THEY'RE SAVING ME  A SEAT  ― Leonard Cohen

·            THE CLIP: