Updates and various issues that are on my mind
I have several things on my mind this morning.
NO blog last night
First of all due to technical problem I was not able to blog last night. I apologize. Thank goodness my husband is a brilliant computer guy and was able to fix it this morning. Thanks John!
Halloween
Our Halloween event was great fun last night. It was lovely meeting so many of you in the area. Thanks for taking the time to say hello at the office and on the street near the office.
All Candidates meeting tonight in Warren Park
Tonight there is an all candidates meeting in Warren Park
We start at 7:00 pm at Lambton House, 4066 Old Dundas Street (link). I hope to see you there.
Bicycle Lanes used as turning lanes
Ok this issue makes me crazy. Daily I wonder how we can stop people from using the bike lanes across the city as turning lanes. It is beyond me how a person can think that the 2 -3 foot lane with a bicycle marked on it can be mistaken for a turning lane but in my experience it happens often. This morning was no exception. Driving my normal routine at 8:30am a car tried to squeeze next to me to make a right hand turn where there is not turning lane , just a bike lane. The hurried driver behind me honked to have me move up. No problem I was pleased to move up as much as I possible so he could turn. When I looked in my rear view mirror he was not behind me but beside me in the bike lane trying to squeeze past to turn. Fortunately the light turned and we all moved along letting the driver turn on his way.
I want to be honest here, I don't ride my bike on the main streets . I am not comfortable enough to do so and as I ride only for recreation I tend to stay on the Humber River Trail system. I do not have personal experience as a cyclist in this city. That being said as a driver I can only imagine the danger and frustration cyclists must feel as they fight with cars in using the bike lanes.
So here is my question... Why does it happen? As a driver or a cyclist what are your thought on it? I am curious and as someone who is concerned about the volume and speed of the traffic in ward 13 and the city I would like to hear from you.
Is it lack of education? Manners? Are the streets so poorly designed that we have no choice? Are the lanes so poorly marked that people don't know?
Since writing this blog I have never come out and asked for your comments (but welcomed all responses) and now is the time. If you do not want to comment here on the blog feel free to email me at frances@electfrances.org
If you have specific traffic issues please let me know. I am committed to a community wide traffic solution and would like to work with you on the solution.
Call me at 416-604-9060 or email me at frances@electfrances.org for information on how to get involved in finding a solution.
posted by Billi Jo @ 11/01/2006
1 Comments:
And comments you shall get...
One of my first observations upon relocating to Toronto from San Francisco just over a year ago was that traffic does not flow well in this city.
A few potential reasons jumped out at me immediately:
1. 4-lane streets (2 each way) are for the most part 2-lane streets, as the outside lanes are half-taken with parked cars, except around intersections.
2. These 4-lane streets which channel a lot of traffic (let's call them arteries) have too many intersections which interrupt the flow. It is not atypical for these arteries to have signals every two blocks.
3. These arteries have very few restrictions on left-turns.
4. Where left turns are permitted, there is seldom a left-turn only lane at the intersection.
These three factors produce the following result:
A single lane of traffic pushing forward until one care attempts to turn left. Every other car queues up behind and begins daring lane-changes into the outside lane where they can, (only near the intersection where the lane isn't blocked). Then another car attempts a right-turn at the intersection and everyone else queues up behind it, while it waits for pedestrians to cross.
Suggestions for improving the above scenario include:
- identification and definition of arteries within the city. This involves watching traffic patterns to see where people are trying to go and how they get there.
- ensuring arteries have the number of lanes they need. That means either no parking in the outside lanes, or widening them to accomodate the extra width required.
- restricting left turns to arterial intersections and ensuring a left-turn only lane exists at those intersections.
Once traffic is able to flow through from one arterial intersection to the next, traffic light optimization can be observed and adjusted to allow for improved flow.
James
I know your posting asked for comments on bike lanes... however, I feel smoother traffic flow in general will reduce the need for anxious drivers to squeeze into those lanes.
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