Waterloo Region Connected
General Road and Highway Discussion - Printable Version

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RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - ijmorlan - 12-11-2017

(12-11-2017, 12:41 PM)Coke6pk Wrote: I don't know what a Level 2 crossing is, but will it be like the crossing behind Fairview Park Mall where the pedestrian gets instant yellow strobe lights?

Coke

Level 1 and Level 2 crossings are just separate refinements of the existing concept of a crosswalk. Neither of them is anything fundamentally new. Each has its own specifications of what signage and signalling is required. The codification is probably a good idea for consistency, but it’s a mystery to me why planners are so impressed with them and why they think they can now do things that they couldn’t before.

At least, as far as I can tell. If somebody can come up with an understandable explanation of the real situation I would be happy to become better informed.


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - danbrotherston - 12-11-2017

(12-11-2017, 01:33 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:
(12-11-2017, 12:41 PM)Coke6pk Wrote: I don't know what a Level 2 crossing is, but will it be like the crossing behind Fairview Park Mall where the pedestrian gets instant yellow strobe lights?

Coke

Level 1 and Level 2 crossings are just separate refinements of the existing concept of a crosswalk. Neither of them is anything fundamentally new. Each has its own specifications of what signage and signalling is required. The codification is probably a good idea for consistency, but it’s a mystery to me why planners are so impressed with them and why they think they can now do things that they couldn’t before.

At least, as far as I can tell. If somebody can come up with an understandable explanation of the real situation I would be happy to become better informed.

It has to do with policy.  There was nothing physically new, just new under the regulations that engineers feel themselves required to follow.

That being said, I wasn't at all impressed with the designs, they're useless in many areas, due to requirements for distance from existing signals which make no sense in urban areas, and also preclude many of the most troublesome trail crossings.


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - embe - 12-11-2017

Going back a few posts about left turns and what-not.  Today, first time in a while I drove straight down King from Northfield to Frederick (now that the construction is (mostly) done).  Saw a few people stopped in a lane trying to make an awkward left.  The small print on signs at the intersection should be bigger. Snow blocking the lane markings didn't help but hey, it's Canada (snow).

Also surprised to see the number of turning restrictions and traffic lights along that stretch.    

Good news is, a lot of the businesses looked vibrant!  Frontage, signage etc.


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - timc - 12-12-2017

(12-11-2017, 01:57 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: That being said, I wasn't at all impressed with the designs, they're useless in many areas, due to requirements for distance from existing signals which make no sense in urban areas, and also preclude many of the most troublesome trail crossings.

I'm blown away by the insane levels of signage required for the level 2 crosswalks at roundabouts.


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - Canard - 01-07-2018

Not sure if this is the right spot to put it, but when we were driving through the SmartCentres Cambridge today, spotted about a dozen Tesla superchargers being installed on the Pinebush side.


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - Ace - 01-08-2018

(01-07-2018, 10:58 PM)Canard Wrote: Not sure if this is the right spot to put it, but when we were driving through the SmartCentres Cambridge today, spotted about a dozen Tesla superchargers being installed on the Pinebush side.





RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - Bob_McBob - 01-16-2018

Brace yourself. Victoria Street bridge closes Jan. 29


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - embe - 01-16-2018

Sooner than I thought. Frederick was pretty much bumper to bumper during times when Victoria had reduced lanes a couple months ago (yeah, yeah, walk or ride a bike instead, I get it Smile ) Curious though, the bridge is being completely closed per article title? Or reduced lanes? Or combination of both?


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - danbrotherston - 01-16-2018

(01-16-2018, 08:43 PM)embe Wrote: Sooner than I thought.  Frederick was pretty much bumper to bumper during times when Victoria had reduced lanes a couple months ago (yeah, yeah, walk or ride a bike instead, I get it Smile ) Curious though, the bridge is being completely closed per article title?  Or reduced lanes?  Or combination of both?

I'm guessing it's being totally closed, it is being replaced after all, but I'm not sure.

That being said, Shirley is now fully open, I don't know if it was before, but it should improve things, of course, it would be helpful if people in our city hadn't been trained not to follow detour signs for years previous.


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - jamincan - 01-16-2018

Does anyone know when the Frederick, Wellington and Guelph Sub bridges will need replacement? The new Victoria St. Bridge won't have piers between the collector and express lanes, which makes me wonder if the long-term plan is to eliminate the express-collector configuration in that stretch.


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - DHLawrence - 01-16-2018

They might also be considering the prospect of widening.

I imagine a new Guelph Sub bridge will be needed when double-tracking or high-speed rail is introduced (whichever occurs first).


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - KevinL - 01-16-2018

(01-16-2018, 11:29 PM)DHLawrence Wrote: I imagine a new Guelph Sub bridge will be needed when double-tracking or high-speed rail is introduced (whichever occurs first).

The existing bridge has two tracks, for the record.


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - DHLawrence - 01-17-2018

Huh; I thought it was single-track. They only ever seem to use the one.


RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - KevinT - 01-17-2018

(01-16-2018, 11:29 PM)DHLawrence Wrote: I imagine a new Guelph Sub bridge will be needed when double-tracking or high-speed rail is introduced (whichever occurs first).

Based on the plan posted by @Markster at http://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/showthread.php?tid=225&pid=8675#pid8675, (large view: http://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/attachment.php?aid=242), I would expect them to just be adding portals under the existing track.

This could be done using the 'bridge slide' method, pre-constructing them off to the side and then pushing them into place hydraulically in a one-day operation that minimizes disruption to the line.  That's how Metrolinx replaced the West Toronto Diamond:




RE: General Road and Highway Discussion - MidTowner - 01-17-2018

Mom charged after bylaw officer hit outside Kitchener school

"Bylaw officer was hit as he was attempting to ticket parent in no stopping zone"

She's been charged with failing to remain. If he was worse hurt, it probably could have been attempted murder. There are a lot of very poor decisions packed into a short chain of events described in that article.

There's also a link to a story about that poor five-year-old girl who was crushed to death between two cars in a no-stopping zone outside of a school in Toronto earlier this week.