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General Road and Highway Discussion
Franklin Bvld over the 401 set to close for bridge replacement.

https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/mobile/fran...-1.3930656
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Having had a chance to read the Moving Forward plan I am disappointed in it; it is clearly a, "don't rock the boat before the election" document.

I understand that just because a municipal election is coming the government can't just cease to function, but I feel like something this big and long-term should not be approved 5 months before an election. Especially when over in the Administration and Finance agenda for next week there is a report about the rules and procedures for when the lame duck period begins (July 27).


Basically they:
1) consulted
"Moving Forward was developed in consultation with a wide variety of the general public and agency stakeholders, reached through surveys, public consultation centres, online consultation, and panel discussions, heard that a more balanced approach to transportation was needed"

2) had some findings that certain swaths of the electorate wouldn't like
 "... findings of surveys of the general public that found strong interest in public transit, walking and cycling..."

3) couldn't decide on the best approach to handle that input (even when the none of the common themes that came out of the consultation material focused on personal vehicle travel)
"After evaluating Scenarios 1 and 2 ... the PSC could find no clear “winner” because each scenario performed well in different aspects..."
(Scenario 3  (Invest in a “New Mobility” Future with Advanced Transportation Technologies) was eliminated "...because there is too much uncertainty surrounding emerging transportation technologies")

4) and deferred to maintaining the 2010 plan's approach
"After evaluating Scenarios 1 (Continue and Extend the 2010 RTMP) and 2 (Invest More Heavily in Transit and Active Transportation) with a framework based on the four goals, the PSC could find no clear “winner” because each scenario performed well in different aspects. The PSC selected Scenario 1 (i.e. extending the 2010 RTMP)"
"...it does not present significant new costs to the Region. A significant portion of the identified costs for the 2018–2031 period have already been planned for and reflected in the approved 2018–2027 Transportation and Transit Capital Plans."

Random thoughts:
I found the scoring criteria for comparing the scenarios very strange.

Apparently induced demand is a novel concept:
"Roads: The recommendations for Regional roads are organized around a principle of "building a transportation network that supports all modes of travel", and include a strategic road expansion program targeted at relieving traffic congestion and/or enabling development."

The statement below, for me, is at the root of a lot of the problems with our transportation planning, there is no attention to detail or cooridination:
"Transportation Master Plans generally do not include minor projects or those that will not affect the long-term direction of trends in transportation. In other words, road reconstructions, intersection improvements, locations of new bus stops, and local trail connections were not reviewed in detail as part of this update."

Yes it is a macro level plan, we don't need to know the curb cut spacings down to the millimetre of every single project in the next 23 years, but failing to include thinking about trail locations and bus stops as part of the macro picture and how all the big pieces fit together is a macro level problem.

"While growth in the number of commuters by public transit and cycling has outpaced growth in the number by private car, driving a car remains, by far, the dominant mode for commuting to work."
Yes, and choosing to sustain that model for the foreseeable future isn't going to change that outcome much either.

"the PSC recommends consideration of the following lane reduction projects to implement separated cycling facilities:
• Erb Street East and Bridgeport Road East, from Highway 85 to Caroline Street
• Frederick Street/Benton Street, from Lancaster Street to Courtland Avenue
• Some sections of Victoria Street following completion of the new Highway 7"

So why then is Erb St currently being rebuilt with painted line on-road cycling lanes between Menno and Caroline. This is an example of what I was talking about above; it is uncoordinated and wasted effort.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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(05-26-2018, 10:01 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: [....]

"the PSC recommends consideration of the following lane reduction projects to implement separated cycling facilities:
• Erb Street East and Bridgeport Road East, from Highway 85 to Caroline Street
• Frederick Street/Benton Street, from Lancaster Street to Courtland Avenue
• Some sections of Victoria Street following completion of the new Highway 7"

So why then is Erb St currently being rebuilt with painted line on-road cycling lanes between Menno and Caroline. This is an example of what I was talking about above; it is uncoordinated and wasted effort.

I agree with a lot of your concerns, especially about the not worrying about small projects aspect — the city is really the sum of a lot of small projects, with occasional large projects, mostly made necessary by a lack of coordination between previous small projects. With respect to the Erb St. construction, I should point out that the current construction is west of Caroline, whereas the Erb/Bridgeport cycling facility proposals are each of Caroline.
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(05-26-2018, 10:15 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: With respect to the Erb St. construction, I should point out that the current construction is west of Caroline, whereas the Erb/Bridgeport cycling facility proposals are each of Caroline.

This is my point though. Should the work on the east side of Caroline ever be built they will have missed an opportunity to connect the work currently being done on the west side and to connect to the Laurel Trail/central promenade because the lanes being built now don't go all the way to Caroline.

Images from Mike Boos on twitter:
   
   


There is an opportunity to start building an east-west separated cycle track literally right across the width of Waterloo and this would forever be a gap between the two halves.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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The Moving Forward Transportation Master Plan has been deferred till the next PWC meeting, out of concerns of weak wording on active transportation.
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(05-29-2018, 08:14 AM)Pheidippides Wrote:
(05-26-2018, 10:15 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: With respect to the Erb St. construction, I should point out that the current construction is west of Caroline, whereas the Erb/Bridgeport cycling facility proposals are each of Caroline.

This is my point though. Should the work on the east side of Caroline ever be built they will have missed an opportunity to connect the work currently being done on the west side and to connect to the Laurel Trail/central promenade because the lanes being built now don't go all the way to Caroline.

[....]

There is an opportunity to start building an east-west separated cycle track literally right across the width of Waterloo and this would forever be a gap between the two halves.

Sorry, I was being too literal — I thought you were saying that the general plan said the road should be built with bike lanes, but the actual construction was not doing so. Instead you were saying that the piece of road immediately next to the part covered by the general plan should be built to connect to the future bike lanes indicated by the general plan.

You’re definitely right. Weird that it’s apparently just the last few dozen metres west of Caroline St. I can think of an excuse: the former Seagram building is very close to the road on the southwest corner of Erb and Caroline. But given how open the space is on the north side, that’s not even close to being a valid reason (I mean, even if we take as a given that we can’t remove motor vehicle lanes at all, it should still be possible to work in bike lanes).
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On the north side of Erb there is a segment of painted bike lane for a little ways. I'm pretty sure the bike lane will be continuous on that side from Caroline west to Menno.

Not sure about the South side at Caroline. I wouldn't be surprised if they're encouraging Eastbound riders to veer south on the Caroline St concrete MUT (which is weird, since there's no Eastbound connection until you reach William)
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I can never remember if this is where we've been talking about the Fountain St. Bridge reconstruction...!

Anyway, the South side is nearing completion, and since crews today were installing the railings, I'd say it's a safe bet they're planing on switching pedestrian/cycling traffic over soon to that side, and decommissioning the temporary wooden cantilevered structure on the North side.

   

   

   

It also looks like they might be getting ready to open access to the Walter Bean Trail here, too - which is great news, because the short segment that is closed right now makes it basically impossible to cycle down Blair Road, because you have to ride on-road for that stretch and it is horribly narrow and far too busy.
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I noticed one of those "your speed XX" radar signs near St John's school on Strange the other day. First I can recall seeing in the urban areas locally in a while.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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(06-11-2018, 11:38 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: I noticed one of those "your speed XX" radar signs near St John's school on Strange the other day. First I can recall seeing in the urban areas locally in a while.

They move them around. It'll be there for a while then move to another neighbourhood. We had one here on Lakeside for about 2 or 3 weeks. It's gone now.
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The recommended design for Erb (Fischer-Hallman to past Wilmot line) is out.

Separated lanes for cycling from Fischer-Hallman to Erbsville...but with that silly mountable/roll curb. What's the reluctance to putting in an actual barrier between modes?



Also, the Moving Forward plan is back (I can't see the difference. Can you see the difference?).
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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(06-11-2018, 09:03 PM)Canard Wrote: Anyway, the South side is nearing completion, and since crews today were installing the railings, I'd say it's a safe bet they're planing on switching pedestrian/cycling traffic over soon to that side, and decommissioning the temporary wooden cantilevered structure on the North side.

It also looks like they might be getting ready to open access to the Walter Bean Trail here, too - which is great news, because the short segment that is closed right now makes it basically impossible to cycle down Blair Road, because you have to ride on-road for that stretch and it is horribly narrow and far too busy.

As predicted...!

   

   

   

   

   
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That wave pattern on the side panels is also on the new Manitou bridge.
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(06-15-2018, 05:53 PM)Pheidippides Wrote:  with that silly mountable/roll curb. What's the reluctance to putting in an actual barrier between modes?

Ability to snowplow, apparently.
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(06-15-2018, 05:53 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: The recommended design for Erb (Fischer-Hallman to past Wilmot line) is out.

Separated lanes for cycling from Fischer-Hallman to Erbsville...but with that silly mountable/roll curb. What's the reluctance to putting in an actual barrier between modes?



Also, the Moving Forward plan is back (I can't see the difference. Can you see the difference?).

I sure with they went to Erbsville, frankly, I want to know what the reason is for not having separated lanes the whole way.  We're spending a fortune to move a hydro tower.  

As for the barrier, I'm less concerned about the roll curb here, than say in uptown where it will lead to continual illegal parking.  Here' it's just a little frustrating.

Yes, Moving Forward is back, I also see no substantive change.
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