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ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit
I usually see about once a week there is a person in the bus left turn lane on Sportsworld Drive going into the GRT/GO station and look utterly confused as to why the light never turns green.
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(09-07-2017, 09:44 AM)panamaniac Wrote: I've always wondered how many drivers never look at the traffic lights/signs over the opposing lanes.  I suspect it is a very significant minority (at least).

Do I see from the picture that only the left-hand traffic signal has the no-left-turn sign? It seems like if the signals are identical they should both have the sign.
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(09-07-2017, 09:48 AM)boatracer Wrote: I usually see about once a week there is a person in the bus left turn lane on Sportsworld Drive going into the GRT/GO station and look utterly confused as to why the light never turns green.

The one on Caroline northbound does turn green, which seems unnecessary and inconsistent. And apparently it also has a transit signal on top. So I’m not sure what the deal is with that.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Second LRV for ION (502) and Metrolinx Pilot LRV were out doing high-speed testing in Millhaven yesterday! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> Photo credit: John Jeffery <a href="https://t.co/P4JV4cnL03">pic.twitter.com/P4JV4cnL03</a></p>&mdash; Iain Hendry (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/905800077989601280">September 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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(09-07-2017, 09:11 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: I realize everyone is ignoring the turn restrictions at (well all of) the intersection, but I really didn't expect a school bus to do so.

Well in fairness, there is discussion in this thread that says "Buses Excepted" (although it's only for Southbound Victoria... maybe s/he just assumed)

Coke
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For those intersections where lefts are no longer allowed, they should have installed 4 element traffic lights with a green straight arrow, and a green right arrow;  rather than the traditional 3 element light with a simple green circle.  That would have made things abundantly clear to those whose eyes skip over the signs.  (Which I'll admit, mine also do from time to time.)
...K
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Additionally, they could put transit signals in place, so a southbound on Victoria #6 bus could trigger a straight green/right green signal for cars going south, with a transit priority signal also lit, to allow the 6 to turn left onto King, before the northbound on Victoria traffic gets a green light.
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(09-07-2017, 12:29 PM)KevinT Wrote: For those intersections where lefts are no longer allowed, they should have installed 4 element traffic lights with a green straight arrow, and a green right arrow;  rather than the traditional 3 element light with a simple green circle.  That would have made things abundantly clear to those whose eyes skip over the signs.  (Which I'll admit, mine also do from time to time.)

This, plus pavement markings.
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Ottawa at Mill Street has been driving me crazy since being repaved & painted this summer. I bike through on my commute.

I should have taken a few other angles, but this is Ottawa looking North towards the right turn onto the segment of Mill Street between Ottawa and Courtland.

   

The issue is that I would assume these lights are for the people on Ottawa driving past both segments of Mill -- the traffic light setup is for the other part of Mill (with Central Baptist on the corner), and the short segment of Mill pictured can only be accessed by turning right when driving North on Ottawa, so no light needed.

What tends to happen is people are turning left from Mill at Central Baptist to Ottawa and then they hit this light for people waiting on Ottawa and assume it is for them, causing a line of cars into the intersection and stopping cars on Mill who still have a green light to turn left onto Ottawa.

I tend to side with the drivers who turn left and keep driving, but I can see how the light is confusing, especially with the pedestrian crossing painted the way it is and a right turn lane. Who sees it my way and who thinks people should stop? 

I'm asking in regards to current operation, I'm sure it will change again once that train signal is activated.

FYI, the pedestrian crossing requires you to hit the beg button and adds an additional segment to the light timing between Ottawa flow and Mill Street left turning cars where all lights are red and the walk signal lights for use.
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Oh wow, I haven't actually witnessed that (I've stood there for some time, on a few separate occasions, watching the traffic flow). I can picture the scenario you're mentioning, though, pretty easily. It somehow needs to be made clear that it is all "one intersection".
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I walked past there last weekend. As far as I can tell, the pedestrian beg button actually gives pedestrians their own phase (drivers do not get a green in any direction if peds are crossing), which makes sense because the crossing is set so far back from the intersection.

In fact, it's the one time pedestrian beg buttons matter and are properly used. Of course, we've been trained to ignore them by every other intersection in the city, so...we'll see how well that works.

Frankly, I think it borders on criminal the sidewalk situation on Ottawa approaching the station. But that's another story.
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I was around there last weekend, on two different occasions, each time on Mill from the opposite direction. It was my first time there since before construction began. I was very confused. The two legs of Mill are far enough apart that it seems like two intersections. On foot, it seems huge and unfriendly, yet there is a transit station right there.

I was also annoyed that my only option approaching Ottawa from the south was to turn right. I wanted to continue on Mill (I went to TWB), so I needed to go to Courtland, then Stirling, and then left on Mill, but I will know better next time.
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(09-08-2017, 09:38 AM)timc Wrote: I was around there last weekend, on two different occasions, each time on Mill from the opposite direction. It was my first time there since before construction began. I was very confused. The two legs of Mill are far enough apart that it seems like two intersections. On foot, it seems huge and unfriendly, yet there is a transit station right there.

I was also annoyed that my only option approaching Ottawa from the south was to turn right. I wanted to continue on Mill (I went to TWB), so I needed to go to Courtland, then Stirling, and then left on Mill, but I will know better next time.

If your destination were, say, the Joy townhouses or TWB, that represents a pretty substantial detour, although slightly less so if you know to stay on Courtland.  The good news, I guess, is that the long line-ups on Mill due to left-turning vehicles must now be a thing of the past.

Actually, now that I think about it, there is now not much reason for through traffic to take that short bit of Mill between Courtland and Ottawa.
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In looking at the 2018 GRT service plan I was surprised to see that Ion peak service is only 10min during spring and summer instead of 8. Was that always the case?

Also Ion service at only 30min on weekends is ridiculous. People will not get out of their cars to run errands, to come downtown for a night out, or for festivals for 30min service.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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Anyone know when the lights at Courtland/Siebert will be activated? It looks like the driveway into the dealership still needs tho be paved as well.
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