Trails

[Markster]

I'm not seeing any pedestrian island there, just the ramps on either side of the tracks/two-way street (Borden, no?).  Am I blind?

I think they're ironically referring to the concrete base in the centre of the IHT with the pylon on top.

That's quite the sturdy bollard base.
Or maybe they're going to install a rail signal gate, and the placement is just another example of horrendous pole placement.

[tomh009]

I do understand the issue you have with the dismount signs.  I would like to hear your opinion on the stop signs for cyclists (on a trail such as this one) though.  My observation on cyclist behaviour on the IHT (in non-peak hours) is that all of the above signs are pretty much ignored and most people take the road crossing at pretty much full speed.

I agree cyclists generally disregard "stop" signs on trails (as they do on streets)....I certainly slow down when I cross a road, but I also cycle pretty fast, but I rarely stop. 

We complain about motorists who do not stop at "stop" signs, but most people slow down to walking speed at least (and some do stop).  Many cyclists do not slow down at all for "stop" signs.  Admittedly it's only their own lives at stake, but even so it's not a good thing in my view.  So then you get cattle gates and dismount signs as the traffic planners try to get cyclists to slow down ...

[Canard]

...why'd you stop typing! I was nodding in agreement with everything you just wrote.

[ijmorlan]

Not intending to provide any excuse for this sort of sloppiness, but the University of Waterloo isn’t helping by calling their special needs office AccessAbility Services (AAS):

https://uwaterloo.ca/accessability-services/

I've looked at the chart three times and can't see "Accessability". The UW spelling of "AccessAbility" is clearly intentional: it stresses "ability".

Yes, indeed, I just wonder if some people now think that is how the single word “accessibility” is spelled. I actually think the name is fairly clever.

[Pheidippides]

Two outstanding IHT fixes have been repaired.

A sinkhole opened about a month ago near where the IHT crosses Mill near Peter/Mike Wagner green was fixed.

The huge pothole on the IHT near Cherry was fixed. I don't think that will stop the root problem of the area flooding, but it should make the puddle shallower.


As for chart with the spelling mistake referenced in a few posts I fixed the mistakes and replaced the old version with a new one. Apologies for rush job and lack of care.

[danbrotherston]

I agree cyclists generally disregard "stop" signs on trails (as they do on streets)....I certainly slow down when I cross a road, but I also cycle pretty fast, but I rarely stop. 

We complain about motorists who do not stop at "stop" signs, but most people slow down to walking speed at least (and some do stop).  Many cyclists do not slow down at all for "stop" signs.  Admittedly it's only their own lives at stake, but even so it's not a good thing in my view.  So then you get cattle gates and dismount signs as the traffic planners try to get cyclists to slow down ...

I actually don't complain about that much, only in two cases, in the context of objecting to drivers whining about cyclists breaking the rules, and where drivers have clearly endangered other people by either going too fast, or by not yielding to pedestrians.  In general, I think we have far too many stop signs, and would be better served by slower speed limits and default priority/yield signs.  Sadly that doesn't seem to work here.

As for slowing down for stop signs, which ones?  All way stops?  You're right, they don't, but a cyclist "blowing through" might only be going as fast as a rolling stop driver.  In any case, visibility is much better for cyclists, and at an all way stop they can usually see who will have priority when they arrive.  This is why the Idaho stop exists.

As for two way stop signs at a busy intersection, I think cyclists generally slow down as much as any car driver does.

None of that justifies cattle gates which have no good reason for existing.  (Usually they're actually to keep motor vehicles off trails).

[tomh009]

In general, I think we have far too many stop signs, and would be better served by slower speed limits and default priority/yield signs.

Default priority is nice and simple in theory but doesn't work so well in practice.  Most of Europe has moved from default priority to stop and (most often) yield signs as a result.

As for two way stop signs at a busy intersection, I think cyclists generally slow down as much as any car driver does.

I watched car traffic at some downtown stop signs yesterday.  Most drivers slow to walking speed or slower.  My anecdotal observation of cyclists on IHT is that few people slow down to even running speed.

If people completely ignore all traffic signage, there isn't really grounds to complain about it -- or even about the dismount signage.

[Canard]

Couple of things...

I was hoping after the Bridgeport/Peppler crossing signs went up, it would only take a few days for the people who put them up to realize that they're in a bad location. They're still there:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is great, <a href="https://twitter.com/RegionWaterloo">@RegionWaterloo</a>, but can you please move the sign? Blocks view of high-speed traffic on Erb. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BikeWR?src=hash">#BikeWR</a> Cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/DaveJaworsky">@DaveJaworsky</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bgg3pcNsoX">pic.twitter.com/Bgg3pcNsoX</a></p>&mdash; iain (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/876464718604640256">June 18, 2017</a></blockquote>

If they're not moved sometime next week I'll just go move it myself.

I hope this gets some concrete or paved:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/rideIONrt">@rideIONrt</a> Can you make sure some concrete or pavement goes down here? Northfield at the tracks, West side. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BikeWR?src=hash">#BikeWR</a> <a href="https://t.co/KbZG8ce9cD">pic.twitter.com/KbZG8ce9cD</a></p>&mdash; iain (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/876457679060946945">June 18, 2017</a></blockquote>

[tomh009]

Here is yet another approach to MUT, this time from Timisoara.  The lanes are really quite narrow, single-rider-width.  There are periodic directional arrows on each of the lanes.

   

[Canard]

Needed that yesterday in Welland!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Not all the infra on this trail is super: <a href="https://t.co/WnDRsMhJTM">pic.twitter.com/WnDRsMhJTM</a></p>&mdash; iain (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/876130327902773250">June 17, 2017</a></blockquote>

[kwliving]

Not intending to provide any excuse for this sort of sloppiness, but the University of Waterloo isn’t helping by calling their special needs office AccessAbility Services (AAS):

https://uwaterloo.ca/accessability-services/

I've looked at the chart three times and can't see "Accessability". The UW spelling of "AccessAbility" is clearly intentional: it stresses "ability".

The graphic has been changed.

[Pheidippides]

12 hour closure of the spur line trail for vegetation control on adjacent tracks:

http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/region...mation.pdf

"2017 Waterloo Spur Line – Vegetation Control Activities

To comply with federal regulations, the Region of Waterloo has hired Green Stream Vegetation
Management Inc. to conduct vegetation control along the Waterloo Spur Rail Line between
Breithaupt St. (Kitchener) and First St. S (Elmira), excluding the section between King St. N and
Northfield Dr. E. Please note that only the ballast area will be treated. This section is
approximately 3m wide and will be treated with a low concentration of the following
herbicides: Overdrive, Vantage, and Esplanade. The weed control mixture will be applied with a
precision application vehicle outfitted with skirting to prevent overspray. The remaining
vegetation outside the ballast area will be maintained with conventional tractor mounted
mowing equipment at a later date.

Spraying is scheduled from June 26, 2017 10:00pm to June 27, 2017 10:00am (with a rain date
of the following night."

[KevinL]

The tracks alongside the Spur Line are being sprayed with herbicide soon. They've made signs showing the spray radius, but the symbol they use is unexpected...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My tracks are getting their quasi-annual toxification overnight on the 26th. Be safe fam, and someone please tell the wildlife. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Roundup?src=hash">#Roundup</a> <a href="https://t.co/rruxpRFjIj">pic.twitter.com/rruxpRFjIj</a></p>&mdash; @SpurLineKW (@SpurLineKW) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpurLineKW/status/877316067424600064">June 21, 2017</a></blockquote>

[timc]

Yeah, that's a weird symbol. There is clearly no overhead wiring for a train in that location.

[Canard]

That's because the designer took the Ontario New Standard LRV icon and edited it!!! That's why it's hilarious!!!!

I want it as a t shirt. I already made a couple with the "regular" one, so I'll have to make one of these, too