08-31-2017, 10:49 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-31-2017, 10:50 AM by danbrotherston.)
I walked up to Weber St. on my way in today, just to take a look at the pedestrian crossing island. I will preface my opinion with the acknowledgement that this makes crossing Weber vastly better than it was, there's really no comparison between hopping curbs, and dodging trucks to try and work across, to having an actual crossing. This is how it should always have been.
However, I am quite disappointed by the design. Yes, it is better, but given this is built today, and from scratch, there is no reason it should be as narrow as it is, I am really quite shocked at why they built it so narrow.
The transition provides a reasonable curve into the sidewalk, as opposed to a hard corner.
The path is not straight across, they do this on purpose, but it just looks sloppy here. And of course, a trail for bikes, why would we have flush curbs.
The main problem is this is incredibly narrow. A bike will not fit across here, even standing on it as a pedestrian is incredibly uncomfortable because of how close the fast moving traffic is. People objected to Queen St. because it was too narrow, this appears to be even more narrow, and on a faster bigger road.
And for what? There's a huge curb apron here, you can even see in the distance, the road narrows. What is the point of making the island so narrow, when there's plenty of space to widen it. I can do nothing but shake my head.
And the connection back onto McKay, reasonable, but kind of narrow looking, I'm guessing they were fitting it between the hydro pole and the property line. And of course, another curb lip to navigate at an angle away from the direction one is turning.
However, I am quite disappointed by the design. Yes, it is better, but given this is built today, and from scratch, there is no reason it should be as narrow as it is, I am really quite shocked at why they built it so narrow.
The transition provides a reasonable curve into the sidewalk, as opposed to a hard corner.
The path is not straight across, they do this on purpose, but it just looks sloppy here. And of course, a trail for bikes, why would we have flush curbs.
The main problem is this is incredibly narrow. A bike will not fit across here, even standing on it as a pedestrian is incredibly uncomfortable because of how close the fast moving traffic is. People objected to Queen St. because it was too narrow, this appears to be even more narrow, and on a faster bigger road.
And for what? There's a huge curb apron here, you can even see in the distance, the road narrows. What is the point of making the island so narrow, when there's plenty of space to widen it. I can do nothing but shake my head.
And the connection back onto McKay, reasonable, but kind of narrow looking, I'm guessing they were fitting it between the hydro pole and the property line. And of course, another curb lip to navigate at an angle away from the direction one is turning.