General Road and Highway Discussion

[danbrotherston]

New project up on the EngageWR website:
https://www.engagewr.ca/victoria-street-modifications

"The Region of Waterloo is looking to make modifications to Victoria Street in Kitchener near the future Kitchener Central Transit Hub."

"This project is focused on Victoria Street North (Regional Road 55) from King Street West (Regional Road 15) to Weber Street West (Regional Road 8)."

Their preferred design alternative is illustrated on slide 47:
https://ehq-production-canada.s3.ca-cent...MAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA4KKNQAKIOR7VAOP4%2F20240527%2Fca-central-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240527T194107Z&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=e989e0aedcb4e2f7175a291b2973b7cc82a5fdc244566ca2ee2b0c5f6afb4534

I like Active Transportation Alternative A the best. I am always skeptical about MUTs in high pedestrian-traffic areas like B and C propose, as well as bi-directional, single-side cycle-tracks. in the core.

The first, for the obvious reason that a MUT with a high number of pedestrians isn't really practical cycling infrastructure if you're constantly having to worry about the pedestrians. MUTs are only suitable when one or the other (usually both) are low.

The second, as it limits access by bike to destinations on the other side of the road.

Why can't the PPD shift the road lanes over by 1.8m and put one bike lane on each side?

BTW, for point of reference, Victoria St. S. from King St. to Weber St. W. has AADTs of roughly 22,000.

Bi-directional cycle tracks are a context thing...and IIRC at least one of their proposals had an example where there was bidirectional between King and Duke St. which I think is an attempt to provide a bi-directional facility where there will be demand for it, which is like, legitimately good planning.

But yeah, it depends on what is on the other side whether a facility is needed there, and downtown, almost certainly there is a need.