08-24-2020, 05:07 PM
(08-24-2020, 03:58 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:(08-24-2020, 11:19 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: It's entirely reasonable to force people to turn right right and right again....
We've got to get used to putting restrictions on drivers...
Although it would be weird to change a lot of left turn traffic into increased traffic around the entire block in the name of reducing traffic. That being said, there are other solutions to consider. For example, maybe the laneway beside the LCBO should be an exit to King southbound only, rather than an entrance from King both directions.
Traffic flow through the several blocks around Waterloo Town Square should be studied as a unit, including motor vehicle and active transportation. Parking lot access changes as well as the possibility of changing the allowed directions on streets (to or from 1-way) or even closing them entirely should all be considered, along with all sorts of signalling options, with pedestrians and bicyclists given a large share of the space.
I definitely am not saying there aren't other options.
But I think we need to get over the fear of restricting drivers...the Netherlands didn't achieve their livable city utopia by accomodating cars in everywhere all the time in every direction.
Doing things like restricting turns and forcing a few drivers to go around the block has a limited effect on a few drivers, but can potentially make other modes much more reasonable, and can also improve safety. A good example is Westmount/Glasgow, which does not have room for turn lanes, but the region has repeatedly allowed four lanes of through traffic with turns permitted from through lanes despite this being a known-unsafe configuration...driver convenience has trumped safety.