Raise the Hammer

One more point I need to make on this topic - I've heard many people (in an attempt to complain about the bike lanes) talk about how bad rush hour traffic is southbound on Dundurn now that it's 1 lane each way all because of the bike lanes. Ummm, southbound has been 1 lane forever. Northbound was 2 lanes, and is very lightly used...anyone who lives here knows that northbound was just a massive speedway. The bike lanes were added by removing a northbound lane. The southbound rush hour slowdowns (which are the only place in Hamilton I'm aware of with a legit, if brief, rush hour backup) was not affected at all by the bike lanes, other than to give cyclists their own lane...until King St at least.

I used to live in this neighborhood for several years. Aside from many brushes with danger myself, my wife's car was once hit-and-run as she went along Dundurn going home, by someone running the red at King and Dundurn... zooming along the good old King Street Expressway.

I would never live in the Victoria Park area now that we have children.

Interesting perspective. We intentionally stayed in this neighbourhood when we moved last fall because it's such a great downtown neighbourhood for children. In fact, the neighbourhood is filled with young children. I'm assuming your view is shaped by King and Main bisecting the neighbourhood? Believe me, many people are working tirelessly to advocate for safe streets here like most of the suburban neighbourhoods where city staff and politicians live.

I go northbound regularly on Dundurn from King (coming from downtown) and find it constantly clogged with traffic (this being any time between 8-9am during the week). I will usually just take King to the 403 or take York up to avoid it.

If I'm reading you right, it sounds like you're talking about Dundurn between King and York. I've lived in this neighbourhood for 10 years and have never seen anything remotely close to 'clogged traffic' unless the 403 is closed. It's free-flowing 24-7, 365.

You are. I guess you and I just have differing opinions on what's considered busy. To me, it's bumper to bumper traffic, from the top of the incline down to at least the convenience store and sometimes as far back as the edge of the gas station or the theatre. What's your definition?

I'm sorry, but you've lost me. I see a line-up like that on the southbound lanes, but never northbound....again, unless the 403 is closed. Are you meaning 'southbound' in this discussion?

No, I mean when I take King to Dundurn, turn right on Dundurn to take it up to York to get on to the 403. I hit stopped traffic every time I go along there. In fact, I avoided it yesterday - the time was about 8:34am. It was backed up to King at that time.

the time was about 8:34am. It was backed up to King at that time.

It strikes me that traffic should be backed up at rush hour. Especially if the alternative is big, fast, often-mostly-empty streets through our neighbourhoods and commercial districts at other hours.

I'm not wishing for gridlock. I drive downtown and I drive along Dundurn and York to get to Burlington sometimes. But I just don't expect to be able to drive quickly along downtown streets or side streets at the busiest times of the day.

First visit with the family into the city, to check out the house we just purchased in the Delta, saw a parked car on Main get spectacularly rear-ended by another just off the 403, travelling east, guess s/he got a green light and didn't figure on having to slow down for anything....

Still find it tricky to get over into the lane I need to be in, cars are driving like a freeway and jockying for position. I drive a van and can't weave in and out, need to take my time and be careful-- often means I miss my turn, and because of the one-way streets I end up driving more km than should be necessary, having to loop back around to where I need to be. I can only imagine how frustrating it is for out-of-towners. I have always maintained (and not because I don't like city driving- drove in Toronto for years and still drive the downtown there regularly) that not only are two-way streets safer for pedestrians and better for business, they are also less frustrating for anyone who needs to actually navigate a neighbourhood (or shop in it!)rather than just whiz through it.

Anyone care to rally a historical sample of collision and fatality stats in support of the "death trap" sobriquet? Maybe compare it to King and James or Main and Dundurn just for illustrative purposes?