Raise the Hammer

I really, really, really, hope this gets in the Spectator.

Adrian, well said!

Christopher Hume wrote an article with a similar idea. It goes to show how comical this subject is becoming. Of course our streets are for people first and not cars.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/12/06/get_pedestrians_off_toronto_roads_to_keep_them_safe_for_drivers_hume.html.

I wonder if the people that are in favour of the car culture really believe in that or are they just obtuse.

Great response.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/12/...

Hope this link works for you, 1234

Adrian, please, please send that to the spec. I don't like to beg but beg I will!

Hey management, can you please explain what is considered spam?????, I am at a loss!!!!!

Whatever Ryan wants it to be. Disagree at your own peril.

Please make it to the Spectator! In all fairness

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. As requested, I have sent this to the Spec.

All one-way streets should lead into Ancaster. Because it's so great, you won't ever need to leave!

I remember booking a B&B in Ancaster because I'd heard so many great things about the place. I turned up and was very disappointed - there was nothing there. Wilson Street was devoid of any pedestrians or decent shops. There was a strip mall at each end and not much else. I pretended I'd had an emergency and bailed on the poor B&B lady. No way I was wasting my money staying there. To this day I can't understand what residents like about the place. I'm not surprised this letter writer shows such an obvious ignorance about what makes somewhere nice to live.

I'm glad to hear they've spruced up the main street though.

Bashing Ancaster doesn't help. Ancaster is nice. I think Adrian is satirizing a particular kind of smug parochialism that certainly isn't exclusive to Ancaster residents.

One-way streets can be efficient for those visiting the downtown, but can be detrimental to the communities contained within. Large cities all over seem to be thriving despite one-way streets (Toronto, Montreal, New York City, etc.), so is it more than street directions? Hamilton needs to develop more places where people want to visit -- it's not the street directions. Locke street, James North, Westdale, etc. aren't thriving because of the conversion to two-way streets, it's because what's there is desirable. Parts of Barton are two-way and I won't be going down there to visit anytime soon. Hamilton needs to get its priorities straight and stop bickering about streets.

Note sure what "properly planning for the future" means exactly, since different people have different interpretations of proper. But on whole, I don't think Hamilton has a problem spending time planning.

We have plans up the wazoo (that's a fancy technical anatomical term) for everything from bike lanes, two way street conversions, downtown master plans, pedestrian mobility plans, vision 2020, setting sail, etc. etc.

The problem in Hamilton is implementation. Even when we have a really good plan (for example, the plan to convert our one way streets into two way streets) it takes the better part of a decade to convert only a handful of the recommended streets (John, James...York?) and in some cases the end result is implemented in a questionable manner (York, while two way, prohibits turning onto York westbound from most intersections).

So, while I might agree with you that Hamilton needs to spend more time "properly planning" for the future, I think that generally Hamilton does not need to spend more time "planning" but rather needs to spend more time "implementing".

My emphasis was more on "properly" and less on "planning"; however part of planning is implementation. I should have specified.

It seems as though poor choices are often made for Hamilton, and instead of fixing major problems - such as delinquent landlords, empty store fronts in prime locations, etc. - they simply debate.

Agreed, council should stop debating and tell the city to convert all streets to two-way immediately.

One-way streets can be efficient for those visiting the downtown...

Actually, some of the biggest complaints I've heard about our one-way streets have been from visitors who find them difficult and frustrating, as they have to circle back to get to their destination, often either wasting time by overshooting it and going several blocks out of their way, or under-shooting it and having to circle around again. It's a great way to welcome people to our city; pissing them off before they even get out of their cars.

The one-ways benefit one type of driver and one type only - people who are trying to get THROUGH the downtown as quickly as possible. They are inefficient and frustrating for everyone else - locals and visitors alike.

Comment edited by highwater on 2013-12-10 15:50:52

For the record, the 401 is two way. Just saying...

haha...'an emotional argument'...

But the well-researched response of "I'm used to one-ways" ISN'T an emotional argument?

The one way street network downtown is a safe effective way to move the traffic that a small city generates.

That's a lie. Hamilton is the second most dangerous city in Ontario for pedestrians.

(TORONTO - NOVEMBER 13, 2013) Five Ontario municipalities have been recognized by an expert panel for their walkability....

Ottawa and Hamilton received silver designations while Richmond Hill, London and Wasaga Beach achieved bronze. Honourable mentions were also given to Ajax, Aurora, Kingston and Markham for their efforts to be walk friendly.

The application for the designation requires communities to report their progress on more than 200 key walkability indicators including sidewalk policies and networks of connected walking infrastructure, progressive design standards, street festivals, public art, staff training, and citizen engagement to name just a few of the criteria. All applications are reviewed and scored by a panel of experts.

http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Media-RELEASE-Canada-Walks-FINAL.pdf

As long as it's safe for the people who matter i.e. drivers, that's good enough for psychopaths like LOL.

The 401 is not a neighbourhood where people live and work. Downtown Hamilton is.

The false dichotomy is dead. Long live the false dichotomy.