Comment 86694

By Shempatolla (registered) - website | Posted February 24, 2013 at 19:02:58

Good article. But I would have to disagree with you on your use of Roncessvalles Ave in Toronto as an example of how to do what you're talking about. I work in the area and am on "Roncies" everyday when I'm there. It was and is an unmitigated disaster, and if Adam Giambrone even showed his face on that street he would likely get lynched by the business owners who own and operate stores along that unique enclave in west Toronto.
It was over budget, over due (by something like a year) and the end product quite frankly stinks. The raised bike lanes are also boarding areas for TTC streetcars. Guess what happens? Yes people boarding streetcars come into contact with cyclists or .... the cyclists veer off the bike lane into traffic. Generally these aren't good outcomes for the pedestrians or the cyclists, and as someone who gets to pick up the mess I can attest to the stupidity of the concept.
Additionally one lane of traffic has been basically eliminated in both directions. It's a busy streetcar route so when two streetcars are stopped in opposite directions there is essentially gridlock. At least one third of the street parking on the street has been eliminated which has impacted on the businesses that line both sides of the street.

Roncessvalles Ave is a classic case of "it wasn't broken. so don't try to fix it". It had a high pedestrian and public transit use quotient, was walkable, was vibrant and thriving the way it was. This dog puke that was inflicted on the taxpayers in that area was a colossal waste of money.

In my opinion it ranks right up there with any of the re-dos of Gore Park in the annals of largest waste of municipal tax payer dollars.

Cheers

Greg Galante

Hamilton

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