McMaster Graduate Student Residence | ? | 31 & 10 fl | Complete

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by Crapht

Wait.... did you just say Jackson Square and Centre on Barton are too far apart for someone to cycle? That's the last thing I expected to hear from you. That's not a long bike ride.

I mean for comfortable regular cycling for LCBO runs. For the amount you can actually pick up on a typical bike ride, they're pretty far apart. Especially since getting to Barton there's not really a safe route, and Centre on Barton is a suburban hellhole to walk, cycle, or exist at.

Cycling down Barton or Ottawa are not friendly, and they're nearly 6 I'm apart, which is makes it nearly 3 I'm to bike to if you live in the middle, which isn't at the max cycling distance, but shorter the better. Cycling to Jackson Square LCBO isn't great either, because while there's a bicycle lane down Bay, getting off your bike and finding parking and walking into what is essentially a mall isn't as convenient or nice as it would be to have an outward facing store. I honestly don't understand the thought process behind Jackson Square, who was it designed for? Pedestrians? Cyclists? Drivers? It doesn't feel like it was meant for anyone, which is probably why it continues to struggle to this day.

Now to get back on topic I hope that McMaster or another condo building nearby has a shiny new LCBO soon, and also that there is one maybe in the south end of the lower city between JS and Centre on Barton. Because McMaster condos would be a great spot because of all the grad students.

[Crapht]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

I mean for comfortable regular cycling for LCBO runs. For the amount you can actually pick up on a typical bike ride, they're pretty far apart. Especially since getting to Barton there's not really a safe route, and Centre on Barton is a suburban hellhole to walk, cycle, or exist at.

Cycling down Barton or Ottawa are not friendly, and they're nearly 6 I'm apart, which is makes it nearly 3 I'm to bike to if you live in the middle, which isn't at the max cycling distance, but shorter the better. Cycling to Jackson Square LCBO isn't great either, because while there's a bicycle lane down Bay, getting off your bike and finding parking and walking into what is essentially a mall isn't as convenient or nice as it would be to have an outward facing store. I honestly don't understand the thought process behind Jackson Square, who was it designed for? Pedestrians? Cyclists? Drivers? It doesn't feel like it was meant for anyone, which is probably why it continues to struggle to this day.

Now to get back on topic I hope that McMaster or another condo building nearby has a shiny new LCBO soon, and also that there is one maybe in the south end of the lower city between JS and Centre on Barton. Because McMaster condos would be a great spot because of all the grad students.

Haha! I know what you mean. That said Cannon and a few side streets will do it but the LCBO does deserve a downtown flagship location.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by Crapht

Haha! I know what you mean. That said Cannon and a few side streets will do it but the LCBO does deserve a downtown flagship location.

It would be nice if downtown could function as a real downtown. As David Cappi used to say though he wasn't ready to wait around for that. I'm willing to wait because I'm betting it's 5ish years away. But if Hamilton doesn't get its act together, we'll likely be moving to Toronto.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Crapht

the LCBO does deserve a downtown flagship location.

With all the development happening I imagine we'll see a second and probably larger one downtown, perhaps along Main near Hess. There may be demand for more grocers as well.

[Crapht]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

With all the development happening I imagine we'll see a second and probably larger one downtown, perhaps along Main near Hess. There may be demand for more grocers as well.

A decent couple of localized grocery stores will be a welcome sight when that comes to pass. LCBO also although I always stay away from walking along Main st. It's just so harsh.

[atnor]

Converting Main to two way is difficult because of the 403 ramp at Dundurn. If there was no exit ramp onto the left curb lane it would be a lot more feasible.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by atnor

Converting Main to two way is difficult because of the 403 ramp at Dundurn. If there was no exit ramp onto the left curb lane it would be a lot more feasible.

It could be reconfigured. Make it an intersection with a traffic light. The merges onto Main are kind of risky as they are, with people on Main wanting to cross over to the left to access the plaza and Dundurn while traffic coming off the 403 often wants to cross to the right side lanes. A lighted intersection would help with that.

It may create new/different issues but it's one potential solution.

[Crapht]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

It could be reconfigured. Make it an intersection with a traffic light. The merges onto Main are kind of risky as they are, with people on Main wanting to cross over to the left to access the plaza and Dundurn while traffic coming off the 403 often wants to cross to the right side lanes. A lighted intersection would help with that.

It may create new/different issues but it's one potential solution.

As a traffic light it could give easy access to Frid street. It could also make the area more manageable for pedestrians.

[onetimetoomany]

Anyone know where Jason Thorne stands on Main St not being two way? I'm curious as the head of the Department of Planning and Economic Development how he could be in role so long and not have addressed this blight on Hamiltons downtown.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by onetimetoomany

Anyone know where Jason Thorne stands on Main St not being two way? I'm curious as the head of the Department of Planning and Economic Development how he could be in role so long and not have addressed this blight on Hamiltons downtown.

I have talk to him numerous times, and actually moved down the street from him (like 6 houses down), so I'll talk to him more hopefully.

What I can tell you is that while I can't guarantee his stance, we've never spoke about it, but I'd bet my entire net worth on him believe it should be 2 way. He's very progressive, but as one of if not the highest paid staff member in the city, he is bound by the politics of the city. I'm surprised and glad he has stuck around this long. Many of his calibre would leave to somewhere that would appreciate his views more, but I'm incredibly glad he aims to stay and work on the city he loves.

He doesn't get love around here, but that's because of his height limit, which the goal is to reduce land speculation, which I would argue it does. But the height limit doesn't exist in a vacuum, it exists in the context of not being used holistically through the entire change to how we zone the city. Regardless of this though, I think he is a gem, that is slowly bringing Hamilton forward, even if people here don't love his height limit theories which would work if utilized with other tools, like removal of single family zoning, and zoning of commercial streets/strips nearby duplex and triplex housing and midrises.

So, at the end of the day, I believe he supports 2 way main. Will he say that publicly? Probably not, not yet at least.

[Pipedreams]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

He's very progressive, but as one of if not the highest paid staff member in the city, he is bound by the politics of the city. I'm surprised and glad he has stuck around this long. Many of his calibre would leave to somewhere that would appreciate his views more, but I'm incredibly glad he aims to stay and work on the city he loves.

Yeah I think one of the challenges of any of those types of "committee" jobs is that you have to know when to push and what to fight. He seems quite progressive and committed to many of the evolving principals of New Urbanism that I think would work well in Hamilton but we have to keep in mind that him and the city planning committee is constantly battling in between city councillors like Terry Whitehead, developers like Brad Lamb, litigatious neighborhood associations like Turkstra and a boatload of NIMBYs. You probably have to pick and choose your battles and the right time and the right place.

[atnor]

We’d have to see the volume exiting the 403 to see if a signal is feasible. From my line of work, the MTO would probably like to maintain the free flow exit to prevent backing up onto the 403. It would be a massive challenge to reconfigure the ramp as is to make two way of main realistic. I think reconstruction would be most realistic to make two way work but the MTO would have the final say on that.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by atnor

We’d have to see the volume exiting the 403 to see if a signal is feasible. From my line of work, the MTO would probably like to maintain the free flow exit to prevent backing up onto the 403. It would be a massive challenge to reconfigure the ramp as is to make two way of main realistic. I think reconstruction would be most realistic to make two way work but the MTO would have the final say on that.

Yes. Micro-simulation of the traffic flow would be necessary too, and consideration for the impacts on the ramp coming off the Burlington-bound lanes of the 403 onto the south lanes of Main.

While the city does have jurisdiction over the street, the ramps/interchanges are Ontario responsibility, so a case would have to be made and the timing of the investments coordinated (this is why it took a while to improve the one connecting the Linc and 403... originally the Linc and 403 used the old Mohawk Rd. cloverleaf interchange, before being massively upgraded; MTO's timeline was different from the city's)

Just about every urban parclo interchange along the QEW, 403, and other freeways has 400-500 metre off ramps that end at traffic lights. This particular one is longer, about 700m from start to where it merges onto Main. It would probably need to be widened to 2-3 lanes at a Main intersection, but could also feed directly into Frid, which will see more traffic itself once the new connection at MIP is built.

I don't think the engineering would be that challenging, though these projects aren't cheap. MTO has been struggling to figure out how to widen the 403 through lower Hamilton, given the limitations of the trench along Chedoke Creek and the cut going up the escarpment, but if this section gets expanded one day that would be a perfect time to revisit the interchanges as well, which would need ramp modifications where they meet the highway anyway.

[HamiltonBoyInToronto]

Just change main Street to two ways starting at dundurn lights ... Leave the bridges one way they connect on the other side of the 403 anyway ...

[ShavedParmesanCheese]

Originally Posted by HamiltonBoyInToronto

Just change main Street to two ways starting at dundurn lights ... Leave the bridges one way they connect on the other side of the 403 anyway ...

That's a good idea, once the LRT's built and we have another bridge spanning the 403, we can then argue over ramp integration with the rest of the street.

Hell, once could make the case to just keep both streets single way between Dundurn and Longwood anyways. There's only 3 crossings over the 403 after all.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by HamiltonBoyInToronto

Just change main Street to two ways starting at dundurn lights ... Leave the bridges one way they connect on the other side of the 403 anyway ...

That might be fine as well.

[TheHonestMaple]

For those of you that want to see what that 403 bridge will look like,

[eatboots]

A huge hurdle with conversion is that it is easier for people on the mountain, Stoney Creek and trucks from the industrial area to get to and from the 403 by going through the city. Getting votes is tough but if the LRT is forced on the city there may be no choice but to convert.

[urban_planner]

Excavator on site. Posted picture on my twitter page if someone can properly link it here feel free too. They also have banners on the fence with renders

https://twitter.com/ray_love/status/...520284673?s=19

[TheHonestMaple]

Too bad the government announced today that all 'non essential' construction is now banned.