Let's talk about one-way streets - Page 11

coalminecanary · #1 Posted **Feb 28, 2013, 2:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

As for King and Main St. they are being used exactly as they were intended, moving traffic through the lower city as efficiently as possible.

Main and King were built as business districts LONG before they were made into one-way through ways with maximized flow rates. So no, they are not being used as originally intended.

durandy · #2 Posted **Feb 28, 2013, 2:29 PM**

if you live in the lower city you should take Burlington or the LINC, or even backtracking to the Skyway to get to the QEW. The highway options are a lot more distance but at the speed you go it's almost as quick. A person in Westdale should never be considering Main as their crosstown option. That's why cities build ring roads. They are meant for bypass trips. Anyway aside from the LINC, Burlington st is both more direct and quicker than Main, and once traffic synchronization is ended most of the traffic would go the.

Frankenrogers · #3 Posted **Feb 28, 2013, 1:08 PM**

I guess that I can see where the Main and King reasoning is coming from but why is Kirkendall full of one way streets? I would love to have my street converted to two way.

bigguy1231 · #4 Posted **Mar 1, 2013, 7:31 AM**

Give it a break. If anyone tries to speed through the downtown at any speed over 50km they will get stuck at every stop light in the downtown. I know this because I use Main street everyday from the 403 to the Clairmont Access. I drive it at night when there is little traffic and if I go over 50 km I get stuck at lights. During the day it would be worse with traffic. The synchronization does not enable anyone to speed through the downtown, it only allows traffic to flow at reasonable speeds. 50 kph is the standard speed in pretty well all cities in North America.

Dr Awesomesauce · #5 Posted **Mar 1, 2013, 9:18 AM**

And there's the problem - 50 km/h isn't a reasonable speed. You'd know that if you ever got out of your car and walked along Main, King or any of the others. Five lanes of traffic going 50+ km/h isn't good for downtown but then you don't live there do you? Nope.

mattgrande · #6 Posted **Mar 1, 2013, 1:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

Give it a break. If anyone tries to speed through the downtown at any speed over 50km they will get stuck at every stop light in the downtown. I know this because I use Main street everyday from the 403 to the Clairmont Access. I drive it at night when there is little traffic and if I go over 50 km I get stuck at lights. During the day it would be worse with traffic. The synchronization does not enable anyone to speed through the downtown, it only allows traffic to flow at reasonable speeds. 50 kph is the standard speed in pretty well all cities in North America.

Except for the people on the tail end of the green wave who speed up to 60 so they don't fall out the end...

Also, I find the lights are synced closer to 55km/h, but maybe those 5km/h don't make that much of a timing distance over those few klicks.

CaptainKirk · #7 Posted **Mar 1, 2013, 2:19 PM**

I drive it every day. Don't think 50kmh would get you through the rush of timed green lights without stopping. I'll check it next time.

If I have to two stop at 3,4 to 5 red lights to see a marked improvement in the livable and walkabale aspect of the downtown and lower city, then I'm more than willing.

A few extra minutes is no big deal! I don't get this sense of entitlement to have a perfectly timed, fast as possible, expressway through the heart of our city.

coalminecanary · #8 Posted **Mar 1, 2013, 6:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainKirk

I drive it every day. Don't think 50kmh would get you through the rush of timed green lights without stopping. I'll check it next time.

You can comfortably go 45 and hit mostly greens. The problem is, you can also comfortably go 65-70 and hit all the greens if you start at the tail end of a green. I don't care about people saying "i only go 50", because that person's actions mean nothing. Unless we can stop those maniacs who race from a yellow to get to the front of the pack, our roads will continue to be terrible places to live, work or walk.

Everyone walks during the beginning and end of their trip, no matter what mode they use. Wouldn't it be nice if the middle of our city was treated as an end point instead of a path to another place?

The system is fundamentally flawed for any application other than long distance through traffic. By being super efficient at just one task, the result is a wholly inefficient transportation system.

Jon Dalton · #9 Posted **Mar 1, 2013, 7:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

Give it a break. If anyone tries to speed through the downtown at any speed over 50km they will get stuck at every stop light in the downtown.

Apparently this guy managed:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toront...ing-trial.html

coalminecanary · #10 Posted **Mar 1, 2013, 6:29 PM**

The same people who complain about our high taxes throw a conniption when any proposal comes forward that threatens their ability to drive through the city as fast as possible. The bad news for them is that reality doesn't allow for these two desires to co-exist.

The ONLY way for us to get our taxes under control is to have more dwelling units and more businesses in the same physical land area.

No matter how we accomplish this, the result is going to be more people, meaning more congestion - especially downtown.

Toronto is great, "except for the traffic". But without that traffic, Toronto would look just like Hamilton.

Pearlstreet · #11 Posted **Apr 15, 2013, 10:48 PM**

I have to vent this one...

In October of 2012 I wrote a letter to Bernie Morelli and copied his office in the hopes to spur action of traffic changes or calming to Victoria Ave. I warned of the dangers of having frequent accidents and near misses of children crossing from J.C. Beemer Park. There used to be a school on that property, but since it was removed, traffic speed limits have increased!!!! The city has since installed a water sprinkler park and cleaned up the play ground to attract more kids! I never even got a reply to my letter.

While exiting my house this morning, a little girl under the age of five was hit by a Maroon Lexus SUV while crossing Victoria Ave North at Wilson. She was bleeding from her head, but alive thank god. What can I do to promote a change? I'm am desperate for a solution as my words fall on apparant deaf ears.

Dr Awesomesauce · #12 Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 12:49 AM**

Terrible. And you can be sure the coppers are subtly laying the blame at the mother's feet. It's never the driver's fault, afterall.

Along those lines, it's a shame we can't get the police on side for two-way/ complete streets - not really part of their modus operandi, however.

movingtohamilton · #13 Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 3:01 PM**

Send that image to the mainstream media in #HamOnt, and to all the councillors and the mayor. Public shaming is the recourse at the moment.

oldcoote · #14 Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 5:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce

Terrible. And you can be sure the coppers are subtly laying the blame at the mother's feet. It's never the driver's fault, afterall.

Along those lines, it's a shame we can't get the police on side for two-way/ complete streets - not really part of their modus operandi, however.

Please. This has nothing to do with the police.

Dr Awesomesauce · #15 Posted **Apr 17, 2013, 3:02 PM**

Guilty as charged...but I'm probably right.

LikeHamilton · #16 Posted **May 9, 2013, 2:31 PM**

Keanin Loomis, incoming Hamilton Chamber CEO

Here is a video posted today by the Chamber. He talks about one-way streets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=jLvfYxFaS_Q

Frankenrogers · #17 Posted **May 10, 2013, 2:59 PM**

A petition that I recently signed to make Charlton two way if anyone is interested.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/charltontraffic/

LikeHamilton · #18 Posted **May 30, 2013, 7:23 PM**

MacNab will be converted to two-way street

The stretch of MacNab Street between Cannon and Burlington Streets will be permanently converted to two-way traffic.

The conversion will take place beginning Tuesday, June 18 and will require the addition of traffic signals at the Cannon Street and MacNab Street intersection and the installation of new stop signs at various intersections on MacNab Street North.

Staging of the conversion will begin Monday, June 3, two weeks before the implementation. Motorists are advised to exercise caution while driving through this area and to be aware of new signs and pavement markings indicating the flow of traffic. The city is also asking drivers to keep a watch for pedestrians.

This implementation project was identified in both the 2001 Downtown Transportation Master Plan and the more recently completed North End Traffic Management Plan.

The long-term traffic plan for the North End also includes installation of 30 km/h speed limit signs on all streets in the North End neighbourhood with the exception of James and Burlington Streets. Those signs are expected to go up in August.

For more information on the North End Traffic Management Plan and future implementation projects, visit hamilton.ca/north-end-traffic.

Hamilton Spectator

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/32...wo-way-street/

Dr Awesomesauce · #19 Posted **May 31, 2013, 12:40 AM**

It'll be chaos, mark my words.

ScreamingViking · #20 Posted **Jul 16, 2013, 9:45 PM**

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/38...wo-red-lights/
(also http://youtu.be/XUyuvxe3wRU if the Spec's story changes)

Yeah, "not completely safe" is right... I'd like to know how long his actual trip was at the speeds it looks like he was driving. Very much doubt it was a half-hour. 20 minutes? Less??

Still, it's a good illustration of how traffic is finely tuned in this city, even on the stretches where he wasn't driving one-way streets.

Though I'd have hated to be walking the sidewalk next to this guy when he was in the edge lane.