+ Another thing that pops out at me on that list, is
Riverview Drive.
I'm still astounded how much infrastructure attention Riverview Drive receives as a street with very, very few housing units. Riverview drive is the only place on the West Side with a
pedestrian overpass across the throughway, and as far as i know, it's also the the only place on the West Side with an
underpass beneath the throughway. Now it's trail system is getting a massive upgrade. Like, sure, it'll be a nice addition for cyclists on the West Side, but it's not like this trail doesn't already exist. Moreover, the bike ride between the West Side and Reversing Falls Bridge is already a very easy ride as is, with very little traffic until you get to the bridge itself.
I still think the
far greater need is a direct pedestrian overpass between Fairville Plaza and the West Side... I still find it absolutely confounding that the Riverside Drive pedestrian overpass was ever considered a priority, when they already had the underpass at the bottom of the street and the spiral sidewalk at the top of the street. Maybe flood risk played into it, but regardless, there exists a far greater need to connect the rest of the West Side across the throughway with
another pedestrian overpass. Not only would an overpass be a game changer for cycling across the throughway on the west side, it would especially promote pedestrianism, and fundamentally improve walkability on both side of the throughway.
I find it concerning the the city and province don't seem to consider a west side pedestrian overpass a priority in the slightest. The Harbour Passage is great, but I think West Siders care more about solutions to better connect the West Side across the throughway, than they are concerned with riding their bikes or walking all the way Uptown and back. I will sometimes ride my bike from the West Side to the Fariville shopping area and back, and it can really be quite a cluster@$#% once you cross the throughway at Bleury Street and make a left onto Fariville Blvd on a bicycle. It can be an even bigger gong show trying to ride a bike down the the sidewalk against the flow of traffic down Fairville boulevard, which is also totally illegal, unless you walk your bike down the hill... but many people do it. The left turn onto Fairville Boulevard can be absolutely ridiculous on a bicycle, but other than traversing Simms Corner, crossing at Bleury is really about the only legal way to cross throughway on a bike and get to the Fairville Boulevard shopping, but it's still quite a mess, because you're basically forced to ride your bike in the left lane all the way down Fairville Blvd until you get to Fariville Plaza. It's not for the faint of heart, or inexperienced cyclist.
The province
already owns all of the land on both sides of the throughway that would be needed to build a pedestrian overpass between Fairville Plaza and Molson Ave. This would be a really good project for the DTI to fast track and try and complete before the Harbour Bridge construction finally concludes (if ever) lol.
I think better linking the West Side pedestrians and cyclists across the throughway should be a bigger priority than better linking West Siders to a very long and very indirect route between the West Side and Uptown on bicycle or on foot that already exists. I understand pedestrian overpasses cost a lot of money, but Molson Ave is the perfect place for DTI to build one, and would be well worth the investment to increase walkability on the West Side on both sides of the throughway. I hope the province can at least look at this spot and explore the possibility. It's without question that the throughway made the West Side fundamentally less walkable... investing in a pedestrian overpass would at least try and somewhat make up for that, more than half a century too late, but late is still better than never!
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