Viva Rapidways Davis Dr
I think the main goal of the busway is going to be to mitigate any increased traffic tension that will inevitably happen as the population in York Region continues to explode. So increased ridership will come by the naturally growing population numbers.
If Highway 7 stays as busy and congested as it was 3 years ago, even 5 years from now, then the busway is a resounding success. Given the rate of population increase, if they don't do something to make transit look attractive, you're just going to have a parking lot on your hands for 14 hours of every day.
That said, you work in the area but I live in the area. I once tried taking my bike on Highway 7 only to realize there wasn't even sidewalks for vast sections of it. Trust me, this is going to bring out all kinds of people and new developments that bring more pedestrian focused developments to the street. When this thing is done, you won't find any more big box stores along this stretch. Storefronts will be designed to make it easy for pedestrians to walk in from the sidewalk. Just you watch.
I think the main goal of the busway is going to be to mitigate any increased traffic tension that will inevitably happen as the population in York Region continues to explode. So increased ridership will come by the naturally growing population numbers.
If Highway 7 stays as busy and congested as it was 3 years ago, even 5 years from now, then the busway is a resounding success. Given the rate of population increase, if they don't do something to make transit look attractive, you're just going to have a parking lot on your hands for 14 hours of every day.
That said, you work in the area but I live in the area. I once tried taking my bike on Highway 7 only to realize there wasn't even sidewalks for vast sections of it. Trust me, this is going to bring out all kinds of people and new developments that bring more pedestrian focused developments to the street. When this thing is done, you won't find any more big box stores along this stretch. Storefronts will be designed to make it easy for pedestrians to walk in from the sidewalk. Just you watch.
I think when Downtown Markham is really up and running it will make a big difference as well. I can see a lot more people, especially young professionals, living there and working in one of the offices along Highway 7.
There are quite a few Planning Engineering firms located along the Highway 7 corridor. I know that if I got a job with one of them, I'd be looking at Downtown Markham as my 1st area to look in, and that would be specifically because of the transit access to both the Highway 7 corridor and the GO network with Unionville not that far away.
No, they truly did manage traffic exceptionally well. Maybe you're referring to the last two weeks where they've had no choice but to really restrict lanes to do their paving work, but up until now it has been handled very well.
They work well into the night (and often times 24/7) just to decrease impact during rush hours, and if you subscribe to the VivaNext email blasts, they send extremely regular emails notifying people of what work is coming up over the next few days, how it will impact the roads, and at what times and which lanes.
Every time anyone complains about the traffic on 7, I just roll my eyes. Just imagine how much of a mess the same project anywhere in the 416 would be.
I work in the area / have many friends in the area, you need to understand the culture.
Having said that, the route is semi well used rush hour, this may increase a little. I can bet you (and I'm willing to) off peak ridership will remain dismal, bus lane or not.
That's just one side of the argument, I'm referring to the east side of Hi way 7, the restaurants / malls in the area are 100% car oriented, and this won't do anything to change that unless they get demolished. This applies to the offices as well, but that's not a big deal, enough people (generally younger folks) do take transit.
While the busway won't make much difference in speed relative to before construction, the fact that they spared no expense is what is needed to attract suburbanites. As you correctly note, suburbanites are more predisposed to avoid transit, largely because our roads blatantly place cars at the top of the heirarchy of modes. But this project switches things around, visually making transit the default means of transport in the corridor. I remember when they introduced Viva buses in 2005, every one was impressed even though they still operated in mixed traffic. I have overheard people on Viva saying that they wouldn't ride YRT but they ride Viva. It's similar to the people in Toronto who ride the subway but not buses. I am certain they will be impressed again when the rapidways open and we'll see solid ridership during peak hours.
I know I will be riding the rapidway as soon as it opens. At the moment I tend to avoid the bus because it is so slow.
I agree that it will probably not initially result in much increase in off peak ridership (it will make those buses slower than before unless they have effective transit priority). However, the busway has spurred a construction boom in the area which will result in a much greater intensity and variety of land uses, many of which will be street oriented. That is what will result in a gradual increase in off peak ridership.
The project increased the number of traffic lights on Hwy7, and the protected left turns mean there is less green time for through traffic along Hwy7.
There's 2 Nike Heels Uk types of walkability: European walkability and Hong Kong style megaproject walkability.
The first one the European version is a complete pipe dream on Highway 7. Highway 7 won't ever have the walkability of Yonge and Lawrence, let alone Copenhagen.
The second one where World on Yonge type megaprojects feed directly onto pedestrian overpasses that lead to transit stations, while 6 lane traffic rolls by unimpeded below is doable. A lot of planners and urbanists find this to be inferior, but at the end of the day, the outcomes of the Hong Kong style megaproject walkability are the same as those of the much more favoured European model: people walk to get to activities within the megacomplex and primarily rely on public transit for longer trips.
There's 2 types of walkability: European walkability and Hong Kong style megaproject walkability.
The first one the European version is a complete pipe dream on Highway 7. Highway Nike Free Run Womens Uk 7 won't ever have the walkability of Yonge and Lawrence, let alone Copenhagen.
The second one where World on Yonge type megaprojects feed directly onto pedestrian overpasses that lead to transit stations, while 6 lane traffic rolls by unimpeded below is doable. A lot of planners and urbanists find this to be inferior, but at the end of the day, the outcomes of the Hong Kong style megaproject walkability are the same as those of the much more favoured European model: people walk to get to activities within the megacomplex and primarily rely on public transit for longer trips.
I guess we have to pay for arenas and all sorts of other stuff first? This is the story I was thinking of: About $10M/km to bury along Hwy. If/when the nodes develop along the road at VMC, in Markham and at Yonge, development will spread out from them. There are clear obstacles like the railyard and the highway stretch from Dufferin to Bayview, for sure, but less so to the east.
That said, I think the main problem with the modernist HK style urbanism mentioned above is that it kills the activity on the street. The outdoor public space becomes vacant, unappealing, and even dangerous. It can work if there is such a high concentration of people that it keeps the realm from overcrowding (ex: Eaton's Centre, PATH, etc), but besides that it just kills urbanity. Even worse, is that if you want to reach a point outside of the mega development, but not far enough away by transit, then you have no choice but to walk or drive through this zone.
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
California. Forest Service officials
They are the ones that should be honored for the BRAVE RESCUE of the twins
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