10-10-2017, 02:42 PM
(10-10-2017, 10:25 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: That left turn used to be allowed and some people made it. Now I am not sure of the legality because of the bike box. It is probably still legal because bike boxes aren't really in the HTA, but it makes people think twice about it. I don't think that's a common turning movement.
The two biggest improvements they could make at that intersection would be to expand the corner island so that it blocks one lane, and make the right turn channel a direct turn into the lane instead of a merge. The second would be to make the right turn lane a dedicated signal that only changes to permit trail traffic through (since there would be no other conflicting traffic movements).
I’ve looked carefully for a “no left on red” and it’s not there, so as far as I can see the turn should be permitted, although I agree the (somewhat weird) bike box probably makes people think otherwise (maybe even correctly, non-expert here). By not common, do you mean it’s not common to turn left on a red, or that particular left turn is uncommon? Because when I go by on a typical cycle there is a small lineup of multiple cars waiting to turn. I wouldn’t call it congested but it’s more than the occasional vehicle. Legal left on red is uncommon in this city but very common in places like Calgary with a one-way street grid downtown.
I agree entirely with your proposed improvements (as a more likely outcome in lieu of my idea to almost entirely eliminate the intersection). When the snow comes a large area of road that clearly doesn’t need to be road is made visible. Due to the position of the tracks, I don’t think the turn can be channelized quite as well as one might hope, but I agree that it would help to make it clearer to people turning right that they aren’t really merging with anything.