06-18-2023, 02:39 AM
(06-18-2023, 01:33 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: I think the traffic signal engineers at the region are some of the most obtuse people about their role. We had the department lead come speak to ATAC...it was like trying to talk to a brick wall. They insist they consider pedestrians in their planning, and even when we asked "this signal doesn't seem to" they just repeat the same answer. They ignored all inquiry about bagging the ped signal at King/Moore that protects pedestrians from vehicles that might drive through the retaining wall.
So it is of zero surprise that they aren't making this a priority. They simply don't care, or are in capable of understand why this matters.
This is the problem with North America...even if we look at just one of our major crises--broken transportation--it itself is composed of hundreds of self-reinforcing problems. There is no silver bullet because we're facing off against hundreds of opponents in every department.
Region aside, I'm just surprised the Ontario St bike lane was opened without a solution, even temporary, in place for the signals. Surely the city has a final checklist to confirm before opening it. Or maybe they understand the bureaucratic/political game they are playing and did this consciously.
The situation with the Regional engineers is indeed frustrating though. How does this change? Just complaining to council members?
Aside question that just came to me, for anyone who knows: Who would be responsible the bicycle lights in a project like this (design, procurement, positioning, timing, even deciding to have them in the first place, etc)? Is it split between the city and regional staff as it crosses boundaries of responsibility, or entirely up to the region?