General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[danbrotherston]

Isn't that precisely the intention (not to drive but to be able to pull over) ?

You’re making Dan’s point again. There is (apparently) space for cars to pull over, but not space to reserve exclusively for pedestrians. Why don’t we say that there isn’t space for cars to pull over? No stopping. The hotel can create a loading zone around back or something (but ultimately, it’s their problem to figure out, not ours). Alternately, the road could be made one way, which would free up an entire lane’s worth of space.

This also relates to Dan’s comment about turn lanes. Generally speaking, I support the inclusion of turn lanes; but in this location, they should instead forbid the turns in question. The traffic engineers are saying there isn’t space for wide sidewalks at the intersections; I say there isn’t space for turn lanes (or, therefore, turns) at the intersections.

While I’m at it (no longer really responding to panamaniac), I would point out that if an intersection has no turns you can have the ultimate in low-radius corner curb (nominally 0; actually maybe 10cm to avoid making a sharp point which would just wear out prematurely) and therefore absolutely minimal pedestrian crossing distance. Which should be a very high priority goal in Downtown.

Turn lanes are an interesting question, I support them in some instances, when they improve safety, but I don't really support them just to improve motor vehicle flow. In some places, realistically, they are needed, but in other places, especially downtown like this, the space would be better used for other purposes...then you have the choice between restricting turns (and using camera enforcment to make the restriction legitimate), or just allowing turns and dealing with the reduction in vehicle throughput--basically it's one more form of traffic calming, which again I don't see as a bad thing (I am after all a "soldier" in this entirely real and totally not made up "war on cars").

On turn Radii you're absolutely right, if there's a low roll curb, the radii should be effectively zero...