08-01-2020, 09:33 PM
(08-01-2020, 02:29 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I am actually quite surprised at how well traffic is flowing on Westmount and I have adjusted by beliefs based on that. I am not accusing you of being pro-car, do not take that opinion, but do not advise me to take you seriously, I do, we are allowed to disagree.
This is obviously due to low traffic levels. Right now at Glasgow southbound there is a single lane for left-turning, right-turning, and straight through traffic. During a typical (not now-typical, typical-typical) rush hour, the first person who wants to turn left will stop southbound traffic entirely until the red light comes and they can make their turn. If the next person is also turning left, they may well have to wait until the next red to make their turn. Meanwhile the entire southbound road south of Glasgow will be empty of vehicles — just empty asphalt uselessly waiting for somebody to use it. Guess what impatient drivers will, understandably, do when they finally get to it?
Problems similar to the above were already regularly observed before Covid, with 2 lanes southbound at Glasgow. Of course what is really needed there is what was there previously — 1 left turn lane, and 1 straight through lane; and given that there is only 1 straight through lane at Glasgow, there obviously only needs to be one straight through lane from at least Erb south to Glasgow (and personally I would make that Benjamin Rd. to Fischer-Hallman, i.e., the entire road).
On the other hand, if everybody happens to be going straight, no problem — everybody waiting might get through on a single light.
No, predictable, smooth (not unfettered; smooth) traffic flow is much better. Don’t forget, buses are also waiting for traffic (of course, I would build more bus lanes and dedicated roads; but there is no reasonable scenario in which bus traffic doesn’t mix with other traffic in some places).
You’re 100% right about lane widths however. It is totally ridiculous how wide lanes are in many places.