08-01-2020, 09:45 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-01-2020, 09:48 PM by danbrotherston.)
(08-01-2020, 09:33 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:(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.
I'm not talking about Westmount, in fact I'm specifically not talking about Westmount pre- or post-covid...I agree, it should have 3 lanes in the future. I'm talking in general, many two lane roads never carry more traffic than Westmount does today, I'd even venture a guess that given our regions obsession with widening roads, most two lane roads never carry more traffic than Westmount does today, and today Westmount is functioning well without turn lanes. That's the point, turn lanes aren't always necessary for maintaining the flow of traffic, on higher speed roads they may improve safety, but for a low speed road like Queen (where this conversation did originate), even if turns are permitted, chances are good the only value turn lanes provide is in improving travel times, not reducing congestion or improving safety. This is doubly the case when traffic is moving slow on a road like Queen because turning left becomes easier and safer. This is already demonstrated at King/Queen intersection which has no turn lanes, yet Queen operates fine.
Of course, if our region was willing to build small roundabouts they'd also be an option...but right now they aren't willing to do that either.
Empty asphault is an argument against roads frankly....but in terms of what drivers will do, I do not believe that the few angry aggressive drivers should dictate how we build our roads, and further, there shouldn't be a wide open swath of asphalt to encourage speeding anyway, and on Queen, there isn't, past the intersection with Charles, it is still very tight, and drivers would have to drive calmly.