[Uptown] Erb/Bridgeport/Caroline/Albert Reconstruction

[timc]

What about adding a diagonal crossing from north-west (Clay and Glass) to south-east (Waterloo Town Square) parallel to the LRT track that is activated whenever the Ion comes through? The intersection will be at full stop every few minutes anyway, why not let the activate transportation users take full advantage of the stoppage?

I don't think the ion will take long enough to go through the intersection to make it worthwhile, will it?

[Spokes]

Interesting proposal indeed.

For those in the know, what is the benefit of the coloured concrete?

[Markster]

Usually "coloured" also means "textured". It serves as a buffer to discourage pedestrians from walking right on the edge of the sidewalk, where they're liable to get smacked by cars' side view mirrors. When they have space, they prefer to use a grass buffer, but in particularly narrow areas, grass doesn't survive, so it's best to just lay more concrete.

[BuildingScout]

Could you elaborate on this? As I see it, Bridgeport and Erb terminate in Waterloo's core, and on their paths there from the expressway they bisect (or trisect, maybe) mostly residential areas. Which streets do they go through that you see as far from being pedestrianized?

I meant to say that Erb and Bridgeport themselves are far from being pedestrianized, so no one will walk on them regardless if one or two way. I'm aching for walkable streets, but those ought to be King, Regina, University, Columbia, Charles, Victoria & Queen. It won't be Fisher-Hallman, Homer-Watson or the expressway.

[MidTowner]

I meant to say that Erb and Bridgeport themselves are far from being pedestrianized, so no one will walk on them regardless if one or two way.

Part of the reason you don't see people walking along Erb and Bridgeport is because they're so inhospitable to people on foot. But they're even more of a barrier to people getting from either side- if you live in the nice residential area around Ellis Crescent, for instance, and your kid goes to St. Agnes, I bet Erb and Bridgeport's current configurations are a pretty big negative for your mobility.

[Markster]

My preferred traffic calming measure for Erb and Bridgeport would be to add non-rush hour parking to the curb lanes. Particularly through Uptown. Those roads do not need to be 3 lanes wide at 9pm.

[SammyOES]

Don't those roads already do that?

I guess not all the way to uptown. But I know a large section has parking during non rush hour times.

[MidTowner]

It's no parking during the day along Erb and Bridgeport, outside of Uptown. But these streets carry barely 15,000 vehicles daily each, even less in many stretches- they do not need to each be three lanes one-way. They could each be converted to normal streets, one lane each way with a centre turning lane, and they would accommodate the traffic they do now without issues. But you would get fewer vehicles traveling at inappropriate speeds through residential areas, and both streets would be much more hospitable to people on foot and bike.

[Canard]

Proper timing of lights (see: Hamilton) would solve speed issues. Green wave it at 50 km/h.

[MidTowner]

Proper timing of lights (see: Hamilton) would solve speed issues. Green wave it at 50 km/h.

Oh, man. Take it from someone who has lived in Hamilton's lower city: you do not want streets like Main and King.

[Spokes]

Proper timing of lights (see: Hamilton) would solve speed issues. Green wave it at 50 km/h.

I believe I heard Bridgeport already was

[BuildingScout]

Oh, man. Take it from someone who has lived in Hamilton's lower city: you do not want streets like Main and King.

Hamilton without them would be even worse. Same town but with a permanent traffic jam. The solution has been to convert minor streets back to two way, while keeping the main arteries one way.

As to Waterloo, I do believe proper traffic planning requires ready access to the expressway from Uptown (to and fro) which is what Erb and Bridgeport provide right now. Traffic lights are synchronized for the most part.

[ookpik]

Proper timing of lights (see: Hamilton) would solve speed issues. Green wave it at 50 km/h.

Erb and Bridgeport already are at major cross roads like Weber, Regina, King, etc. But some idiot planner decided that minor cross roads like Bluevale and Ellis would be on sensors rather than part of the green wave so if you get caught by a red at one of those, even if you're trying to do 50 all along, you still get delayed. 

City hall idiots 

[Viewfromthe42]

Proper timing of lights (see: Hamilton) would solve speed issues. Green wave it at 50 km/h.

Erb and Bridgeport already are at major cross roads like Weber, Regina, King, etc. But some idiot planner decided that minor cross roads like Bluevale and Ellis would be on sensors rather than part of the green wave so if you get caught by a red at one of those, even if you're trying to do 50 all along, you still get delayed. 

City hall idiots 

This might be something to bring up with the region (I believe Bridgeport and Erb belong to them?). Having experienced Bridgeport and Erb as a driver, pedestrian, cyclist, transit user, I know just how bad it can get. Given Bridgeport additionally only has crosswalks instead of full intersection control at Peppler and Devitt, it means a very long stretch between Weber and Regina for high speeds to be achieved.

[MidTowner]

Hamilton without them would be even worse. Same town but with a permanent traffic jam. The solution has been to convert minor streets back to two way, while keeping the main arteries one way.

Hamilton can't get much worse for people who ever find themselves trying to get around without using a car. There would be no traffic jams- the roads in the lower city are over-built, and there is way too much capacity. A handful of streets have been reverted back to two-way, but many other locals remain one-way.

Notice that Main and King even very close to downtown have negligible street life. They're such a barrier that thriving retail districts (Locke Street South, James Street North) can't expand past them.

Anyway, Bridgeport and Erb can be quite unpleasant, but they're not nearly as bad as Main Street Hamilton thank God. That's not to say we can't and shouldn't insist on better here.