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I made a short video that shows the route and the condition of the now-delayed Beltline Gap Connection.


A few observations:
  • The left "turning lane" on Elm Ridge is hardly worthy of the name
  • The worst part is where the road narrows on Marlee immediately south of Roselawn
  • Any separated bike infrastructure along Marlee between Roselawn and Eglinton is going to be so much better than the status quo
  • Drivers weren't too bad that day as far as things go but even in this short clip there's some indication of why I see a lot of people in the area biking on the sidewalk
 
Opposite direction traffic I passed while cycling the Highland Creek Trail today. 😄

IMG_4704.jpeg
 
Cambry Ardship said:
I made a short video that shows the route and the condition of the now-delayed Beltline Gap Connection.


A few observations:
  • The left "turning lane" on Elm Ridge is hardly worthy of the name
  • The worst part is where the road narrows on Marlee immediately south of Roselawn
  • Any separated bike infrastructure along Marlee between Roselawn and Eglinton is going to be so much better than the status quo
  • Drivers weren't too bad that day as far as things go but even in this short clip there's some indication of why I see a lot of people in the area biking on the sidewalk
Click to expand...
Very nice, thank you. But as this is a gap connection, why continue along Marlee all the way to Eglinton? Shouldn't the connection connect to the western part of the trail?
 
ThenWhat said:
Very nice, thank you. But as this is a gap connection, why continue along Marlee all the way to Eglinton? Shouldn't the connection connect to the western part of the trail?
Click to expand...
Why not kill two birds with one stone by filling both the Marlee and Beltline gaps as this proposal called for? ;) I used to ride Shaw-Winona-Marlee often and that gap between Eglinton and Roselawn had always been a sore point.
 
TwoWheelPoli said:
Why not kill two birds with one stone by filling both the Marlee and Beltline gaps as this proposal called for? ;) I used to ride Shaw-Winona-Marlee often and that gap between Eglinton and Roselawn had always been a sore point.
Click to expand...
Fair enough, I agree. If we can bridge two gaps at the same time, great. So it's really more than just a Beltline gap connection.
 
Yes, the Beltline Gap Connection is poorly named because it's doing a lot more than just connecting the Beltline over the Allen. The route is is blue below, with the Beltline in red.

1748440769646.png


Complicating matters, there's also a separate plan (yellow) to build another segment behind the apartment buildings on Elm Ridge. This has been delayed due to construction for the Reena and because some other buildings complained about the proposed connection.

As I understand it, Councillor Colle wants to build a pedestrian/cycling bridge over the Allen to connect both segments (green). I don't think there's been any movement on this but I suspect he wants it as some sort of legacy piece, because there are two perfectly good and underused bridges just metres away on either side.

I'm sure that's all very nice and all but the area needs safe cycling and improved pedestrian infrastructure today, not 10 years from now.

I think the piece on Marlee is far more important both as a safe connection for people living around Roselawn/Viewmount to get to Eglinton and as the last link between the Waterfront (via Winona/Shaw) and Lawrence, than as the connection between both sides of the Beltline. I think the street and area as a whole has a lot of untapped potential as a cycling neighbourhood.
 
Cambry Ardship said:
Yes, the Beltline Gap Connection is poorly named because it's doing a lot more than just connecting the Beltline over the Allen. The route is is blue below, with the Beltline in red.

View attachment 654429

Complicating matters, there's also a separate plan (yellow) to build another segment behind the apartment buildings on Elm Ridge. This has been delayed due to construction for the Reena and because some other buildings complained about the proposed connection.

As I understand it, Councillor Colle wants to build a pedestrian/cycling bridge over the Allen to connect both segments (green). I don't think there's been any movement on this but I suspect he wants it as some sort of legacy piece, because there are two perfectly good and underused bridges just metres away on either side.

I'm sure that's all very nice and all but the area needs safe cycling and improved pedestrian infrastructure today, not 10 years from now.

I think the piece on Marlee is far more important both as a safe connection for people living around Roselawn/Viewmount to get to Eglinton and as the last link between the Waterfront (via Winona/Shaw) and Lawrence, than as the connection between both sides of the Beltline. I think the street and area as a whole has a lot of untapped potential as a cycling neighbourhood.
Click to expand...

100% agree with you on everything!

In my opinion, a NEW bridge would be a complete waste of money. There is more than enough room on either of the bridges North and South of the Beltline for a bi-directional cycle track, and as someone else mentioned in this thread earlier the bridge South can potentially even just be closed to car traffic completely without really significantly impacting the car movement in the area.
 
Cambry Ardship said:
Yes, the Beltline Gap Connection is poorly named because it's doing a lot more than just connecting the Beltline over the Allen. The route is is blue below, with the Beltline in red.

View attachment 654429

Complicating matters, there's also a separate plan (yellow) to build another segment behind the apartment buildings on Elm Ridge. This has been delayed due to construction for the Reena and because some other buildings complained about the proposed connection.

As I understand it, Councillor Colle wants to build a pedestrian/cycling bridge over the Allen to connect both segments (green). I don't think there's been any movement on this but I suspect he wants it as some sort of legacy piece, because there are two perfectly good and underused bridges just metres away on either side.

I'm sure that's all very nice and all but the area needs safe cycling and improved pedestrian infrastructure today, not 10 years from now.

I think the piece on Marlee is far more important both as a safe connection for people living around Roselawn/Viewmount to get to Eglinton and as the last link between the Waterfront (via Winona/Shaw) and Lawrence, than as the connection between both sides of the Beltline. I think the street and area as a whole has a lot of untapped potential as a cycling neighbourhood.
Click to expand...
Colle put forth a motion that was passed at council something like 3 years ago for transportation staff to assess the feasibility of the bridge project.

I checked in with Jacquelyn Hayward last year who got back to me and informed me that they just never did so, as it wasn't a priority. Amazing how staff can just ignore the will of council.

I also checked in with Colle's office, asking where he stands on that idea and whether he would approach staff about at least assessing it as council ordered, but no one ever got back to me.

IF that bridge ever happens it won't be under this councillor, and will be of benefit to later generations than you or I.
 
@bearcat

@slicecom raised this issue in the St. St. Lawrence neighbourhood thread a few days back ....

I just want to link to my response there..... should anyone find it useful.

St Lawrence Market

This streetscape project has AT LAST got back to the top of the pile. It is partly due to the new(ish) Google building. It will result in Leader Lane from Colborne to Wellington being fully pedestrianised. MM30.18 - Authorization to Release Section 37 Funds for Colborne Street Area...
urbantoronto.ca urbantoronto.ca
 
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