West Toronto Diamond – Overnight Work Temporary Change in Working Hour

 

 

 

 

 

 

Road issues about the Junction

Has anyone else noticed the incredibly rough and probably car damaging and people tripping state of the side street roads in the junction.

It's common knowledge the city has a monetary road fixing crises

Maybe it's tome for a road repair only tax?

St Clair Avenue West Streetcar Transit opens again

Thanks to blog readers JJ and RS for bringing this to the blogs attention

[caption id="attachment_6919" align="aligncenter" width="487" caption="The Gunn's Ave loop during reconstruction"][/caption]

Keele St subway continues with unloading of concrete panels

Structural upgrades generally consisting of the construction of five new piers within the parking lot to provide additional support of the bridge deck. All work is being conducted within the property of the commuter parking lot.

10 large diameter caisson holes were augered into the ground; 5 holes on either side of the bridge. Each pair of caissons were joined with a concrete beam that was formed below grade and poured over the caissons. A steel frame will be placed and permanently rest on each of the concrete beams. The steel frames will be jacked up to the underside of the bridge to provide added support.

text from TTC

How busy can the intersection of Keele St. and Dundas St. West get?

The above two images taken seconds apart and  within the time range of a west/east red light show the characteristic traffic congestion at  Keele St and Dundas St West.

While the pass though traffic is simply a fact of inner city life,  this author is wondering about the effects of this intersection on the Junction community. Do many people find it troublesome to cross? Does the traffic volume and way drivers turn and pass thought the intersection cause you to pause to cross to frequent the store on either side of Keele St. at Dundas?

MPP Cheri DiNovo demands new Transportation Minister solve local pile-driving headache

January 20, 2010

DiNovo demands new Transportation Minister solve local pile-driving headache

Parkdale-High Park—NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo is calling on newly appointed Minister of Transportation, Kathleen Wynne to take immediate action on the year-long headache surrounding GO/Metrolinx’s pile driving nightmare in the Junction neighborhood.

“Over a year ago, GO/Metrolinx began an abusive and torturous pile-driving in the West-Toronto Diamond corridor,” she said. “This week we learned that GO/Metrolinx is spending public dollars fighting those very taxpayers who can't live with the soul destroying and out-of-date pile driving,” she added.

“It is time that this government finally accepts responsibility for this project.  This is your agency, Minister Wynne, demand accountability! Do something for the residents now!”

West Toronto Railpath Park Official Opening Ceremonies today

Councillor Adam Giambrone invites you to the official opening of the West Toronto Railpath Park on Friday, October 30, 2009. Councillor Giambrone, the City of Toronto, and Friends of the West Toronto Railpath are pleased to open the first 2.1 km of this exciting recreational trail.

• Date: Friday, October 30, 2009


• Location: West Toronto Railpath entrance at Wallace Avenue (south of Dupont, west of Perth, north of Bloor)


• Time:
  
  
  
  • 2:00 p.m. – Opening Remarks
  
  
  • 2:15 p.m. – Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
  
  
  • 2:20 p.m. – cyclists gathered ride the trail and enjoy the sculptures
  
  
  • 2:25 p.m. – interested participants invited walk 2.1 km and explore the trail and sculptures
  
  
  
  


• RSVP: Toronto Protocol RSVP Line 416-392-7667

The West Toronto Railpath Park is a new 2.1 kilometre multi-use trail that is perfect for cyclists, joggers, and people out for a stroll. Travelling alongside the railway corridor, it features extensive naturalized landscaping to create an appealing public space.
In addition to 2.1 km of park trail, designed by innovative Toronto-based firm Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc., the project includes four site-specific sculptures by renowned Toronto artist, John Dickson. The artwork series, Frontier, is inspired by the changing landscape of the Junction Railpath area. John Dickson was selected to work collaboratively with Scott Torrance Landscape Architects Inc. through an open competition coordinated by Toronto Cultural Services’ Public Art Office.
The Friends of the West Toronto Railpath is a community-based working group with the goal of assisting the City of Toronto finance, design and build a 6.5 kilometre path from Toronto’s Junction Neighbourhood into the heart of downtown Toronto and the shoreline of Lake Ontario.

Once future phases of the Railpath are built, it will be both a linear park and a sustainable transportation corridor, giving more than 250,000 Toronto residents a car-free path directly into the Toronto’s downtown core.Toronto Railpath Park Official Opening Ceremonies

Councillor Adam Giambrone invites you to the official opening of the West Toronto Railpath Park on Friday, October 30, 2009. Councillor Giambrone, the City of Toronto, and Friends of the West Toronto Railpath are pleased to open the first 2.1 km of this exciting recreational trail.

Date: Friday, October 30, 2009

Location: West Toronto Railpath entrance at Wallace Avenue (south of Dupont, west of Perth, north of Bloor). See attached map.

Time: 2:00 p.m. – Opening Remarks

2:15 p.m. – Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

2:20 p.m. – cyclists gathered ride the trail and enjoy the sculptures

2:25 p.m. – interested participants invited walk 2.1 km and explore the trail and sculptures

RSVP: Toronto Protocol RSVP Line 416-392-7667

The West Toronto Railpath Park is a new 2.1 kilometre multi-use trail that is perfect for cyclists, joggers, and people out for a stroll. Travelling alongside the railway corridor, it features extensive naturalized landscaping to create an appealing public space.

In addition to 2.1 km of park trail, designed by innovative Toronto-based firm Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc., the project includes four site-specific sculptures by renowned Toronto artist, John Dickson. The artwork series, Frontier, is inspired by the changing landscape of the Junction Railpath area. John Dickson was selected to work collaboratively with Scott Torrance Landscape Architects Inc. through an open competition coordinated by Toronto Cultural Services’ Public Art Office.

The Friends of the West Toronto Railpath is a community-based working group with the goal of assisting the City of Toronto finance, design and build a 6.5 kilometre path from Toronto’s Junction Neighbourhood into the heart of downtown Toronto and the shoreline of Lake Ontario.

Once future phases of the Railpath are built, it will be both a linear park and a sustainable transportation corridor, giving more than 250,000 Toronto residents a car-free path directly into the Toronto’s downtown coreWest Toronto Railpath Park Official Opening Ceremonies

Councillor Adam Giambrone invites you to the official opening of the West Toronto Railpath Park on Friday, October 30, 2009. Councillor Giambrone, the City of Toronto, and Friends of the West Toronto Railpath are pleased to open the first 2.1 km of this exciting recreational trail.

Date: Friday, October 30, 2009

Location: West Toronto Railpath entrance at Wallace Avenue (south of Dupont, west of Perth, north of Bloor). See attached map.

Time: 2:00 p.m. – Opening Remarks

2:15 p.m. – Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

2:20 p.m. – cyclists gathered ride the trail and enjoy the sculptures

2:25 p.m. – interested participants invited walk 2.1 km and explore the trail and sculptures

RSVP: Toronto Protocol RSVP Line 416-392-7667

The West Toronto Railpath Park is a new 2.1 kilometre multi-use trail that is perfect for cyclists, joggers, and people out for a stroll. Travelling alongside the railway corridor, it features extensive naturalized landscaping to create an appealing public space.

In addition to 2.1 km of park trail, designed by innovative Toronto-based firm Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc., the project includes four site-specific sculptures by renowned Toronto artist, John Dickson. The artwork series, Frontier, is inspired by the changing landscape of the Junction Railpath area. John Dickson was selected to work collaboratively with Scott Torrance Landscape Architects Inc. through an open competition coordinated by Toronto Cultural Services’ Public Art Office.

The Friends of the West Toronto Railpath is a community-based working group with the goal of assisting the City of Toronto finance, design and build a 6.5 kilometre path from Toronto’s Junction Neighbourhood into the heart of downtown Toronto and the shoreline of Lake Ontario.

Once future phases of the Railpath are built, it will be both a linear park and a sustainable transportation corridor, giving more than 250,000 Toronto residents a car-free path directly into the Toronto’s downtown core.

Parking meter removed today in relation to new High Park traffic lights

Park link employees remove the  Parking meter today in front of the chocolate shop. Speaking to a few business  owners near the intersection, it is clear they like the lights.

The only change some would like is the placement back in use of a couple of the parking spots on the north side  to slow traffic - some of which uses the most north lane as a passing lane when exiting the lights.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dundas High Park Ave traffic lights

[caption id="attachment_5390" align="aligncenter" width="473" caption="Pascal Abboud chair of the Junction BIA with Councillor Bill Saundercook and Martin Lennox of the JRA cutting the ribbon"][/caption]

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the new traffic lights at was held today at lights with Councillor Bill Saundercook and Martin Lennox of the Junction Residents Association along with Pascal Abboud chair of the Junction BIA cutting the ribbon.

Of note in the new lights enlivened intersection our the are the zebra strips painted on the roadway in the pedestrian crossing area. When speaking to one the City of Toronto raffic light designers at the ceremony the blog was told that one of the occurring issues at "T" intersections is the need for left turning cars drivers to be aware of   pedestrians crossing the roadway.

Take a cross at the intersection now and get a feel of how the lights have knitted the intersection further into the Dundas st west streetscape.

While the blog has been promoting   this event for a while now, everyone should know that Bea Mozdzanowski Constituency Assistant to Mr  Saundercook, has kept the blog and  this author up to date on the city timeline for the lights arranging a multiple of necessary items for the event to happen.

An interview with ROB PRICHARD, METROLINX PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE

The Globe and Mail online has a interview with ROB PRICHARD online here

Two local relevant section outtakes from the article

On meeting the Tier 4 emissions standards on its Georgetown corridor trains

GO Transit has ... an enviable record of adopting the best available diesel technology and the cleanest available diesel fuel in every stage in its evolution as an organization. We are known to the manufacturers as eager to see technological advances and open to embracing the best technology as it becomes available. So there's no change for GO. We think it is a price worth paying, whatever the price is. It is not our expectation that it will dramatically increase the price of the locomotives. The locomotives we are acquiring now, while Tier 2 certified, are in fact compliant with the Tier 3 standards already and we just are very much in favour of these further technological improvements to reduce the pollutants from the emissions from the vehicles and we're happy to pay the market price of that technology as it becomes available over the next few years. We do not believe it will double it, but we are happy to pay the increased costs to have a cleaner environment and less emissions.

On the electrification of the line

Our current estimate of the cost of electrifying the Georgetown line only is $1.5-billion. We estimate the cost of electrifying the GO system, including Lakeshore East and Lakeshore West and the other lines, to be somewhere between $7 and $10-billion. So those are our current estimates. We have announced a thorough study of the benefits, all the benefits, and costs of electrification of the GO system and its individual lines. We began that study in June with a community advisory council of scientists, environmentalists, community representative, engineers and others to advise us on how to properly scope a thorough study. That work is coming to a conclusion over the next two weeks. We expect to get the approval of our board of directors to then proceed with the full study pursuant to that scope of work and complete it by December of next year. as a result of that, we'll have a very clear case made of the health benefit, the environmental benefit, the transit benefits, the community benefits of electrification, and we'll have a clear view of the financial costs of electrification and of the engineering costs. That is, to electrify the corridor will require transmission lines. Do we bring the power to the corridor through some communities? Then we need to be frank and open about that. It requires putting wires above all the tracks which are going through communities, and we need to be frank about that. So we need all the costs and all the benefits on the table so that an informed decision can be made. We'll make all that work public and then, following public debate, the province can make a decision as to whether or not to make that investment, and if so, at what pace. Because you can't electrify the entire system at once, because we would have to do it in some sequence, and we want to make sure we do the most urgent lines first and then do it in the right sequence as well. So we think given the magnitude of the public investment required to electrify, we think it's prudent to spend a year doing a very thorough study of the issues before making a commitment to it. In the meantime, we're confident that using the Tier 4 diesel technology, we can expand services on the Georgetown line and do so in a way that's consistent with improving air quality.

Dundas Street West and High Park Avenue traffic lights will be turned on Oct 8th at 10am

The traffic control signals at the intersection of Dundas Street West and High Park Avenue (PX2207) are scheduled to be activated next Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 10:00 am.

A community startup ceremony will be held a few days later and the date will be posted here in few days.

Toronto parking Auth.,new sign at 400 Keele St. going in today

The old sign was removed some time ago and the footigs installed and they are finally placing the new sign today  at the Green P at 400 Keele  St.

Cleantrain Queens park event - July 20th 2009 10am

Cleantrain is organizing this event, over at their site you can download posters and dropcards. [link]

West Toronto Railpath Opening Parade Saturday, June 20, 2009

[caption id="attachment_4445" align="aligncenter" width="343" caption="Click image to download 8.5 x 11 page version"][/caption]

			A ribbon-cutting and community bike parade to celebrate the opening of the West Toronto Railpath. Come and discover the new path. For info or to get involved email railpathopening@gmail.com Presented by: Friends of the West Toronto Railpath Date: Saturday, June 20, 2009 Start time: 02:00 PM End time: 03:30 PM Rain date:
			Location:
			Wallace Avenue east of Symington at the entrance to the West Toronto Railpath. Under the pedestrian bridge.
				Web site: www.railpath.ca