May 7th, 2008
Wednesday’s headlines
By Monika Warzecha // 8 Comments
• 'Strong mayor' issue to get public airing [ Globe and Mail ]
• Does sharp drop in riders signal recession? [ Globe and Mail ]
• TTC fined $250,000 for failing to prevent worker's death [ Globe and Mail ]
• TTC fined in worker's death [ Toronto Star ]
• Cycle mania hits high gear; good luck getting tune-up [ Globe and Mail ]
• New transit lines will drive house prices [ Toronto Star ]
• Cities to see boost in property values: study [ National Post ]
• Gridlock warnings urged for condo buyers [ Toronto Star ]
• Developers decry 'alarming' home fees [ National Post ]
• Finding a home, a new life [ Toronto Star ]
• Students take their battle for traffic lights to council [ Toronto Star ]
• City to spray gypsy moths [ Toronto Sun ]
• Program aims to turn graffiti into art [ Toronto Sun ]
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The article deals more with traffic trying to get out onto southbound Yonge Street from the condos immediately north of the 401, rather than gridlock on Sheppard (even though the accompanying photo shows Sheppard Avenue). So perhaps the comment should be that Yonge has a well-used subway and gridlock...?
As a side note, the condos that area refer to actually aren't all that convenient to the subway... some of them are a good 800 to 900 metres from Sheppard/Yonge, or about a 10- to 12-minute walk. Roughly comparable to saying that a development on the north side of College is "convenient" to the Bloor subway.
Brent> If memory serves, there was a proposed Willowdale subway station for just about that area, but residents objected (likely the single family home types). Would that have served the condos in question?
People that can't walk a kilometre to a subway ought to try having a disability. Then they'd have a reason better than their lazy ***es.
As for TTC ridership: it goes down after a strike, which means more people returned to their cars than their bikes. It makes me wonder if management doesn't drive the workers to a strike to keep ridership within the limitations of the system. Oh, that's just crazy talk.
If there'd been a Willowdale station, the vast majority going to Yonge would be waiting up to six minutes for a Sheppard train, riding it one stop, and then transfering. If walking is too much of a hassle, I'm not sure that's that much better.
It would be interesting to know where all those cars are going. I'd bet that a bunch of people have been drawn to the area because it's on the subway, but also close to the 401 for driving to suburban jobs (e.g. easy access to the airport area). The transit alternatives for those suburban trips are limited.
I grew up on McKee Avenue and remember when the subway was extended north to Finch. I wish the the North York Centre stop had been part of that plan too.
I was just up there for a funeral and its really sad to see how the area become a congested knot on every street in every direction with small quiet pockets of single homes (many in the Macmansion style now) that are quieter. All the streets that I played on no longer go to Yonge Street as there is a belt line road running parallel to Yonge that was setup to give condos entrances not on Yonge. Sheppard, Finch, Bayview, Yonge are not not roads or even arterial roads; they are 6-8 lane highways.
Why is it so car centric and pedestrian/bike unfriendly? Mel Lastman. It was designed this way. It was encouraged. And any of the longer term residents who were concerned were mocked and ridiculed. Pretty much of all the early 1950 modest housing is gone with people locked in their monster homes and driving everywhere. What a shame.
Is anybody else totally not buying the recession theory, based on the post article? I mean seriously, we had an unseasonably warm April. That doesn't exactly scream economic recession...
Aidan mentioned... but why is it so hard to accept that transit riders took to their bikes/feet early this year? I know I did. So did a great majority of the population who was able. I've walked everywhere since it became seasonable, and took the TTC maybe three times last month.
Oh NPost... How dissappointing! Speculation is great and all, but inaccurate observations are annoying to see in print (web). Perhaps they should take a walk down the street to determine the over-riding factor of, you know, pleasantries.
I completely stopped taking the TTC as soon as the weather warmed up, so did a lot of people I know. The other article about how bicycle mechanics are busy should be an indicator that a lot of people are simply biking more (I personally notice it myself). It is a bit strange to assume TTC ridership is slightly down because we are in a recession...
Hang on, Sheppard has a grossly underused subway AND gridlock?
Comment by Electric Landlady
May 7, 2008 | 9:47 am