Completing the existing cycling commute grid; extending the grid; making local connections - as part of the Weston Bakery Redevelopment proposal and other nearby developments.
Below is an image of the City’s online GIS map zoomed in on the south of Ward 30 (Riverside, South Riverdale, Leslieville and and the South of Eastern area). The Bike Infrastructure layer on the map is enabled (red lines, pink lines, blue lines) - and then we add markup to an image of the map showing , nearby development proposals (black lines), and our proposed new cycling infrastructure (gold lines).
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| Complete Streets Opportunities on Logan & Eastern - Weston Bakery Redevelopment - Full Size: http://bit.ly/2gbmY7J |
The Weston Bakery proposed development is for retail/residential complex. Here's the blurb on the City of Toronto Development Applications webpage:
"Official Plan Amendment and Rezoning application to permit the re-development of the lands for the purposes of a new mixed use development containing residential, and commercial uses. Included in the proposal is the construction of a 7 storey mixed use building complete with ground floor retail uses including a food store and 259 residential dwelling units above. An additonal 7, 3.5 storey town house type dwelling units would be constructed on the Logan Avenue facade . 288 parking spaces to serve the development are proposed to be provided, all in a below grade parking structure. Resubmission Mar 17, 2015: Flood Plain and Flood Proofing Analysis pending advise from the Province on the Lower Don Lands SPA."
We see this as a great opportunity to extend the Eastern Avenue Bike Lanes from where they end just east of Logan, west to Broadview - and add cycling infrastructure to the existing 'Logan Avenue Bikeway'.
The local road network is already full to gridlock during peak hours - we need to increase these roadways' capacity - the only way to do that is to make them 'Complete Streets'. This means adding infrastructure that supports not just driving, but cycling and walking too.
In the near future the Relief Line will go right under this precinct as will Smart Track (on the heavy rail line on the berm). People will need to walk to mass transit stations nearby. As well, 20% to 30% of us will choose to cycle to work and school - if that option is made safe.
All the indicated black boxes (except the First Gulf ‘East Harbour’ development) purport imminent higher population density in the immediate area.
They include:
- 462 Eastern Avenue - Weston Bakery (259 residential units)
- 875 & 887 Queen Street East - Church and Heritage structures on the southwest corner of Queen/Logan (118 residential units)
- 897 Queen Street East - Jim's Restaurant, AutoShare Lot (59 residential units)
- 7 - 79 East Don Roadway & 661 - 667 Queen Street East - Riverside Square (894 residential units)
- 21 Don Roadway | First Gulf's 'East Harbour' - a 'New City Centre' - Offices/Retail and a transportation hub bigger and more connected than Union Station.
So massive new local population density and massive new local employment.
East-West Cycling Grid
To handle all the transportation needs of all these new residents we propose extending the Eastern Avenue Bike Lanes east to Broadview and then connect them to a point due south of Monroe and create a route north-south through Riverside Square on a proposed 'Woonerf' there; connecting to a neighbourhood route through Rivertowne; through Riverdale Park East and connecting to Danforth Avenue west of Broadview.We also see a connection to First Gulfs' East Harbour Transportation Hub - which runs along the rail berm from the overpass at Eastern to the west side of the Don Valley just south of Corktown Common Park.
As well, we envision a Pedestrian/Cyclists Bridge across the valley at Sunlight Park Road (where the existing steel bridge sits across the river abutting the southbound lanes of the DVP). This route takes advantage of a direct, line-of-sight path from Eastern Avenue at Broadview to the Richmond/Adelaide Bicycle Corridor which starts at Parliament Street.
North-South Cycling Grid
Logan Avenue is an existing Bikeway with a contraflow bike lane from Lake Shore Boulevard to Eastern Avenue. North of Eastern it continues as a 'Signed Bike Route' with Logan signed as a Two-Way roadway.We propose that the City make Logan a One-Way Street from Eastern to Queen with a contraflow Bike Lane on it.
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| Image via StreetMix |
This configuration will preserve existing one-side street parking. It can be configured either One-Way southbound, or northbound - with the contraflow either continuing on the east side of the street as it does from LSB to Eastern - or if the One-Way is preferred northbound - a contraflow on the west side with street parking on the east side.
We also propose similar treatment north of Queen to Dundas, where existing bike lanes travel up to Gerrard and north via a Woonerf style treatment between Gerrard and Bain - and beside Withrow Park as a painted road edge line that acts as separation for northbound cyclists with Logan marked One-Way northbound. We also propose that the speed limit on the Logan beside Withrow Park be reduced from 40km/h to 30km/h maximum.
We wonder if parking can be removed on Logan in order to create a bi-directional bike route from Danforth to Gerrard. If not - then a bike lane on Carlaw from Danforth to Dundas.
Links
Weston Bakery - http://app.toronto.ca/DevelopmentApplications/associatedApplicationsList.do?action=init&folderRsn=3105811&isCofASearch=false'Red Door' development - kitty-corner to Jimmy Simpson Park - http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=2c04cfacd6f0c410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=c1c26d87bc002410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
Riverside Square - http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=728da19cdcef7410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=c1c26d87bc002410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
897 Queen Street East - Jim's Restaurant, AutoShare Lot - http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=dcab1bbd20711510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=c1c26d87bc002410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
21 Don Roadway | First Gulf's 'East Harbour' - http://project21.firstgulf.com/
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