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| Posted to Toronto Waterfront by: Martin Koob on Thursday, April 23, 2009 @ 8:20 am | ||||||
| Update to: Lake Ontario Place Consultation - Martin Goodman Trail: June 26th Posted: Jun-23-08 The Martin Goodman Trail through Ontario Place is getting a face lift. The current trail, marked with the signature green and blue centrelines, which snakes along the water's edge through Ontario Place has fallen into disrepair. A new trail is under construction, which will add to the Martin Goodman bypass trail that was completed first in Marilyn Bell Park and then extended along the south side of Lake Shore south of the CNE grounds.
This new trail follows the path most cyclists would take when entering the Ontario Place grounds from the west, along the access road. In fact the access road is no more being replaced by the new trail. Then where the cyclists had to turn south to follow the road along where the HMCS Haida used to be docked the trail will continue straight along the south side of Lake Shore Blvd. on to Inukshuk park curving around the inukshuk there then rejoining the old trail along the water's edge which has been repaved. This will create a more direct route for cyclists unimpeded by pedestrians crossing into the Ontario Place entrance.
However there could be some points where there may be conflicts where pedestrians and automobiles cross the trail where the trail crosses the entrances to the parking lots. In fact at one entrance it looks like a light standard will be in the middle of the trail. Hopefully this won't be an obstacle to cyclists and other trail users. This is a great opportunity to use new bicycle pavement markings and bicycle signals that have been approved by Transportation Association of Canada to ensure that cyclists, other trail users and pedestrians can cross the intersections safely. You can see an explanation of these on page 16 of the New Lines on the Road: Canada's Guidelines for the Design and Application of Bikeway Pavement Markings This would be a good pilot project to showcase the new markings and start to use this design along the length of the Martin Goodman Trail.
This project is slated for completion at the end of June 2009 and will be a great addition to Toronto's signature waterfront trail. Martin Koob |
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| Article Comments: | ||||||
| It really looks like this redesign is introducing three very dangerous vehicle crossing points on the trail. The existing set up is preferable to the rework. What a mess! Think about this, cars coming along Lakeshore and turning right into Ontario place have no opportunity to see cyclists zipping down the path parallel to the road. Splat! I'm sure we will see plenty of collisions, and maybe another rework in a couple of years. Thank you city of Toronto, you have done it again! Posted by: Foggy on 23-Apr-2009 at 7:42 pm | ||||||
| The old west entrance will only be for a small staff parking lot and not for the general public. A new centre entrance will use traffic signals and the old east entrance will also use traffic signals. The signals will usually be green for east-west traffic. When I met with the designers ( Waterfront Toronto ) they where still trying to improve the crossings like Martin suggested. The other concern is the P-gates and bollards they might use at the new intersections. They understand the problems, it just is not always allowed by the powers that be. Posted by: clay on 24-Apr-2009 at 4:06 pm | ||||||
| If you can't improve something, then why change it? The original path idea of following the lake shoreline is the correct solution. Yes the path is too narrow, and the path should have gone under the eastern bridge, as it does on the western entrance. With minor changes/improvements it is by far the better solution. There would be very little conflict with vehicles, and cyclists really don't mind riding a little further to avoid vehicle conflict and traffic lights. I double my daily bike commute to work by heading to the lake front instead of riding through the city, the most direct route. Posted by: Foggy on 26-Apr-2009 at 9:43 am | ||||||
| Originally there was work done on a plan to improve the existing trail through Ontario right at the water's edge by widening the trail which would have included building a deck out over the water where there was not enough room for the trail width for example under the eastern bridge. It would have joined the existing trail where the HMCS Haida was docked. From my understanding they found they could not go ahead with that because the seawall all along Ontario Place required extensive repairs which will require a huge capital outlay which would have put that project off for years. This is the same problem exists along the waterfront south of the CNE grounds where the Martin Goodman trail also runs along the water's edge. I think it also is probably an issue on the water's edge from Ontario Place up to Coronation Park. I agree that the existing trail should be improved to create a twin Martin Goodman trail just as there is in Marilyn Bell park. That would be the more scenic trail and the trail by Lake Shore Blvd. is the bypass trail. The amount of traffic on the trail will justify that especially when the Queen's Quay trail is opened. The City and other levels of Governments need to put the funds in place to fix the seawall and to rebuild the waters edge Martin Goodman trail south of the CNE grounds, through Ontario Place and on up to Coronation park. In my opinion this project is an extension of the MGT bypass trail and doesn't negate the need for the rebuilding of the water's edge trail. If you agree write your Councillor, MP and MPP and ask them where the money is to do the seawall repairs. This would be a worthy infrastructure project that could be paid for with the stimulus funding. The City of Toronto could put this on their request to the federal Government which is due this week. Martin Posted by: Martin Koob on 26-Apr-2009 at 8:02 pm | ||||||
| It is open . It works well but the intersections are not popular. Posted by: clay on 09-Aug-2009 at 2:04 pm | ||||||
| Another problem with this new trail (in addition to the tedious stoplight intersections) is the fact that it's only 5ft from the Lakeshore Blvd. traffic. Bikers must now breathe all that exhaust instead of the fresh lake air. Personally I had no problem at all with the old trail that skirted the water ... I just wish they'd get rid of the fences and obstructions and let me go back to using it. Posted by: sempleno on 21-Aug-2009 at 11:47 am | ||||||
| I like the new trail! There are fewer pedestrians and more bicycles! The stop lights are great, the Speed Demons are slowing down. In all this is a much safer solution!!! I also enjoy that the old trail still could be used... however it is now an OBVIOUS multi-use trail which again is safer for all. Posted by: michaelmackid on 02-Sep-2009 at 11:32 pm | ||||||
