Couldn’t that be solved by having a recessed stop line? Speaking of stop lines, could the traffic lights be at the stop line, instead of on the other side of the intersection, as is done in Europe and sometimes in the US? That would solve the issue of moronic drivers ignoring the stop line - ThreadSky

gguillaume.bsky.social • 72 days ago

Couldn’t that be solved by having a recessed stop line?
Speaking of stop lines, could the traffic lights be at the stop line, instead of on the other side of the intersection, as is done in Europe and sometimes in the US? That would solve the issue of moronic drivers ignoring the stop line

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emmettproulx.bsky.social•72 days ago

That is an aggressive recessed stop line! Would it work, maybe? This smart channel is honestly pretty reasonable compared to some other designs out there, but I take your point.

Re: near-side traffic lights, this is currently not permitted by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act.

emmettproulx.bsky.social•72 days ago

During development of the Ontario Traffic Council Protected Intersection Guide (https://otc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/OTC-Protected-Intersection-Guide-Final.pdf), ideas to improve provincial signal legislation to better meet the needs of protected intersections were explored, but most suggestions have not yet been adopted by the HTA. That takes time.

gguillaume.bsky.social•72 days ago

And somehow I have a hunch this is not a priority of the current government…

613bike.bsky.social•72 days ago

Smart channels are still slip lanes, though and Ottawa has an addiction to them. I think we need to think outside the box in this one, because their continued usage really makes it hard to describe these as fully protected intersections.

emmettproulx.bsky.social•72 days ago

Not all smart channels are created equal, and I think we'll have to agree to disagree on Scott/Bayview as well as QED/Preston. That said, our design guide has wording stating the use of smart channels is a last resort, and I'd agree they often aren't treated that way. Bank Street in Findlay Creek:

gguillaume.bsky.social•72 days ago

Yeah, traffic analysis and future congestion fears apparently made this one necessary 🙄
Hoping the coming updated MMLOS will put less an emphasis on drivers’ convenience, but not holding my hopes up.

gguillaume.bsky.social•72 days ago

And by that I mean recognising that congestion is not the end of the world, as it disincentivises car use and helps reduce speed and noise (Parkdale was never as nice as when it was backed up when the 417 was closed).

gguillaume.bsky.social•72 days ago

Having been hit by drivers multiple times as a pedestrian in those settings, I have a particular hate for slip lanes and right-turn-on-reds. I wish we’d have a blanket ban on right-turn-on-reds as in Montréal, it’s such an improvement for safety

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