Categories
Cycling Infrastructure Ontario Roads

Crossride of death: how an Ajax girl was killed riding her bike

On Thursday, November 7, a 13-year-old girl was struck and killed by the driver of a Hyundai Santa Fe (a midsized crossover SUV) at Rossland Road and Stevensgate Drive. She was riding on a multiuse path, crossing the street properly in a crossride.

Multiuse paths are a popular form of cycling infrastructure, especially in the suburbs. Poor design and bad driver behaviour have made them dangerous at intersections, and should be fixed.

Categories
About me Development History Toronto Urban Planning

Woodbine Centre: the end of a Fantasy

Woodbine Centre, built in 1985, was an adventure for a child of the 1980s and 1990s. The once-thriving mall has hit hard times and will likely see redevelopment in the next decade.

Categories
Canada Maps Transit

Canada Intercity Transport Map, updated for Fall 2024

New changes for October 2024 included improved service on Vancouver Island, new routes in Alberta, BC, and Quebec, and even more competition between Edmonton and Calgary.

Categories
Maps Ontario Transit Travels

From Hamilton to Haldimand: a new transit link fills a major gap

Southern Ontario Transit provides a critical link between Hamilton and Haldimand County, but without community support, it might not last.

Also, some updates to my Ontario Intercity Transport Map.

Categories
Cycling Roads Toronto Urban Planning Walking

Deadly by design: Annette and Pacific

On Monday, September 23 at 8:06 PM, the driver of a 2024 Hyundai Elantra sedan travelled north on Pacific Avenue. The driver of a 2017 Hyundai Tucson crossover SUV drove west Annette Street. The two vehicles collided in the intersection with enough force that the Tucson continued into the sidewalk on the northwest corner, striking two pedestrians. A […]

Categories
Infrastructure Ontario Politics Roads Toronto Transit

Deadcatting: Doug Ford’s big dig

On Wednesday, September 25, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, along with transportation minister Pradmeet Sarkaria, announced that the provincial government would fund a feasibility study on building a new highway tunnel under Highway 401 from Peel Region to Durham Region, along with an unspecified new transit facility. Earlier this week, Doug Ford exclaimed that those living […]

Categories
Infrastructure Roads Toronto Transit

A little more coordination, please?

Getting around Downtown Toronto can be an exercise in frustration, whether you drive, bike, take transit, or drive. Though necessary transit and road construction projects are the cause of much of the congestion, driver behaviour, poor management, and a lack of coordination between various municipal and provincial agencies have only added to the traffic quagmire. […]

Categories
Maps Travels

Why transit system maps matter

Transit system maps are an essential tool for newcomers and casual users. Unfortunately, some agencies have not just done away with paper maps, but with useable system maps all together.

Categories
Infrastructure Intercity Rail Transit Travels

Travel by train (or bus): Denver’s renewed Union Station

Earlier this summer, I had the privilege of travelling with my spouse to California. We started in San Diego (where my partner was attending a conference) and then made our way northwards, to Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Simeon, and finally the San Francisco Bay Area. I continued my trip an extra three days to […]

Categories
Ontario Transit Travels

A bus to St. Thomas, finally

A daytrip to St. Thomas – Canada’s Railway Capital – is finally possible without a car. It’s worth a visit.

I have also updated my Ontario intercity transport map for June 2024.