Post by kelvin on May 23, 2010 16:09:02 GMT -5
www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/05/18/go-dvp.html
Plan for GO lane on DVP
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 | 6:19 PM ET
Toronto city council is going to be asked to let GO buses have their own lane on the Don Valley Parkway.
A plan from the public works committee will go to council for debate next month. It proposes that sections of the left shoulder be set aside for GO bus traffic — making the trip a little faster.
GO buses make about 160 trips a day up and down the DVP.
"Right now, usually at rush hour, that lane just sits there empty, not doing any good to anybody," said Coun. Glenn De Baeremaeker, the chair of the public works committee. "[If the plan passes] it's going to get you to work faster."
There are some rules: buses would only be able to go 20 kilometres faster than traffic and the lanes could only be used when regular traffic is moving slower than 60 kilometres an hour.
Commuters like the idea.
"That'd be great. It would speed up a lot of things," said Andrew Hanes who takes the GO bus about three times per week. "The other day I was 25 minutes late and missed my connecting bus," he said.
Muhammad Rao commutes to Ryerson University he supports the plan too.
"Usually in the rush hour you just sit there and wait all the time, so that would be a good idea actually," said Rao.
The idea of using the shoulder first popped up 10 years ago when Gary McNeil started working for GO Transit.
"As I was sitting in traffic, coming down on the bus, I was thinking to myself 'Why can't the bus just slip out onto those shoulders and merge into traffic further down?'"
His idea is now close to fruition.
McNeil also points out that there would be no need for construction — all that's needed to create the new lanes is some new paint and signs.
"I think even people that are stuck in traffic should say, 'Thank you' as the GO bus goes past them, because if those people got out of GO and into cars, your traffic jam would be even worse," said De Baeremaeker.
The changes along the DVP would be incremental.
The first section to get the bus-only lane would be between York Mills and Lawrence.
Further sections would be added at later dates.
If council approves the move, the changes could be in place by September.
Plan for GO lane on DVP
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 | 6:19 PM ET
Toronto city council is going to be asked to let GO buses have their own lane on the Don Valley Parkway.
A plan from the public works committee will go to council for debate next month. It proposes that sections of the left shoulder be set aside for GO bus traffic — making the trip a little faster.
GO buses make about 160 trips a day up and down the DVP.
"Right now, usually at rush hour, that lane just sits there empty, not doing any good to anybody," said Coun. Glenn De Baeremaeker, the chair of the public works committee. "[If the plan passes] it's going to get you to work faster."
There are some rules: buses would only be able to go 20 kilometres faster than traffic and the lanes could only be used when regular traffic is moving slower than 60 kilometres an hour.
Commuters like the idea.
"That'd be great. It would speed up a lot of things," said Andrew Hanes who takes the GO bus about three times per week. "The other day I was 25 minutes late and missed my connecting bus," he said.
Muhammad Rao commutes to Ryerson University he supports the plan too.
"Usually in the rush hour you just sit there and wait all the time, so that would be a good idea actually," said Rao.
The idea of using the shoulder first popped up 10 years ago when Gary McNeil started working for GO Transit.
"As I was sitting in traffic, coming down on the bus, I was thinking to myself 'Why can't the bus just slip out onto those shoulders and merge into traffic further down?'"
His idea is now close to fruition.
McNeil also points out that there would be no need for construction — all that's needed to create the new lanes is some new paint and signs.
"I think even people that are stuck in traffic should say, 'Thank you' as the GO bus goes past them, because if those people got out of GO and into cars, your traffic jam would be even worse," said De Baeremaeker.
The changes along the DVP would be incremental.
The first section to get the bus-only lane would be between York Mills and Lawrence.
Further sections would be added at later dates.
If council approves the move, the changes could be in place by September.