Did a walkabout today (Sunday, October 19, 2014) of the Riverside Square proposed Development by Streetcar – to begin to understand their proposed connections planning.
Streetcar.ca | Welcome to Riverside Square | http://streetcar.ca/welcome-riverside-square/
We know that safe cycling routes attract cyclist users; but we also know that if that safe route is not a direct one it will not attract users just as if it were a dangerous route. The distances of the two comparable routes: straight over the “death ramp” – 1.2km; and via Streetcar’s route – 1.9km (see the sidebar placemark notations at the map – http://goo.gl/maps/nykAU ).
In my opinion the streetcar development proposal does nothing more than connect two parks on either side of the Don Valley for recreational users. It does nothing to connect Scarborough to the Downtown; it does nothing to connect the Don Valley Trail to the cycling infrastructure on the road grid in the neighbourhoods to the east or to the west of it.
Does Streetcar’s Riverside Square proposal make the Cycling Connection across the DVP? A Map: http://t.co/mo2p1JZlhy @STREETCARlofts #biketo
— Ward 30 Bikes (@Ward30Bikes) October 20, 2014
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That being said – the development proposal is a giant leap forward in development planning in that it includes a complete streets transportation vision as part of the architectural design process in the redevelopment (and densification) of a neighbourhood.
Image: Streetcar’s Proposed Cycle Network for Riverside Square
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Ward 14 Bikes 