Toronto might extend the King Street Pilot further and to part of Queen Street
Remember the beginnings of the King Street Pilot, — officially deemed the King Street Transit Priority Corridor — the Toronto initiative lauded by some and bemoaned by others for strictly limiting car traffic on portions of the downtown thoroughfare?
Well, it looks like the concept may soon be applied to more parts of King, as well as some of the city's other main streets.
The King Street Pilot demonstrated the benefits of transit priority. But it's one route in an affluent part of the city.
— Brian Doucet (@bmdoucet) July 21, 2020
Many suburban TTC bus routes are also very busy. They need the same priority. THEY ALL NEED TO BE BUILT!
Plus, bus lanes are cheap so it won't cost much!
Toronto's Transportation Services division is proposing the idea to Mayor John Tory next week, asking that more roadways be revamped to give public transit vehicles priority over cars.
It is also asking that other new ways of improving public transit on the 20 busiest routes be implemented, which could include some or all facets of the pilot, as well as dedicated bus and streetcar lanes, like the ones recently introduced in Scarborough — routes that run along streets like Dufferin, Lawrence, Queen, King, Jane, Don Mills and York Mills.
The key aim however was to improve the streetcar experience. Which it did. Trips were faster & more importantly more reliable.
— Benjamin (@Via_Benjamin) October 25, 2020
Ridership increased significantly 72,000 -> 84,000 a day
If anything now demand outstripping supply is the biggest problem. pic.twitter.com/QOWI3F4hpA
Launched back in 2017, the King Street Pilot was made permanent last year after it was shown to drastically increase TTC ridership and expedite service exponentially.
Anyone who drives in the city quickly had to learn the new ways of King between Jarvis and Bathurst, navigating numerous intersections where cars are prohibited from proceeding forward or turning left and must instead turn right.
The moratorium on on-street parking was also a big adjustment, with new public spaces, functional art installations and rejigged streetcar stops occupying what was formerly the parking lane.
I don't believe many of the businesses on King Street would call the King Street pilot project a success. Moving people at peak times is a great idea but why is the program 24/7? The program, especially if expanded, needs to be reconsidered.
— John Plumpton (@jplumpton1) November 11, 2020
Drivers can expect similar changes on a larger portion of the main street — spanning from Roncesvalles to Victoria Park — along with Queen and possibly additional roads, if the new plan is approved and rolled out in the coming years.
This also may mean many more tickets if you're not paying close enough attention.
