Opinion: Even when city wants to do better for all road users, they’re often thwarted by the MTO, an institution that is either not skilled at adapting to cities or actively hostile to efforts to make these crossings less hazardous to humans.
For decades we’ve heard how the Gardiner is a “barrier to the lake” when, elevated as it is, it’s actually quite porous and relatively easy to cross. More trouble is Lake Shore Boulevard’s busy width and the railway.
If somebody on the south side of the highway wants to get to the No Frills grocery store on the north side, at Wilson Avenue, they have to cross an eastbound on-ramp where drivers, with no yield or stop sign, are already in a highway state of mind, thinking about speeding up rather than watching for pedestrians.
Similar conditions exist on Highway 427 where it crosses Rathburn and Burnhamthorpe Roads, or Lawrence Avenue at the Don Valley Parkway, all surrounded by residential communities getting denser, where residents live their lives on both sides of the highway. There are a few pleasant crossings of the 401. While not practical as a commuter route for most people, the Etobicoke Creek, Humber River and West Don River trails pass under the cavernous, almost cathedral spaces the 401 creates, with the muffled thump-a-thump of vehicles echoing above, like it does at the Bentway.links the Meadoway
Asked for comment on these crossings, a spokesperson for the ministry said the “MTO works closely with our partners, including the city of Toronto, to address their requests regarding active transportation infrastructure. For example, the ministry collaborated with the city to construct on-road bike lanes in both directions at Highway 401 and Avenue Road.
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