Comments on: Will Liberty Village get its much-needed new street? http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street Toronto's new weekly city magazine Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:20:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Dan Kaminsky http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/#comment-27387 Dan Kaminsky Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:52:39 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=29583#comment-27387 A classic case of poor urban planning Toronto Style. I think it is pure irresponsibility what the city has created in Liberty Village. There was no delay in issuing permits to build condos but where was the thought to infrastructure? It's not like this was a problem that developed gradually over 20 years. All of the condos in the area have gone up in the last 4 years with 6 or 7 more in progress. The problem is going to more than double over the next 2 years. Not to mention the dangerous situation at Liberty and Strachan where you have a busy intersection with no light, on coming traffic with limited visibility over a hill and a train crossing. Someone will die in an accident at that intersection before the city will act. Liberty Village should have been treated as a diamond in the city. A unique neighbourhood with special opportunities for residential and business. I worry that selfish, poor urban planning has jeopardised that opportunity. A classic case of poor urban planning Toronto Style. I think it is pure irresponsibility what the city has created in Liberty Village. There was no delay in issuing permits to build condos but where was the thought to infrastructure? It’s not like this was a problem that developed gradually over 20 years. All of the condos in the area have gone up in the last 4 years with 6 or 7 more in progress. The problem is going to more than double over the next 2 years. Not to mention the dangerous situation at Liberty and Strachan where you have a busy intersection with no light, on coming traffic with limited visibility over a hill and a train crossing. Someone will die in an accident at that intersection before the city will act. Liberty Village should have been treated as a diamond in the city. A unique neighbourhood with special opportunities for residential and business. I worry that selfish, poor urban planning has jeopardised that opportunity.

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]]> By: Jeff http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/#comment-27385 Jeff Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:21:06 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=29583#comment-27385 I think that if you eliminated the on street parking on E Liberty it would go a long way towards keeping traffice moving I think that if you eliminated the on street parking on E Liberty it would go a long way towards keeping traffice moving

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]]> By: Ed Horner http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/#comment-27365 Ed Horner Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:43:20 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=29583#comment-27365 Liberty Village is a wonder re-purposing of an older neighbourhood. The life and vibrancy are outstanding. Were I to live there, I'm sure I'd enjoy the area. But as this article so properly points out, it isn't really working to it's full capacity. Clearly part of the reason is the desire to live in a car-dependent neighbourhood - in which cars were given little planning priority - in the middle of the city. Automobile dependency is exactly what we don't need in downtown neighbourhoods. The King Street streetcar, is already running beyond capacity during busy times and the TTC only grudgingly provides buses into the neighbourhood. Cars and trucks do battle every day for egress and access into what is essentially a land-locked neighbourhood. Sadly, this was all predicted long before the bull dozers started moving in. The infrastructure to support 10,000 residents and workers in 20 square blocks was never there and has never been built. Despite the beautiful new buildings (each well designed in their own right) and the retrofiting of lots of old buildings the neighbourhood, as a whole, doesn't work - very much like City Place in this regard. But rest assured that the neighbourhood will find it's own level. Business that do not want to stay, won't. Others will flow in when building owners lower their rent when they realize they can't fill the space. Residents will eventually figure out how to get around - we always do - with or without cars. Infrastructure may get built that will help, such as the road discussed in this article. But to be sure, the neighbourhood will become exactly what it needs to be. It's survival, in it's current form, is not an evolutionary imperative. Ed Horner Liberty Village is a wonder re-purposing of an older neighbourhood. The life and vibrancy are outstanding. Were I to live there, I’m sure I’d enjoy the area. But as this article so properly points out, it isn’t really working to it’s full capacity. Clearly part of the reason is the desire to live in a car-dependent neighbourhood – in which cars were given little planning priority – in the middle of the city. Automobile dependency is exactly what we don’t need in downtown neighbourhoods.

The King Street streetcar, is already running beyond capacity during busy times and the TTC only grudgingly provides buses into the neighbourhood. Cars and trucks do battle every day for egress and access into what is essentially a land-locked neighbourhood.

Sadly, this was all predicted long before the bull dozers started moving in. The infrastructure to support 10,000 residents and workers in 20 square blocks was never there and has never been built. Despite the beautiful new buildings (each well designed in their own right) and the retrofiting of lots of old buildings the neighbourhood, as a whole, doesn’t work – very much like City Place in this regard.

But rest assured that the neighbourhood will find it’s own level. Business that do not want to stay, won’t. Others will flow in when building owners lower their rent when they realize they can’t fill the space. Residents will eventually figure out how to get around – we always do – with or without cars. Infrastructure may get built that will help, such as the road discussed in this article. But to be sure, the neighbourhood will become exactly what it needs to be. It’s survival, in it’s current form, is not an evolutionary imperative.

Ed Horner

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]]> By: W Wheeler http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/#comment-27315 W Wheeler Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:31:50 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=29583#comment-27315 I can't comment on the Liberty-Dufferin intersection, but at least it moves at some rhythm with the traffic lights. One of the most apparent bottlenecks is the Strachan-Liberty intersection. North-south traffic on Strachan have right of way. Northbound traffic turning east has a turning lane but backs up. Any break in N/S travffic lets East turning traffic squeak by. Westbound traffic just cannot easily turn north (blocked by N/S flow and then the continually pressurized east turns) and blocks anyone who may have otherwise been able to merge south. The only consistent flow is South. Lights are needed at Liberty/Stratchan to at least add equal/fairer rhythm. These may slow N/S flow, and may have legal issues due too the proximity to the level crossing (??), but would depressurize the backup E/W. I can’t comment on the Liberty-Dufferin intersection, but at least it moves at some rhythm with the traffic lights.

One of the most apparent bottlenecks is the Strachan-Liberty intersection. North-south traffic on Strachan have right of way. Northbound traffic turning east has a turning lane but backs up. Any break in N/S travffic lets East turning traffic squeak by. Westbound traffic just cannot easily turn north (blocked by N/S flow and then the continually pressurized east turns) and blocks anyone who may have otherwise been able to merge south. The only consistent flow is South.

Lights are needed at Liberty/Stratchan to at least add equal/fairer rhythm. These may slow N/S flow, and may have legal issues due too the proximity to the level crossing (??), but would depressurize the backup E/W.

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]]> By: Eric Hacke http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/#comment-27314 Eric Hacke Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:27:59 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=29583#comment-27314 What we need is that downtown relief line to be built. I know it's a dream at this point, but the situation in Liberty Village is only going to get worse, and in another 3-4 years the same will be true for the Distillery (where I live). We can't continue to endlessly increase the density of the core without improving mass transit. Unfortunately, Rob Ford has effectively destroyed any chance of improving congestion for the remainder of his term. What we need to do is raise taxes and start building transit. Otherwise this city is going to be a ghetto of glass buildings in a decade. What we need is that downtown relief line to be built.

I know it’s a dream at this point, but the situation in Liberty Village is only going to get worse, and in another 3-4 years the same will be true for the Distillery (where I live).

We can’t continue to endlessly increase the density of the core without improving mass transit. Unfortunately, Rob Ford has effectively destroyed any chance of improving congestion for the remainder of his term. What we need to do is raise taxes and start building transit. Otherwise this city is going to be a ghetto of glass buildings in a decade.

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]]> By: Will http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/#comment-27313 Will Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:12:04 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=29583#comment-27313 Thats what you get when planners approve car-dependent vertical suburbs in the middle of the city Thats what you get when planners approve car-dependent vertical suburbs in the middle of the city

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]]> By: Greg Greene http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/#comment-27303 Greg Greene Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:38:05 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=29583#comment-27303 Traffic is a mess in Liberty Village, and is only going to get worse until the TTC takes this area seriously. It's a nightmare to get in or out of Liberty on the King streetcar during the morning and afternoon rush hours. My neighbours are forced into their cars to avoid the daily insult of uber-packed streetcars and buses. We are told by the city planning department that the intersection of Liberty East and Strachan won't get a streetlight until 2014, which is all fine and well until a pedestrian or cyclist is killed. It's like the wild west here on the streets of Liberty Village; wait until the other half of the condo owners move in over the next year. I'm moving outta here. Traffic is a mess in Liberty Village, and is only going to get worse until the TTC takes this area seriously. It’s a nightmare to get in or out of Liberty on the King streetcar during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

My neighbours are forced into their cars to avoid the daily insult of uber-packed streetcars and buses. We are told by the city planning department that the intersection of Liberty East and Strachan won’t get a streetlight until 2014, which is all fine and well until a pedestrian or cyclist is killed. It’s like the wild west here on the streets of Liberty Village; wait until the other half of the condo owners move in over the next year.

I’m moving outta here.

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]]> By: Tony Baloney http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/#comment-27302 Tony Baloney Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:26:26 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=29583#comment-27302 Once those 4 or 5 new towers go up, it's going to be chaos. I'd like to have a sit down with the city planner who thought it was okay to greenlight that many condos in a neighbourhood with only four exits. A stoplight at Liberty and Strachan would be a start. Once those 4 or 5 new towers go up, it’s going to be chaos. I’d like to have a sit down with the city planner who thought it was okay to greenlight that many condos in a neighbourhood with only four exits.

A stoplight at Liberty and Strachan would be a start.

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]]> By: jojo http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/#comment-27252 jojo Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:43:58 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=29583#comment-27252 I too recently left my studio space in LMB for an easier to access space in Parkdale. It was impossible to even park a car there most of the time, let alone make that dreaded left turn from East Liberty onto Strachan. I hope the city allows this road to be built or I fear the neighbourhood (with several condo towers that will house even more people still under construction) will suffer. I too recently left my studio space in LMB for an easier to access space in Parkdale. It was impossible to even park a car there most of the time, let alone make that dreaded left turn from East Liberty onto Strachan. I hope the city allows this road to be built or I fear the neighbourhood (with several condo towers that will house even more people still under construction) will suffer.

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]]> By: EveryonesOpinion http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/will-liberty-village-get-its-much-needed-new-street/#comment-27239 EveryonesOpinion Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:37:30 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=29583#comment-27239 I used to work in Liberty Village and I agree, it was a HUGE headache when trying to get out in the evening! And that was almost 4 years ago so I couldn't imagine what it must be like now. My best bet was to go against traffic and then try to take Fraser or Jefferson out to King. Liberty Street is waay to congested. I used to work in Liberty Village and I agree, it was a HUGE headache when trying to get out in the evening! And that was almost 4 years ago so I couldn’t imagine what it must be like now.

My best bet was to go against traffic and then try to take Fraser or Jefferson out to King. Liberty Street is waay to congested.

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