Bollards on the Bikeway again?
Anyone else notice recently installed bollards on the Humber Trail immediately south of Stephen Drive? These two extra bollards narrow spacing such that bike trailers will no longer pass. Accessing/exiting the trail is now much more difficult and hazardous considering these are on a hill.
http://sockpuppet.ca/blogsplat/?q=node/336
But a bike trailer isn't much narrower than a snowmobile, so maybe it's also a good thing.
Since when have snowmobiles in southern Etobicoke been a nuisance warranting permanent intervention for the nine months of the year that there is no ice or snow on that path?
...and here in my NE neighbourhood, it's an ATV driver that believes he can get away with cruising the local park. You could contact your Councilor to find out the reason why the path is blocked. That would be a starting point for getting some action to fix the problem.
Some parks have problems with ATVs. The park in question, where the bollards have been added, isn't big enough to attract that sort of user. The bike path is not that long and at the south end, where it joins the Martin Goodman, there is a very tight turn. The most dangerous aspect of this particular park is a downhill blind turn on the bike path combined with a propensity for the locals to walk their dogs off leash.
A very determined scoflaw could use the (non bike path, non bollarded) entrance off one of the side streets.
I agree with the suggestion to write the councillor.
My rural upbringing is shining through. I didn't know that people don't use the trails for snowmobiles, but it really makes sense. There are those "no motorized vehicles" signs.
I received the following response to my letter on the bollards at Stephen Drive.
Mary Battaglia has advised me that the bollards in question will be removed as soon as possible.
Best regards,
Graham Wright
Graham Wright
Administrative Assistant
Councillor Adrian Heaps
Scarborough Southwest, Ward 35
416-392-0213
www.adrianheaps.com
I believe the issue of bollards is one that needs to be addressed by the cycling community. There needs to be a city wide standard on them.
On the east side of Sam Smith Park, Lake Shore Dr. continues west into the park along a paved trail. This trail is also Bicycle Route 2 and the Waterfront Trail.
There's now a chain across the width of the entrance. It is marked with a few derisory yellow plastic ribbons. It's more or less possible to duck under it while on a bicycle.
Nevertheless, I sent a note to the councillor and Access Toronto. Anyone riding in that area, watch out!
I have no idea what bright mind came up with this chain; maybe it's there to substitute for a missing bollard. In any case, it's stupid, and watch out.
(The following Google streetview image will load in a while....it's the park entrance in better times, before the chain.)
View Larger Map
May be the left hand of the City doesn't know what the right hand is doing? They do promote the use bicycles and then stop the continuation of a route!! Some power hungry bureaucrat exercises his or her authority? Please let's have some sence here!
And a standard for trailer widths if there isn't already one. The two standards should go hand in hand to help accuracy.
Departments in all businesses (even the business of running a city) have a certain amount of autonomy. A large business simply couldn't run without it. (imagine EVERYTHING going through a single department for approval) Of course, in order to have speed, you open yourself up for mistakes. In the city's case, they have all of us to point out disparities, lots of things tend to work out just fine in the end.
The reason given for the chain is cars were driving into the park.
Jorge Ture (416-394-8559) is the City's parks guy to talk to. Please call him, let your feelings known.
I would like to see a standard in place to make Bollards on path entrances less of a safety hazard.
Some are concrete, some are metal; I've even seen nasty metal beams painted yellow. I have also noticed some exposed metal fittings or brackets left at ground level when some bollards are removed. Other things like reflective markings or lights would also make them safer - can't imagine hitting one at night!
It strikes me as odd that the city doesn't have these things standardized.
I favour bollards pained yellow -would stop cars but allow Bicycles thru.
Dorothy
the mounting plates and bolts remain in place. They are covered with orange pylons, but pylons can go astray. Use caution, especially at night, until the plates and bolts are removed too.
Response from Councillor's office:
Thank you for your email to Councillor Grimes, we hope that you are well.
Please note that the chain that you are speaking of is up temporarily until such time that the in ground bollard can be replaced.
Should our be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely, .....
--I wonder what "temporarily" means in this context. My guess is "up to a year, unless we get a lot of fuss about it".
Still waiting for the warning signs for motorists at the Boulevard Club driveway, promised years ago by Perks.
I was riding Route 2 Tuesday afternoon, and the chain across the entrance to Sam Smith park from Lake Shore Dr. was gone. There's a bright yellow bollard with some reflective tape in place.
Nice to see that the chain is gone. I suspect that it was the inquiry of various people that got the City to fix this problem--otherwise the chain may well have been there until spring.