3745 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

There are at least 40 traffic lights between Uptown and the north end of Nanaimo. An increase of an average of 30 seconds wait per traffic light increases the travel time by 20 minutes.

 

But you do not stop at most lights, right?  Or is that average just including you stopping not often at many...  

[nerka]

What would be the time savings on that route, on average, if there were no lights?  10 minutes?  I'm not sure traffic lights is a major issue.   Some better drivers can also time them a bit so they experience very little slowing down and speeding up.

To get that route to have no lights or even close to no lights would involve rerouting a few sections (couldn't go through downtown Duncan anymore) so the ultimate time savings would be quite a bit higher.

 

Currently the drive (Uptown to Nanoose) at best times would be about 1 hour 40 minutes and at busy but not crazy times would be 2 hours 15 minutes. If it was a four lane road with no or minimal lights it might be approximately 15-20 minutes faster at the best driving times and 35 minutes faster at busier times. It wouldn't be life changing but it would be a significant improvement.

 

If you actually built an Interstate calibre freeway from a to b travel time would be perhaps 1 hour, 10 minutes. I don't think quite that level of investment is needed or justified, just an improvement from what we have.

 

I don't advocate building more and bigger roads as the solution to all traffic problems and in fact within cities I think we have to encourage other modes at the expense of single passenger autos. But I do think we benefit from a fast efficient highway system between major centres.

[sebberry]

Traffic lights are huge.  They cause idling.  They cause us to decelerate and accelerate, which kills the efficiency of the engine.  They generate additional stress and frustration, leading to people speeding.  And between downtown and Langford alone, they can be responsible for 30-40% of the travel time (based on my GPS timing, which calc'd moving time and stationary time).

 

In Alberta, where lights are few and far between, my gas mileage is like 5.8L/100km.  Versus Victoria, where it hovers around 9.8L/100km.

 

Unfortunately we have municipal leaders who want to use engineered congestion to get people out of cars and into bikes.  The net result is more sitting idling, more fuel consumption and emissions. 

[sdwright.vic]

In Alberta, where lights are few and far between, my gas mileage is like 5.8L/100km. Versus Victoria, where it hovers around 9.8L/100km.

Just leaving the island drpos mine from 10.8 to 8.3. And that just leaving the ferry terminal. Over the course of a weekend it drops more.

[lanforod]

Just leaving the island drpos mine from 10.8 to 8.3. And that just leaving the ferry terminal. Over the course of a weekend it drops more.

 

Some of that would be a factor of leaving the island meaning you're typically travelling on freeways more. If you're going to Vancouver and puttering around driving there, it'll be just as bad.

[sdwright.vic]

But I have actual freeways to keep the overall average down. No one wants to admit that. Trust me I spend quite a bit of time shopping off freeways when I go to the mainland (I am gay after all <sarcasm>). My over all per still goes down.

[Mike K.]

For comparison's sake, it takes 3:30 to travel from St. John's to Gander over a distance of 333km at 10AM according to Google Maps.

 

To travel from Victoria to the Sayward turn-off, same distance also at 10AM, takes 3:40 to 4:40 (Google Maps gives quite the range that I assume shows a zero or near zero stop scenario and a more average scenario).

[DavidL]

For comparison's sake, it takes 3:30 to travel from St. John's to Gander over a distance of 333km at 10AM according to Google Maps.

 

To travel from Victoria to the Sayward turn-off, same distance also at 10AM, takes 3:40 to 4:40 (Google Maps gives quite the range that I assume shows a zero or near zero stop scenario and a more average scenario).

 

Ask google what that would be like over any of the eight winter months in Newfoundland.

[exc911ence]

Anyone know why Saanich has removed a good 1/3rd of the roadway at the corner of West Saanich and Old West Saanich heading northbound? It used to be an easy curve making the turn onto Old West but they've created a massive jut-out that forces cars to make a much sharper turn directly into oncoming traffic. 

 

A better plan would have been to widen the southbound part and make designated right and left turn lanes onto West Saanich and keep the northbound traffic onto Old West against the existing right side of the road.

Edited by exc911ence, 05 October 2017 - 07:47 PM.

[sebberry]

Here?  https://www.google.c...!7i13312!8i6656

 

Probably someone whining that cars were going too fast exiting West Saanich. 

[TallGuy]

Unfortunately we have municipal leaders who want to use engineered congestion to get people out of cars and into bikes.  The net result is more sitting idling, more fuel consumption and emissions. 

 

Here?  https://www.google.c...!7i13312!8i6656

 

Probably someone whining that cars were going too fast exiting West Saanich. 

 

Four problems that would be solved by photo radar and red light cameras:

1. People would adhere to the speed limit, allowing for light sequencing, reducing congestion, idling, etc.
2. Fewer people would race the red or be the 2nd/3rd/4th person turning left on red, both of which cause accidents and congestion
3. More people may take the bus to avoid tickets (probably a marginal number of people, I admit).
4. People would be less inclined to rip through neighborhoods if mobile photo radar were deployed locally.

Edited by TallGuy, 06 October 2017 - 10:44 AM.

[jonny]

Photo radar is a cash grab. Been there done that. No thanks. 

[jonny]

Just to clarify - We already have red light cameras. 

[VicHockeyFan]

Just to clarify - We already have red light cameras. 

 

We only have one in Victoria though, right?

 

EDIT:  2

 

Tillicum and TCH and Shelbourne/Hillside.

 

http://www.icbc.com/...ht-cameras.aspx

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 06 October 2017 - 10:55 AM.

[thundergun]

I'm okay with photo radar and speed cameras as long as the speed limits are increased to be more reasonable. No one does 80km/hr on the Pat Bay for example. Move it to 100 and then the real speeders will get ticketed regularly and quickly get in line.

[sebberry]

 

Four problems that would be solved by photo radar and red light cameras:

1. People would adhere to the speed limit, allowing for light sequencing, reducing congestion, idling, etc.
2. Fewer people would race the red or be the 2nd/3rd/4th person turning left on red, both of which cause accidents and congestion
3. More people may take the bus to avoid tickets (probably a marginal number of people, I admit).
4. People would be less inclined to rip through neighborhoods if mobile photo radar were deployed locally.

 

 

1) Really?  Maybe in some utopian nanny-state dream that'll happen. Edmonton drivers sure don't seem to be adhering to the speed limit.

 

2) Setting proper timing of traffic signals has been shown to have a much greater impact on red light running than the cameras.  Let's try that first.

 

3) Reaching much?

 

4) Most of the stats show people aren't "ripping through neighbourhoods".  When there are complaints, many come from people on dead-end streets, suggesting it's probably the same people doing the complaining who are doing the ripping. 

[sebberry]

I'm okay with photo radar and speed cameras as long as the speed limits are increased to be more reasonable. No one does 80km/hr on the Pat Bay for example. Move it to 100 and then the real speeders will get ticketed regularly and quickly get in line.

 

Unfortunately limits rarely get adjusted to the upper end of safe travel speeds.  You also have the problem that Edmonton has where the tolerances for exceeding the limit are reduced by some arbitrary, unpublished amount and the number of tickets revenue skyrockets.

[rjag]

Unfortunately limits rarely get adjusted to the upper end of safe travel speeds.  You also have the problem that Edmonton has where the tolerances for exceeding the limit are reduced by some arbitrary, unpublished amount and the number of tickets revenue skyrockets.

 

The amount of tickets issued in Edmonton increased massively when the city took control of photo radar and lowered the threshold, thats why you see a massive upswing in tickets issued in 2013. This is not about safety anymore, its all about revenue collections 

 

 

Four problems that would be solved by photo radar and red light cameras:

1. People would adhere to the speed limit, allowing for light sequencing, reducing congestion, idling, etc.
2. Fewer people would race the red or be the 2nd/3rd/4th person turning left on red, both of which cause accidents and congestion
3. More people may take the bus to avoid tickets (probably a marginal number of people, I admit).
4. People would be less inclined to rip through neighborhoods if mobile photo radar were deployed locally.

 

 

1. If the speed limits were set on arterial roads at the 85th percentile first then you might get buy-in, except for the nanny staters that cant handle the idea of cars going 60 on Blanshard legally

2. Red light cameras should be a no brainer at major intersections, you wont find many folks arguing against that

3. Not sure if fear is the best way to promote mass transit.....perhaps improve the service and make it a positive experience!

4. As long as local councils keep removing lanes on major arterial routes, you will see more vehicles travel on secondary roads not designed for heavy use. Instead of sending out a hit squad to hunt them down, stop taking lanes away from major routes like whats about to happen on Shelbourne and that mess on upper Johnson

[exc911ence]

Here?  https://www.google.c...!7i13312!8i6656

 

Probably someone whining that cars were going too fast exiting West Saanich. 

 

Yup, there.

 

Since hardly anyone goes "too fast" on West Saanich itself, I can't imagine anyone exiting the road "too fast". If anything, no one is going "fast enough"... it's a posted 60kph road yet you're lucky to get anywhere near that. There's always someone cruising at 50 with a line of cars behind, or some days 40-45... brutal.

[exc911ence]

City added new curbs to the corner... instead of the old easy wide curve, it's now a very tight turn off of West Saanich onto Old West. 

 

So how is making a corner more dangerous safer?