Comment 113349

By mdrejhon (registered) - website | Posted August 07, 2015 at 15:06:37 in reply to Comment 113348

This is another big reason why everyone need to lobby really hard for Main 2-way operation; It will really help businesses like you.

People going in both directions will see your business, and the tamer car traffic means people stare at storefronts more often than focussing on racing the beautifully synchronized green traffic lights (I like them; but I admit does make me pay far less attention to storefronts, as I focus on keeping up with the car platoon I'm currently in). We may want to consider that the bidirectional-ness and the traffic taming actually brings more business than losing half of curbside parking spots (e.g. parking on one side instead of both sides). The exception is if you're one of the automobile-based businesses (e.g. Car Wash), rather than a restaurant (e.g. Good Life Deli).

More than once I've driven past a business I half wanted to stop at, but I don't bother turning back on a 1-way street because I've driven past and can't easily backtrack. With 2-way streets (including 2-way side streets) I can more easily stomach the thought of turning onto a side street and then coming back -- like I often do in other cities if I realize I missed a business I half-wanted to visit. But we have 1-way street AND 1-way side streets. Ouch. And I can go back to an earlier side street that I saw parking at (I do this in Toronto's Danforth -- I used to live in Riverdale area for 2 years, both as a transit user and as a car-owner). Even during morning peak where there's no curbside parking and I have to park on a side street. 2-way main street with 2-way side streets means people will be more happy to turn into a side street for parking for businesses during construction when there's temporarily no curbside. And afterwards.

First, everyone of us all need to try to focus on the big-time business-saving ability of 2-way #1 and #1 priority before LRT construction begins, because businesses could become doomed if we keep too many adjacent streets 1-way during construction.

For you (And other LRT-affected Main/King business owners), may I have your contact information as I'm gradually collecting information from businesses who want 2-way Main (and Wilson). It may not be for a year that my site fully ramps up, but I want to be ready with a good base, and a crew of us will canvass. www.hamlrt.ca beginning in 2016 will be all about advocating concurrent LRT-related revitaliation efforts, including SoBi expansions, 2-way Main, demanding introduction of proper north-south HSR connecting bus routes to connect quickly to LRT, making sure LRT synchronizes to the traffic lights to make it Euro-LRT-subway-fast instead of TTC-King-streetcar-slow, etc.

And....ESPECIALLY....helping businesses survive LRT construction, etc. You can privately send this to me by googling my name (Mark Rejhon), I'm in the #1 hit.

Comment edited by mdrejhon on 2015-08-07 15:34:38

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