Comment 11743

By seancb (registered) - website | Posted September 17, 2007 at 09:56:37

It is difficult to drive over 30km/h on any residential streets near downtown Toronto because they have designed the roads in such a way that through traffic is thwarted. This means one way streets that face each other (forcing users to zig zag while eliminating through accesses), curb bump outs, speed humps and traffic circles.

These are the kinds of approaches we need to take in th long run in Hamilton. As it stands, even the one-way residential streets are treated as thoroughfares: charlton, herkimer, etc.

Of course, these measures which require building (or rebuilding) road features are expensive. This is why I proposed in my summer article (http://raisethehammer.org/article/608/) that we attack the laws first, and then build infrastructure as we can afford it.

Good little article in today's spec about road safety... a "hidden" epidemic that killed 22 people and cost the city 85 million last year. (http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/249840) I wouldn't say it's hidden, but that's probably because I spend more time on my bike than in my car. When one is in a car (myself included), one becomes part of the epidemic and one barely notices it. On two wheels (even on a motorcycle I bet) or on foot, it becomes very clear that Hamilton's roads are very unsafe due to the absurd speeding (And other habits) of our drivers.

Another fact from that article: the average cost for a single motor vehicle collision that is reported to the police is $27,000 -- hopefully a number like that takes the wind out of the sails of the "bicycle insurance" proponents. I can't find numbers for average costs of bicycle accidents, but it's probably less than the cost of a pack of band-aids. (Remember I'm talking average here. Most bicycle accidents cost zero, and of course there is the very rare occasion that the costs are far greater, such as in Councilwatch's case).

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