Burlington has started to introduce changes to traffic light signalling to prioritize buses. While this is a great idea to speed up transit and get us all riding the buses there are some impacts to other forms of traffic including cyclists.
Anyone driving towards Hamilton around 5 pm knows that Fairview, Plains Road, Lakeshore, etc. are slammed and a major problem is that the traffic moves from one red light to the next.
Evening congestion on Burlington streets is spilling onto the QEW with westbound traffic starting to back up at Burloak, the exit lanes are backed up with traffic trying to turn onto Burloak leading to cars blocking the slow lane on the QEW. Once a traffic jam starts on the QEW cars exit and flood our city roads.
Buses stop at bus stops, which means they don’t travel at the same speed as cars. Buses travelling east on Fairview around 5 pm will receive priority signalling at the expense of cars and trucks moving towards Hamilton.
This quote is from a study on the use of transit signal prioritization in Toronto is from 2012.
“Active transit priority unconditionally allows an extension of up to 30 seconds per cycle in addition to the normal signal green time on transit routes. The extension generates complaints about traffic delays for vehicles on side streets, long pedestrian wait times, and poor signal coordination.”
https://www.worldtransitresearch.info/research/4738
This quote is from a July 2024 survey by the Toronto Board of Trade on traffic in the GTHA including Halton.
“We’re steadily cementing our reputation as a place where you can’t get around. Gridlock is driving people’s decisions on whether to go to work, the store, a sporting event, or even continue to call Toronto home,” said Giles Gherson, President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of the Trade. “This has a profound impact for our downtown recovery and investment in business and jobs.”
https://bot.com/News/New-Board-of-Trade-Congestion-Polling-Shines-Spotlight-on-Congestion
Mayor Meed Ward had traffic signal coordination as part of her 2018 election platform. Time will tell if this effort to prioritize public transit will make life better for the average commuter.
This photograph shows gridlock caused by north bound traffic from the QEW exit ramp at Walkers Line. The photograph was taken on August 15th at 4:18pm.
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“Ward 3 Councilor Kearns & Sharman are organizing a Public Traffic Forum.
The Forum is to be an opportunity for a panel of invested participants, such as councilors, police, City staff, Provincial staff, to offer their views on the issue of traffic congestion in Burlington as a whole, not just in the downtown area. Very importantly the panel will take questions from the floor.
Excuse me for saying it this way, but after all the bitching and complaining one hears about traffic in Burlington whether it be through the Gazette, Inside Halton, Reddit or other media it is essential that residents get off their backsides and attend the Forum to listen, but more importantly to ask questions of the panel.
Here below is an except from an email received from Councilor Kearns’ assistant, Dania Thurman describing who they hope to have attend the event.
“Here is a list of stakeholders we have identified as either panelists or participants. Panelists will be invited to speak and have a table/share info, and participants will be invited to have a table and share information.
Traffic Forum
Halton Regional Police
Burlington traffic dept
RPF
Halton Transportation/Roads
Integrated mobility department
MTO
planning and development
Other members of council
Burlington Transit
Metrolinx
Argo Bus – Argo provides on-demand transit services at a standard bus fare, with real-time integration into existing transit lines.
BFAST”