NOTES From an article by Jen Dawson:
- The city estimates that Dundurn North carries 11,652 vehicles every 24 hours, of which 477 are "commercial vehicles."
- Dundurn North is a two-way, three-lane road that rips through the heart of a dense residential neighbourhood
- All but six of the buildings on Dundurn North are detached and semi-detached homes
- Sidewalks are only four feet, ten inches wide, a third of which is lost to slope whenever there's a curb cut for a driveway or intersection: Pedsafe, an office of the U.S. Department of Transportation, recommends that sidewalks on arterial roads are six to eight feet wide, with an additional four- to six-foot buffer between the sidewalk and the road.
- the November 2009 recommended truck network did not have Dundurn North on it, the current version does.
Further notes - Dundurn North appears as a bicycle route in the Shifting Gears Cycling plan , meant to go to two lanes (one in each direction) with bike lanes. (see google map on sidebar, project #088)
Trucks and Bicycles Don't Mix Well
Statistical evidence shows the chance of fatality for cyclists increases dramatically with the size of the vehicle in a collision. The 1998 Coronor's Report found that:
While Class G vehicles still accounted for the majority of fatal collisions, large vehicles were involved in 37 per cent of collisions resulting in cyclist fatalities (compared with only eight per cent of collisions resulting in cyclist injuries). This difference must be attributed to an increased likelihood of cyclist fatality in collisions with large vehicles. For example, there was one cyclist fatality for every 125 non-fatal collisions involving large vehicles (Class A, B, C, D and M) as opposed to one cyclist fatality for every 488 non-fatal collisions involving Class G motor vehicles. Thus, it appears that a cyclist's collision with a large vehicle is approximately four times more likely to result in cyclist fatality than a cyclist's collision with a Class G vehicle.
2 comments:
May 21, 2010
Upper James closed after pedestrian struck TheSpec.com - Local - Upper James closed after pedestrian struck
Blocked between Stone Church and Linc
Andrew Baulcomb
Police have closed both northbound lanes of Upper James Street at Stone Church Road due to a motor vehicle accident.
An unidentified male, 45, was struck by a cargo truck at near the busy intersection, and has life-threatening injuries.
A 300-metre stretch of Upper James north of Stone Church near a Tim Hortons outlet remains closed for an investigation. Commuters have been advised to take a detour.
A" total of 27 per cent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions come from cars and trucks. About six per cent of that comes from heavy trucks, and that figure has increased more than 63 per cent since 1990 because the country is using more trucks — and fewer freight trains — to transport goods, Prentice said."
Canada, U.S. to toughen truck emission rules
Some companies making changes to truck fleets now
Last Updated: Friday, May 21, 2010 | 3:57 PM ET
CBC News
Canada will impose new fuel consumption and emission standards for large rigs and work trucks, and these rules will be aligned with the United States, Environment Minister Jim Prentice says.
Speaking to reporters in Vancouver Friday, Prentice referred to the new standards as "a fully harmonized continental approach" — although Mexico is not yet on board with the policy.
"We're doing it on a continental basis, because, clearly, the transportation network in North America is integrated across the border, and it would not make sense for different standards in Canada and the United States," Prentice said.
The regulations will apply to new heavy-duty vehicles sold in Canada between the 2014 and 2018 model years. The government will come up with draft regulations by this fall and bring the new rules into effect by next year.
When those standards become law, Prentice said, they will apply to every heavy duty vehicle. "Such as garbage trucks. Buses as well. Dump trucks will be included. So too will full-size pickup trucks, as well as cement trucks, trucks that deliver freight, service vehicles … all the kinds of heavy duty trucks that you see in our economy."
However, some firms are making upgrades to their fleets ahead of the changes.
"In our truck fleet, we have 30 new trucks with the most up-to-date fuel-reduction emissions technology in place. We will bring them on board in July, and by the end of 2012, we will have replaced the entire fleet," said Neil McKenna, vice president of transportation for Canadian Tire.
That amounts to 70 big rigs based in Toronto and Montreal. The retail chain contracts out the rest of its trucking across the country and has a quarter million deliveries made to its stores every year.
McKenna said the trucking industry is prepared to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but needs time to put it in place at the manufacturing level.
A total of 27 per cent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions come from cars and trucks. About six per cent of that comes from heavy trucks, and that figure has increased more than 63 per cent since 1990 because the country is using more trucks — and fewer freight trains — to transport goods, Prentice said.
Earlier Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama made a similar announcement at the White House. He also ordered federal agencies that have already brought out new standards for cars and light trucks for the 2012-16 model years to begin work on even stronger rules for 2017 and beyond.
With the spreading oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico underscoring the urgency of reducing dependence on fossil fuels, Obama said he would like to see vehicles 20 years from now run on half the fuel they do today and produce half as much pollution.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/05/21/greenhouse-emissions021.html#ixzz0ob28FzZ5
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