TTC Switches and Signals

We’re going to be advocating for 1) info about Go Slow zones on the subway and streetcar systems 2) a project to eliminate Go Slows at intersections and switches 3) upgrades to dual blade switches 4) upgrades of control software to include positive feedback of switch position

@ahmednadar @TTCnotices @cityoftoronto lol…I think it’s Paris…the diamond lights are a French thing for transit priority…

@TTCSwitches @TTCnotices @cityoftoronto Wait, before we talk about transit single priority TSP, There is no way this is current #Toronto. Clean street, no road damage, no potholes, no damage sidewalk, no garbage on street…. It is clean🧼. SolveTO is not needed there 😊

#Toronto 🚌 @TTCSwitches @TTCnotices I mapped every #TTC stop in the @cityoftoronto. 9,393 stops. Each one is now on SolveTO's map. See a stop with a service alert? It turns red. Tap it. See the route, the alert, and since when. See a broken bench or damaged shelter at that stop? Report it in 15 seconds. Goes to 311 and TTC directly. Transit disruptions and street problems. One map. solveto.ca

@ahmednadar @TTCnotices @cityoftoronto The city has a list of the streetlights with priority on open data. So maybe it’s just a matter of collecting enough “I spent 20s at this light today”. If you collect enough reports it could be proof there is a problem…

@TTCSwitches @TTCnotices @cityoftoronto Someone who takes the 504 every day WILL notice "the streetcar always gets stuck at this light" This TSP requires an expert-level civic observation 😊

The solution to much of this is just to get rid of the signals. Most of them aren’t needed, and can be replaced with other solutions that are just as safe…the traffic agents are symptom, not a solution….

Even better would be to require the TTC to file a report every year on delayed or deferred capital purchases and their effect on service (for each year going forward 20 years). The maintenance fleet facing delays in replacement should have been very clear to the board that it would cause problems...but instead it just passed as a reasonable cost savings...no thought about the delays and impact...

Transit needs to be fast and reliable. I’m moving a motion, seconded by Chair Jamaal Myers, at this week’s TTC meeting requesting an action plan to prevent subway delays due to mechanical and infrastructure failures, including hydraulic fluid leaks and signal issues.

@SwanBoatSteve @RM_Transit @TDotResident One wonders how they can make those determinations with 30 second nextbus resolution…does the ttc know something we don’t?!

@RM_Transit @TDotResident And that 42% only applies to a period of seconds at intersections, not to overall travel time. The TTC report is written in a way that readers can get the wrong impression and I suspect that's deliberate.

This is good, but the TTC really needs to make regularly asking "could this be faster" part of regular operating practice.

We would like to see the TTC automatically review routes that have more than 3 stoplights per km, similar rules should be in place if they drop below a certain on time percentage. On high usage routes they should be required to publicly explain when or why they can’t or won’t install priority lanes or other solutions. By block.

What about saving us money at the turnstile? Why are we promoting more driving instead of more transit when there is a global gas shortage? Why doesn’t Carney make transit 1$ until Labour Day?

We haven’t built cross routes into our analysis yet…lol. It’s crazy the amount of stuff you have in your brain about this stuff… I suspect there would be ways to keep it open for buses, but closed for cars…which would greatly reduce the impact… We do have the type of priority now in our map, working on ways to display it in a helpful way until we get some more data. We are working on a linear map for each bus and streetcar with stops, distance, signals, turns, number of lanes, stop signs, priority, speed limits, cross streets, side streets and anything else we (you) can think of. Then we can do charts and graphs comparing them. Historical where possible.

@TTCSwitches In your list of "minor" intersections to close, Harbord does not belong. It's a bus route.

Wondering why your streetcar is so much slower than back in the 90s? As we add more signalized intersections, you get longer trips...this is signals/km... #topoli

@nat_fitz1 There are lots of examples from Europe and in other jurisdictions where you can safely cross the street as a pedestrian, but signals aren’t needed, or they don’t stop transit…the crossings are a symptom of lack of creativity and willingness to learn from other cities….

@TTCSwitches To reduce deaths crossing the street? Yes, though perhaps more could be just pedestrian crossings. More cars = more difficult to cross = need for more crossings. The crossings are a symptom of too many cars. Get rid of cars (tolling downtown) is the solution, not deaths.

@jackhauen @GraphicMatt

@GraphicMatt Good god

yes... ha ha ha... YES!

@JRUrbaneNetwork It's not just the stops that is causing delays...we just keep adding signals...

Toronto has the world's slowest tram operations, extremely tight stop spacings is one of the reasons, among a whole suite of other issues ranging from outdated operational practices as well as management incompetence.

@TaeSpencerTanzi Hmm...it likely won't work on a phone, and will take a while to load...lots of data unfortunately...(what's the error?)

@TTCSwitches Signal map broken for me

@SwanBoatSteve transit.training ... click on the signal map...(the rest of the site is a work in progress, making this available since it's interesting to play with)

We were inspired by your line about lights being installed and slowing things down...we've created a chart based on some light timing assumptions and the installed date of lights (something we have good data on!)...feel free to add as a comment on your site (can't add photos)...the times are based on a 10s stop at every light...

Great overview from Steve on the signal and switch item coming to council. While Steve is light in this article on what changes and goals he would like to see, we think it would make sense to: 1) start deployment of switches on road in parallel with yards 2) ask for a report on relative costs of speeding up installation of switches to under four years 3) include removal of stop lights in the discussion of stop rationalization - with ped islands, and other modern designs 4) increase data releases to open data to include a) traffic light timing data b) locations of sensors c) stats on how transit priority is working at each intersection - including time savings and other stats (% of uptime) d) dwell time data for stops and intersections 5) a monthly effort to speed up the top 10 intersections with the most delays 6) onstreet payment option at high usage stations

We might not need these...and in total these four probably add about 2-4 minutes to your trip...

Adding mid-block pedestrian crossings and shutting down cross traffic...Sullivan, St. Andrew, Sussex, Nassau...Harbord or Willcox...that would get us back to what it was in 2024...

One suggestion for @TTCNewsroom and @TTChelps ... if a streetcar route gets above 3 lights/km, it should automatically trigger a review...it's fine to install lights, especially to improve safety, but at some point there needs to be a further upgrade to restore performance...and maintain safety...