2015 Pan Am Games - High Occupancy Lanes

[bskin]

Forum Sponsor

For the 2015 Pan Am Games, temporary high occupancy lanes are going to appear on all the major highways which is going make commuting to work hell for a lot of people.

"The lanes will be open to Games vehicles, media, emergency vehicles, electric vehicles, public transit, taxis and cars carrying more than three people." It would be nice to see if motorcyclists can be added to this list if the end goal is to reduce congestion. Some HOV lanes (like on Eglinton) already allow for motorcyclists during rush hour. How could one go about presenting this idea for the temporary Pan Am HOV lanes?

This sentence is like a too-bad-so-sad-kick-to-the-nuts to the residents. "However, the plan also places part of the onus on residents, businesses and spectators to minimize congestion by carpooling, avoiding rush hour and cycling or walking to work."

I know it's only for about two weeks but unfortunately, I take three major highways to and from work during rush hour. I'd much rather be cruising at a decent pace in the HOV lanes than sitting in traffic.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/officials-unveil-pan-am-games-transportation-plan-1.2847459

 

[Matthew.Tremayne]

Ride in the lane anyways, problem solved.

 

[CafeRay]

The list of allowed vehicles is likely the same as other HOV lanes. Those two weeks will be hell, cost over a billion dollars, for a bunch of games no one cares about.

Thanks for the big type.

 

[cycling]

Just a FYI. Is it worth 3 points and $110 fine. A long while back it was suggested we all get together and ride the lane to protest. Fizzled out. Personally, I think we should have access to the HOV lane except for the stupid idiot cagers that would try to run us off the road.

What happens to drivers using the HOV lane improperly, and what is the penalty?

Drivers using the lane improperly can be stopped and ticketed by OPP officers monitoring the HOV lane, and will be required to re-enter the general lanes at the next entry/exit zone. The penalty for improper HOV lane use is a fine of $110 and three demerit points.

 

[mxs]

It will be two weeks of traffic hell (for the residents, not the participants, they will be just shocked watching why the cars around them stopped moving long time ago ... LOL), nothing this region has ever seen .... but, we will all get our money back, form the every real estate price booth following the event ... LOL2

Forgot to add .... it will actually be 3 weeks of hell, because the Parapan games will follow in Aug ... book your vacation now, you will need 3 weeks ... Jul 10-26 and Aug 7-15 ... I just have to explain it to my paycheck provider that I really need to be out of town twice that summer ... LOL3

 

[CafeRay]

Drivers using the lane improperly can be stopped and ticketed by OPP officers monitoring the HOV lane, and will be required to re-enter the general lanes at the next entry/exit zone. The penalty for improper HOV lane use is a fine of $110 and three demerit points.

I've never seen a cop do that, ever. I ride the HOV with my kids, and idiots use it as a passing lane all the time, especially around Mississauga. I really like the Griswalds who come into the HOV and stick the 'ole cruise control on 98. Like most laws that really are about safety on highways, they are rarely enforced by the OPP.

 

[cycling]

I've never seen a cop do that, ever. I ride the HOV with my kids, and idiots use it as a passing lane all the time, especially around Mississauga. I really like the Griswalds who come into the HOV and stick the 'ole cruise control on 98. Like most laws that really are about safety on highways, they are rarely enforced by the OPP.

I have been on the Dundas HOV Etobicoke/Mississauga and seen the local cops pull cagers over. On the whole you are correct very little enforcement.

 

[dextasy]

I've never seen a cop do that, ever. I ride the HOV with my kids, and idiots use it as a passing lane all the time, especially around Mississauga. I really like the Griswalds who come into the HOV and stick the 'ole cruise control on 98. Like most laws that really are about safety on highways, they are rarely enforced by the OPP.

I've seen quite a few vehicles with only the driver pulled over a few times on the 403, motorcycles as well....doesn't seem to phase anybody though.

 

[mxs]

A little detail in the press release I didn't catch initially ... they are increasing the number of mandatory heads from 2 to 3 .... so you can forget that they would ever, even remotely, consider letting motorcycles in ... you can, if you have 3 and more people on it ... LOL

They have had 5 years or so, since they won the right to stage the event ... yet they (mostly provincial Liberals, Conservative Feds and local GTA politicians) have done nothing to use the "vehicle" of the games to improve significantly infrastructure. Rather, they are asking the residents basically to get the heck out of their way or plan ... remarkable, hard to such a transportation concept failure elsewhere in the world.

Budget of 1.5bil (excl. athletes village) and they allocated 61mil for their transportation plan .... can this even be for real???

 

[-D-]

sounds good, fender benders and broken down cars will help everyone go nowhere faster too
so what happens when they pull people over...doesn't that impede traffic more due to the rubbernecking
well let us all hope that we break even or see a profit from these games

 

[CafeRay]

well let us all hope that we break even or see a profit from these games

 

[CafeRay]

They have had 5 years or so, since they won the right to stage the event ... yet they (mostly provincial Liberals, Conservative Feds and local GTA politicians) have done nothing to use the "vehicle" of the games to improve significantly infrastructure.

Kinda hard to do with a Mayor who showed up to work at the crack of noon, then halted all municipal government for about a year while helicopters followed him around..

 

[FiReSTaRT]

Our traffic is so well-managed that these extra HOV lanes won't make a difference. The traffic will be moving at the same speeds as always

 

[crankcall]

traffic will be just one of the delights the PanAm games will bring, add enormous security checks at conservation areas where some shmoe from Mehico wants to gold medal in archery, the total roads blocks for cycling events and foot races, no room on patios near a venue. Just a treat. But think of the retail boon for a local barber shop........ oh right sweet F all.

 

[FiReSTaRT]

traffic will be just one of the delights the PanAm games will bring, add enormous security checks at conservation areas where some shmoe from Mehico wants to gold medal in archery, the total roads blocks for cycling events and foot races, no room on patios near a venue. Just a treat. But think of the retail boon for a local barber shop........ oh right sweet F all.

Which reminds me that I gotta go to my barber's before he gets swamped by all these Pan Am people!!!

 

[daught]

I wonder if gardiner will be finished by then. A HOV lane on one of the two lanes would be awesome. I'll be laughing from far away.

 

[Flywheel]

I wonder if gardiner will be finished by then. A HOV lane on one of the two lanes would be awesome. I'll be laughing from far away.

Heh, I'm out of the downtown core too, or should I say sinkhole. Avoid it completely now, don't miss the dooshbag parade at all.

 

[FiReSTaRT]

I wonder if gardiner will be finished by then. A HOV lane on one of the two lanes would be awesome. I'll be laughing from far away.

I'll be in South America by then, laughing at the still image of the traffic once I realize it's actually a video feed

 

[ddusseld]

The Gardiner construction is supposed to be put on hold during the games with all lanes open... We will see....

I wonder if gardiner will be finished by then. A HOV lane on one of the two lanes would be awesome. I'll be laughing from far away.

 

[MSRP]

Let us all think positively.
Traffic into the core will lead to more exploration of suburban/rural Ontario where the better riding is anyways!

YAY

Forum Sponsor