Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Help the challenged

I agree with Council that the streetscaping on the 25th Street project is grand (SP Dec. 1/10.) I like the architectural controls that will compliment the area. Although I understand that they couldn't re-route the rail line, I had hoped that some type of overpass would have been created to prevent the traffic jams that occur when the train takes a break and sits across Idylwyld during peak traffic periods. Is there anyway to restrict the times that the train can come through the city?

I admit to being 'directionally challenged' so help me out. Remember it is not nice to mock people with challenges and we are in the naughty or nice seson.

I cannot tell from the artist rendering in the paper the East/West connection. I get the turning lane to head North. I get the turning lane to head South. I think if I am travelling down Idylwyld North to South that at the intersection of Idylwyld and 25th I could turn left onto 25th Street East and just prior to the intersection I could turn right to 25th Street West. How do I cross over Idylwyld going from 25th Street East to 25th Street West? By example, if I'm coming off the University Bridge, travelling down 25th Street East and want to get to the Holiday Inn Express, how do I get there?

Out of necessity I'm putting a GPS on my Christmas list.

13 comments:

  1. Ah,
    So challenged you r. The first step is to admit it. Good job. I will first answer your question on how to get to the Holiday Inn... You put your foot on the gas and floor it hoping to hit the rail tracks and get enough lift to get into the parking lot. LOL Obviously this thing is another hurried and poorly thought out project.

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  2. If you are traveling North on Idyllwyld or coming from the East on 25th Street you will not be able to access 25th Street West. This is at least partially because of the Caswell Hill LAP and restrictions put in place by the rail companies for safety. I am guessing this will have a rather large impact on transit service to the area.

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  3. I suspect that 25th Street East doesn't line up with 25th Street West for a couple reasons:

    Residents of Caswell Hill might have some concerns with the Hwy 5/College Drive/25th Street East corridor funnelling directly into the neighbourhood.

    If 25th East/West did line up, two rail lines would cross 25th Street just east of the intersection. CP Rail likely has concerns with westbound cars stopping for a red light on their tracks. I know there are such situations elsewhere in the city, but I suspect CPR is reluctant to create more of them.

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  4. Good luck asking for restrictions on when the trains (both CN and CP) should be travelling through the city, sitting across roads during rush hour or shunting in the dead of night. A simple phone call to inquire about if they can change things or a scathing letter to either train company usually results in INCREASED activity of whatever you were asking to have decreased. The city must plan accordingly as they'll have little to no co-operation from CNR or CPR.

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  5. The rail lines through the city are some of the biggest impediments to development. Any chance at re-routing the lines would have to come from the federal government, however, along with considerable and intensive lobbying from provincial and municipal authorities. It would be quite expensive and timely, but it can be done. All it takes is political will.

    It's the utter lack of political will on the part of our political leaders that the railway co.s are counting on.

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  6. This just in they city plans on making a u-turn lane to handle the problem of getting from 25th St westbound across to the Holiday Inn. Check out this page http://www.saskatoon.ca/DEPARTMENTS/Infrastructure%20Services/Transportation/TransportationPlanning/PublishingImages/25th%20Street%20Extension%20Detail.jpg

    Won't that just make for a fine bit of traffic control.

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  7. I dont think a GPS can keep up with this mess! hehe! We need new city councillors!!

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  8. "How do I cross over Idylwyld going from 25th Street East to 25th Street West? By example, if I'm coming off the University Bridge, travelling down 25th Street East and want to get to the Holiday Inn Express, how do I get there?"


    You don't.

    You should be able to turn left from 25th to southbound Idylwyld, then turn right (at Jamieson??) and go around the block.

    http://www.saskatoon.ca/DEPARTMENTS/Infrastructure%20Services/Transportation/TransportationPlanning/Pages/25th%20Street%20Extension.aspx

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  9. To Anon 8:55pm

    This is the city councillors fault????

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  10. Yes, it is city councillors fault. They are supposed to represent the taxpayers!

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  11. Dear anon 10:27.........are saying that the Caswell Hill residents who insisted on this design aren't tax payers?

    Or is it just that you want the councillors to listen to the 'right' tax payers? i.e. you

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  12. As long as those who live there are listened to and not manipulated by bureaucrats at city hall. No agendas and politics.

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  13. The last time I checked all tax payers paid for the roads in Caswell, not just the locals. These Community Associations are out of hand and need to be reeled in by council. I live there and have for more years than any one on the Assoc. I have driven up and down 25th Street for forty five years shared it with buses and other local traffic, saw the Holiday Inn come in take out the bushes (much to the shagrin of a few of the Com Assoc types) that were the hiding place for junkies and improve the area. Now tell me how the hell will I, potental hotel guests and the transit buses get on 25th? A U TURN! IS SOMEBODY KIDDING HERE!

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