Comments on: Uncovering Turcot’s future (under a mountain of paper): BAPE documents reviewed

By: firman

firman — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:40:04 +0000

all about automotive is always growing up...

thanks for sharing here...

By: Pet Snakes

Pet Snakes — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:08:42 +0000

It's great to see some unique content and a good quality blog for once, actually I would be very interested in doing a link exchange with you.

By: TFinch

TFinch — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:23:42 +0000

Guys your city just needs to be knitted back together at this seam. Your petty squabbles about speed bumps and the freedom of auto travel miss the point. The city beyond those freeway vectors is a wreck at that place in this city.

Its a brilliant city with a unique way of getting things done. Quit being so pessimistic or move to a place like Houston where you can justifiably doubt the social nature of your fellow humans.

Whatever comes of the Turcot it will have thought and discussion and debate and reconsideration. It won't be the ideal you were hoping for but it will be another thoroughly thought out attempt at making good. It'll wear out too and your grand kids will get to do it again with all that much more insight and politics. That's the beauty of urbanism. It happens at an almost geological and sedimentitious rate.

Cheer up. Giving it some thought is noble and it is good- no matter what material state your conclusions come to. They'll keep doing it until they get it right. All you can do is your best.

Chirp! You've got the best city in the world to talk about.

TFinch from Texas

By: Jacob Larsen

Jacob Larsen — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:06:41 +0000

Samir,
If you follow the above logic to the ABSOLUTE EXTREME, then speed bumps on all highways would be logical. However, good planning means means identifying objectives and taking measured, moderate steps to achieve them. Despite officially seeking to reduce single driver vehicle trips, the MTQ is taking steps that will ultimately augment these trips.

By: Samir

Samir — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:23:46 +0000

So if I follow your logic correctly, let's put speed bumps on all highways to force people to take the bus.

Oh man, I love that idea!

By: Jacob Larsen

Jacob Larsen — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 03:22:17 +0000

Perhaps I wasn`t clear about when I wrote about the MTQ`s forecasts of increased traffic. I wasn`t suggesting that the MTQ is bluffing in its claim that the highway will accomodate more traffic.

This is based on the rates of increase in traffic on the Turcot over the past 15 years or so. This is not predicated on redesign; in fact, at 280,000 the Turcot isn`t even at capacity.

While they`re not adding lanes, they are adding shoulders where there weren`t already. This is required to bring them up to regular highway standards. This is not strictly a capacity increase, but will speed up traffic overall, another disincentive for alternate modes.

By: Samir

Samir — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:48:08 +0000

Comments here are just ridiculous. Some of you might be more educated about urbanism, but highways and automotive technology is just alien to you guys.

You guys believe that the MTQ is bluffing when stating that traffic would not increase by a mere 10k cars a day, but have you even looked at the plans? The complexe won't have a single additional lane, where would all those cars go anyways???!! The only reason it will be able to process just a tad more cars is because of smoother curves that will allow cars to keep a steady speed without slowing down. That's it. When you read the interventions by the MTQ, even they are not sure if it will really be able to process more cars!

Moreover cars have gained 25% engine efficiency during the last 20 years without any major tech. breakthrough. Now with hybrids and all-electric cars, it's really not farfetched that the MTQ firmly believes that emission shall be, at worst, the same.

By: Neath

Neath — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:56:31 +0000

I agree, Jacob. It's interesting that most of the concern about Turcot has come from Saint Henri and NDG. Somehow, it is not the Island wide issue it should be because what they do here is going to affect everywhere in one way or another.

By: Jacob Larsen

Jacob Larsen — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 03:32:12 +0000

Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks the MTQ's claim that better fuel emissions will negate the increase of traffic on the Turcot is a bit ridiculous.

Bruno Bisson at La Presse published this article http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/regional/montreal/200903/26/01-840343-echangeur-turcot-un-dossier-en-evolution.php in on the subject.

Bisson quotes Alain Dubé, the MTQ's "Turcot Czar", who said the project is still "in evolution". I look forward to seeing what exactly will evolve. One thing's for sure: if there is any significant change, it will only be thanks to sustained public pressure on the MTQ.

By: Cdnlococo

Cdnlococo — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:41:41 +0000

Here is a view looking West at Decarie and St Jacques in 1916.

http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/collection/artifacts/MP-1986.53.22

Decarie enters at right.

An Arc streetlight overlooks the intersection not that far above or from the trolley wire, considering that the light has to be lowered to change the carbons. Safety First!

By: Vasi

Vasi — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:42:17 +0000

I think you're a little confused about the acoustic decibel scale. First, an increase of 3 dB (not 2 dB) reflects a doubling in air pressure. It doesn't matter what you started at, 37 -> 40 is as much a doubling as 2 -> 5. Second, the decibel scale measures air pressure, not loudness. The general rule of thumb is that a 10 dB increase will be perceived by humans as "twice as loud". Of course, this assumes the sound is otherwise the same, but that's what the "A" in "dBA" means. Perhaps it's best if I just translate the figures you gave into rough human perception: -1 dBA: 93% +1 dBA: 107% +3 dBA: 123% I think the -/+1 dBA difference is truly negligible. The 3 dBA increase isn't huge, but it might be worth worrying about.

By: newurbanshapes

newurbanshapes — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:05:10 +0000

"Despite the almost unanimous cry from all corners of society for a reduction in automobile usage, the studies commissioned by the MTQ presume an increase in driving and their redesign makes it possible."

Well, why is that