Random Thoughts: Economics or Stupidity?

The city has recently changed the Eglinton entrance onto the Allen Expressway and having looked at the new design – I am wondering whether this is the result of economics or stupidity.

First a little background.  The Allen Expressway begins at Eglinton (for those of you not living in Toronto).  This is how the entrance used to work.  The westbound traffic had a single turn lane and a green arrow – allowing them to turn right – directly into one of the two lanes of the expressway.  The eastbound traffic also had a single turn lane and green arrow in which they turned left – directly into the other lane on the expressway.  Both green arrows go at the same time (which is great for pedestrians who need to cross the traffic) and both lines of traffic were able to easily get onto the expressway.

The new design.  Now the westbound traffic has two turn lanes and a green arrow that turns them onto both lanes of the expressway.  While the eastbound traffic has maintained its turn lane and green arrow – it now turns into a small merging lane that feeds into expressway traffic.  Seriously – this is supposed to work?  Merging traffic only works effectively when both sides of the merge are at the same advantage or same disadvantage.  What westbound car, having been given a green light to turn is going to slow down and let an eastbound car in?  Anyone living west of the Allen Expressway (making us the eastbound traffic) knows that traffic between Oakwood and the Allen is a daily and ongoing nightmare of a crawl that only lightens up once all the Allen bound traffic is able to turn left onto the expressway.  This is so not going to happen anymore.

So – back to the question.  Was this dumb decision made because of economics or bureaucratic stupidity?  Does the higher economic medium of households east of the Allen warrant better service than the lower economic status on the west side?  Or do the trendier businesses and BIA of the east side hold more sway than the hodgepodge assortment on the west side?  Why is the movement of traffic coming from the east side given more consideration?  Or is it simply somebody’s dumb idea?  You know – everybody has dumb ideas now and then – that’s fine.  I don’t question the fact that someone had an idea that wasn’t really thought out.  What I have a problem with is the committee that agreed with that person’s dumb idea.  The checks and balances aren’t working people.  This stupid design should never have gotten past the initial stage.