After at least eight years of dreaming the West Toronto Railpath is officially open! This last weekend an opening party was held. Twitter user, skubie, provided the photo of the path from the south end of the trail where it meets Dundas, just north of College.
It's not a long path right now but there is potential for extending it to at least Dufferin, according to Metrolinx' plans for the rails next to it. After Dufferin it's all up in the air.
Comments
Luke Siragusa
Very nice
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 09:00Rode the full length (thus far) of the path yesterday, from Dundas to just north of Dupont. The path is a veritable velobahn! Very nice.
Pedalling along I could only wonder what took so long to undertake what makes so much sense. No doubt, the Friends of the West Toronto Railpath et al had their work cut for them. Tip of the hat to them.
Ron (not verified)
KMZ or map link?
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 09:32Can someone link to a google maps KMZ file so we can see the actual path on a map?
Luke Siragusa
Re: KMZ or map link?
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 10:23The Friends of the West Toronto Railpath website includes a map. Here it is. Note: Only the stretch north of the Dundas St. W overpass is complete.
vic
Lots of Railpath pics
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 10:59I have lots of photos from the soggy (but fun!) Railpath opening parade on Saturday here:
http://vic.gedris.org/pics/2009-06-20-Railpath/
This was an "unofficial" opening celebration, because the path is not quite ready yet. They still need to add another layer of paving in most places, as well as some interlocking paving. Probably a bit more landscaping and stuff too. I believe the "official" opening of the path will be in September, once all the work is completely finished.
But in the meantime, it's already totally usable, just be careful around the bridges and unpaved bits. Get out there and give it a try!
On Sunday, when the rain gave way to a perfect summer day, there were tons of people out enjoying the path. I saw several families cycling together, people out for a stroll, a dog rolling around in one of the muddy puddles (much to the owner's amusement), a family playing together by the Wallace Ave. entrance, etc.
The Railpath is awesome. I'm so happy to live almost right next to it. :-) can't wait to see it get extended farther south (and north!).
One more pic: Sunday at Dupont St.:
http://vic.gedris.org/pics/2009-06-21/MD-2009-06-21-013.html
Cheers,
Vic
BJH (not verified)
access from Annette?
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 11:05Luke, did you notice if it was possible to access the railpath from the west side of the Dupont rail bridge? Specifically if a rider were travelling eastbound on Annette, can you skip the underpass?
There was a lot of construction there the last time I was through, but I couldn't see an access point.
vic
Railpath access
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 11:31BJH,
No, there are no accesses to the Railpath from the west side. The rail corridor gets in the way.
Coming from Annette, the best thing to do would be to ride under the rail underpass, and turn right down Edwin, then get on the path at Ruskin Ave.
Alternately, you could go under the bridge and turn left onto Osler, and pick get on the path from the Osler entrance which is almost immediately north of Dupont..... or ride further up to Cariboo and catch the path from the top.
For what it's worth... the Dupont bike lanes were installed at the end of last week, though not quite complete yet (signage etc...), so riding through the underpass may be more comfortable / safer now.
Final alternate choice is to just walk on the sidewalk through the underpass and use the Osler entrance.
Cheers,
Vic
BJH (not verified)
Thanks.
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 11:45Thanks. I really was just looking for a way to avoid the underpass, but it's good to hear about the lanes. My commute (when I'm not injured) runs from Jane and Annette to Yonge and Sheppard, so I'm always on the lookout for creative ways to avoid the rail lines and the 401. ;)
Ron (not verified)
Thanks for posting the link
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 11:54Thanks for posting the link to the map. I can't wait for this path to extend all the way downtown. It will become my preferred east-west corridor for commuting downtown. Right now (coming from Mississauga) there aren't too many choice east-west routes aside from the lakeshore, but sometimes it's just not practical to go that far south.
Exciting stuff!
chronologic
Advice for how to pick up the railpath
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 12:25Hey y'all, I'm riding downtown today from the Centennial Park area and I want to try out the Railpath for the first time. Any advice on where to access it? My route is going to take me east on Dundas, and I usually head south when the street curves towards Bloor. This time I'd like to take the Railpath all the way to Stirling and bypass the Dundas / Roncesvalles intersection.
How can I pick up the Railpath given that I'm approaching it from the West?
Rasssspect
vic
Getting on the Railpath
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 13:01Check my previous comment for accessing the Railpath from the Dundas/Annette area.
Another option, if you're coming from farther West on Dundas.... Take Dundas to Runnymede, then ride through the side streets along the north side of the Junction, then catch the Railpath at the very top (Cariboo Ave.). Here's a map:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Dundas+and+Runnymede,+To...
It's pleasant (though somewhat gritty / industrial) ride with little traffic. Just have to be careful crossing Keele St.
chronologic
Thanks Vic!!
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 13:43Vic, that's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the directions & map!
R-
Jun (not verified)
Thanks Vic!
Mon, 06/22/2009 - 14:00thanks for posting the pictures! It was good to see you sunday as well.
My pictures are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56062272@N00/3647035033/
I just wish the railpath would go even a little further south so that at the southern end, you wouldn't have to cross dundas st W and then get back across to connect to the end of College St.
Also, I didn't think the entrance at Ruskin Ave was open yet. I just saw a hole in the fencing at that point.
Once the stairways are opened, you'll see a lot more pedestrian traffic, but for the moment, smooth sailing for bikes!
jun (not verified)
railpath intermittently open
Tue, 06/23/2009 - 23:20Don't count on it being open all the time. This morning, they were repaving sections, and this evening, the southern entrance was fenced off.