Mass confusion at York St. and Queens Quay

1. Stone-paved lane between cycle path and streetcar tracks: This is an eastbound car lane to provide local access to building entrances on the south side, though it has no markings to indicate that. Perhaps because it’s stone, eastbound drivers entering it often think they’ve entered the bike lane, so they stop (blocking traffic) and sometimes back up into the intersection. Westbound cyclists similarly misunderstand it, speeding on it into oncoming car traffic. 2. Blacktop car lanes, north of the tracks: One car lane is for eastbound traffic, one for westbound (with a marked turning lane that appears just at the intersection). But cars headed west often change lanes into oncoming traffic, thinking they’re entering another left-turn or a passing lane. When taxis and service vehicles stop at the curb just east of here — and they do — they block the only westbound car lane, encouraging drivers stuck behind them to make dangerous detours. 3. Streetcar right of way: Cars turning onto the road often swing too wide and wind up in the elevated streetcar right-of-way. Suddenly realizing they are headed towards a transit tunnel, they then drive off of the right-of-way, grinding their undercarriages on their way down to road level. 4. Blacktop bike lanes and stone mosaic sidewalk: Because bike and pedestrian paths are at the same elevation, pedestrians often stroll distractedly out into the bike lane, where cyclists are speeding along. Cars trying to back up out of the stone auto lane think they’ve entered by mistake and also back up across the cycle path and sidewalk in an effort to turn around.