Let’s check out some expressway barriers along the 401. Starting at Avenue Road, and heading west.
Some good mid- to high-density living here, some gated, some affordable but solid. The wall closes in from behind.
Utilities and works yards capitalize on the undeveloped slivers on one side of the tunnel. On the other, there’s some nice trees. But you’re forbidden to enjoy them.
After the Bathurst offramp (that takes you to Wilson), there are open access strips and parcels of parkland. Some space is still wasted by wide roads that don’t even provide access to driveways in some spots. A prime park opportunity to me.
Encountered a real park. Also found a drainage ditch; not sure if this could be headwaters, or it’s just managing runoff.
Brutal station architecture. Also straddling the brutal freeway.
Even more brutal walking/cycling environment. There’s no sidewalks here.
Wilson-Downsview Wasteland (WDW). This is just to serve cars, not people.
Something that resembles a sidewalk appears. The WDW is apparently earmarked for future transit use, but is Wilson Yard not big enough? Also, it’s mostly fenced off, except in the vicinity of a park. I don’t get it.
Downsv-uh… Sheppard West. The road north of here is a frontage road, designed in the days that the Spadina Expressway was still in the plans. A berm and a noise wall still exist here.
Downsview Park. Finally have seen all 6 TYSSE stations.
Date: February 18, 2018
Length: 10.9 km
Type: Railway / Freeway
Related Walks
Headwaters for a creek to the south, now severed
Burke Brook
The 401 continued to the west
401 II
Metroscapes 