Urban decoder

Roads

A friend tells me that all traffic lights in the city are operated by underground sensors. Is this a myth? —Adrienne Shore, Cabbagetown

What’s with the Inglis sign off the Gardiner? The other day it flashed me with an odd, all-capitalized message: THE GREATEST REMEDY FOR ANGER IS DELAY. Who comes up with these slogans? —Mark Symington, Mississauga

A friend told me that the stretch of Yonge Street from Gerrard to Queen was pedestrianized in the ’70s. Is he right? —Adrian Ho, Yorkville

When a highway sign reads “Toronto 70 km,” is that 70 kilometres to the city limits, City Hall or the city centre? —Alfred Rudin, Deer Park

How much money do the traffic cameras at major intersections generate for the city? Are they just a cash cow? —Luka Djordjevic, East York

Lately, the overhead electronic signs on the DVP have displayed such singsongy messages as “Check your gauges, control your rages,” and “Why fool with fate? Don’t tailgate.” What poetic soul produced these highway epistles? —J. Kelly O’Connor, Agincourt

I’ve heard there are roundabouts somewhere in the city. Is this true? If so, where are they located? —Sandra Brawley, Scarborough

Just west of Yonge leading south from Adelaide, I noticed a street sign for Grand Opera Lane. This seems a rather highfalutin name for what amounts to about 30 metres of blind alley. —Basil W. Johnston, Peterborough

I am saddened by the ever-present roadkill lining our streets and highways. Who is responsible for collecting these poor creatures, how are they disposed of, and at what time of day is the job done?

Dear Urban Decoder: Why is it always so windy at Yonge and Bloor? I heard it has something to do with all the tall buildings. Is that true?

I heard there's a ship buried beneath the Gardiner. Is it true?—Gwendolyn Gao, The Annex

Many Mississauga streets are quite short, yet the numbers are usually in the 4000s and 5000s. Why?— Maria Carrusca, Scarborough

I heard St. George Street was not, in fact, named after the dragon slayer of British lore. So who was it named after? —Elliot Joseph, Oakville

How, when and why did it come to pass that the Portuguese community has two regional street signs: Portugal Village and Rua Açores? —Emanuel da Silva, Rexdale

What are the origins of Avenue Road’s name? It’s like a street called Boulevard Road, or Road Street, or, well, you get the point.—Oliver Warmflash, DOWNTOWN

Dear Urban Decoder: I’ve noticed tiny metal plates embedded in the sidewalk on certain streets. What are they for?—Jackie Middleton, DEER PARK