(Report dated June 3, 1998, addressed to the Chairman and Members of the Scarborough Community Council, from the Director, Road and Traffic Services, Works & Environment, Scarborough District.)

Subject:Turn Restriction from Louella Plaza onto Luella Street, Scarborough Bluffs

 Purpose:

To investigate the need to install right turn restrictions from the driveways of Louella Plaza, 254/276 Markham Road, onto Luella Street.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

The $500.00 (approximate) funds associated with the installation of these turn restriction signs are available in the Road & Traffic Services 1998 Budget, Account No. 20000-70200-72240.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the right turn restriction signs identified in Appendix 1 of this report be adopted; and

(2)the appropriate by-laws be amended accordingly.

Council Reference/Background/History:

At the request of a tenant in the Louella Plaza, Road & Traffic Services staff investigated concerns regarding motorists cutting through the parking lot to go between Markham Road and Luella Street. Specifically, motorists would cut through the plaza to avoid the southbound right turn restriction, which applies between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., Monday to Friday at the intersection of Markham Road and Luella Street. As such, the same restriction from the Louella Plaza driveway to Luella Street was requested.

Discussion:

Louella Plaza is found on the northwest corner of Markham Road and Luella Street, north of Eglinton Avenue. Plaza access is provided onto both Markham Road and onto Luella Street. Traffic control signals exist at the intersection of Markham Road and Luella Street.

Previously, on Thursday, September 19, 1996, between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., traffic investigation staff recorded the number of motorists cutting through the community from Markham Road to get to Eglinton Avenue. The following reveals these study results and results of our previous study conducted on Thursday, May 14, 1992.

Study Date: September 19, 1996

Study Date: May 14, 1992

These studies revealed that a number of motorists are cutting through the plaza and disobeying the southbound turn restriction. Fortunately, very few customers are conducting business in the plaza at this time of the morning as most of the shops have yet to open for business.

Nonetheless, many motorists who are cutting through the plaza or ignoring the southbound right turn restriction are generated by Scarborough Village Public School. This is frustrating as one main reason for the community requesting the southbound turn restriction onto Luella Street was to decrease motorists cutting through the community and, therefore, make the roads safer for pedestrians and specifically children. By motorists, destined to the public school performing these movements the intention of the community and the school is defeated.

Therefore, in the past, we requested that the school ask staff and parents to refrain from cutting through the plaza and disobeying the southbound turn restriction. These motorists were encouraged to access either Centre Street or Beachell Street via Eglinton Avenue.

Despite these efforts, we are aware that motorists continue to cut through the plaza. Installation of No Right Turn restrictions between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., Monday to Friday for motorists exiting the plaza would complement the existing southbound turn restriction at Markham Road and Luella Street. The plaza owner has advised the tenants of this proposed restriction and from what we understand has not received any objections. It is considered necessary to restrict right turns from both of the driveways onto Luella Street as it is felt that motorists would circumvent the main driveway from the plaza and use the rear driveway.

Conclusions:

We can support the installation of right turn restrictions that apply from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., from Monday to Friday for traffic exiting from Louella Plaza onto Luella Street.

Contact Name:

Bruce Clayton

Supervisor, Traffic Investigations, Works and Environment, Scarborough District

Telephone: 396-7844

Fax: 396-5681

E-mail: clayton@city.scarborough.on.ca

(Copy of Appendix 1, referred to in the foregoing report, is on file in the office of the City Clerk.)