March 3, 1998

To: Toronto Community Council

From: Andrew Koropeski, Director, Infrastructure Planning & Transportation, City Works Services

Subject: Bremner Boulevard, between Rees Street and Lower Simcoe Street - Prohibition of standing and/or stopping (Downtown)

Purpose:

This proposal is intended to deter unlawful parking and/or stopping on this section of the street while maintaining an area where motorists or buses may load/unload passengers, consistent with the development approval conditions for Phase 1 of the CN Tower expansion project.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not applicable

Recommendations:

(1) That the parking prohibition on both sides of Bremner Boulevard from Rees Street to York Street be adjusted to apply from Lower Simcoe Street to York Street;

(2) That stopping be prohibited at anytime:

(3) That standing be prohibited at anytime on the north side of Bremner Boulevard from a point 130.0 metres east of Rees Street to a point 78.0 metres further east; and

(4) That the appropriate City Officials be requested to take whatever action is necessary to give effect to the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that are required.

Comments:

Following from the former City Council=s approval at its meeting of September 23 and 24, 1997 of CN Tower=s development application to expand the uses at the base of the Tower (Clause 2 in Land Use Committee Report No. 14), project consultants for CN Tower have contacted staff of City Works Services with a request to delineate an interim area on the north side of Bremner Boulevard near the entrance to CN Tower where tour buses may legally stop to pick-up and drop-off passengers. Implementation of the consultant=s request would, in effect, create an interim bus drop-off/pick-up facility for the initial stage of the expansion, consistent with elements of the CN Tower Phase 1 Agreement, Section 3.3, Charter Bus Management Strategy, secured in conjunction with the approval process (It is noted that Phase 2 of the Tower base expansion includes construction of an on-site bus loading/unloading facility, at which time the proposed on-street operation would be removed).

In conjunction with the proposal to implement an interim bus drop-off/pick-up area on Bremner Boulevard, the Charter Bus Management Strategy also requires the owner to, among other things, ensure bus activity to/from the Tower is pre-scheduled and confirmed, designate a staff member to co-ordinate charter bus activities, implement a communications system between the Tower and off-site bus parking areas, and monitor and report on these measures between 6 and 12 months following the opening of the Phase 1 development. Provision of these measures is intended to ensure that the proposed on-street bus activity occurs in a safe and efficient manner.

Parking is currently prohibited at anytime on both sides of Bremner Boulevard between Rees Street and York Street. However, several site inspections over the past six months have revealed that motor coaches, private automobiles and taxicabs frequently park on both sides of this street disregarding the signed parking prohibition. This situation is exacerbated when events occur nearby at SkyDome and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC).

Lay-bys located on the north side of Bremner Boulevard in front of the Skydome and a horseshoe driveway at the MTCC resolve many loading issues at these venues. Nevertheless, the illegal parking situation on Bremner Boulevard and the loading/unloading requirements at the CN Tower, could be addressed by rescinding the current parking prohibition on both sides of Bremner Boulevard between Rees Street and Lower Simcoe Street and replacing it with a more stringent stopping prohibition on the south side of the street and segmented stopping and standing prohibitions on the north side of the street as noted in my recommendations above.

Under the provisions of the Highway Traffic Act, if this proposal is implemented, vehicles would be permitted to stop momentarily while actually engaged in boarding or discharging passengers in the area prohibited to standing (about 78 metres in length) but no vehicle would be permitted to park or stand while waiting for passengers in this area. In conjunction with the installation of official "No Standing Anytime" signs, tabs would be added to each sign indicating "Passenger Pick-up/Drop-off Only" and markings would be applied to the road surface and to the curb to enhance motorists 'compliance with this regulation. As noted, this operation is intended to address an interim condition for the Tower, and should be removed when on-site bus facilities are constructed as part of the Phase 2 expansion.

Ward Councillors Olivia Chow and Kyle Rae have been advised of this matter.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Ron Hamilton, 392-1806

Director

RJH/