April 7, 1998

To:Toronto Community Council

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

Subject:Walmer Road, from Davenport Road to Austin Terrace; Austin Terrace, from Walmer Road to Spadina Road; and Spadina Road, from Austin Terrace to St. Clair Avenue West - Reduction of the speed limit to 40 kilometres per hour (Midtown)

Purpose:

To introduce a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit on the above sections of Walmer Road, Austin Terrace and Spadina Road.

Funding Sources:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

(1) That the speed limit be reduced from 50 kilometres per hour to 40 kilometres per hour on the following streets:

a) Spadina Road (a former Metro arterial road), between Austin Terrace and the north limit of the bridge, south of St. Clair Avenue West;

b) Austin Terrace, between Spadina Road and Walmer Road; and

c) Walmer Road, between Austin Terrace and Davenport Road; and

(2) That the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto including the introduction in Council of any Bills that may be necessary.

Background:

At its meeting on October 6 and 7, 1997, the former City of Toronto Council adopted Clause 20 in Executive Committee Report No. 23, entitled Spadina Road from St. Clair Avenue West to the Bridge South of St. Clair Avenue West - Reduction of Speed Limit and, in doing so, lowered the speed limit to 40 kilometres per hour on the subject section of Spadina Road under City jurisdiction and further, requested the former Metropolitan Council to lower the speed limit on the Metropolitan section of Spadina Road, between Austin Terrace and the north limit of the bridge south of St. Clair Avenue West from 50 kilometres per hour to 40 kilometres per hour.

Comments:

Spadina Road, Austin Terrace, and Walmer Road in this area are narrow collector roads with residential frontage. The section of Spadina Road between Austin Terrace and the north limit of the bridge south of St. Clair Avenue West is approximately 400 metres in length and was previously a Metropolitan roadway because the Spadina Subway line is located below it. North of the bridge to St. Clair Avenue West, Spadina Road was under the jurisdiction of the former City of Toronto and is now controlled by a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit as approved in the above noted Clause. Austin Terrace and Walmer Road are also local streets. These sections of roadway form the connection around Casa Loma from Davenport Road to Spadina Road.

In order to provide a consistent speed limit between Davenport Road and St. Clair Avenue West, a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit should be introduced on Spadina Road, Austin Terrace and Walmer Road as noted in Recommendation No. 1, above.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Stephen Benjamin, Manager of Transportation Operations, 392-7771.

Director.

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