May 13, 1998

 To:Toronto Community Council

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

Subject:Boulton Avenue, between Queen Street East and Dundas Street East - Installation of Speed Humps (Don River)

Purpose:

To reduce speed and volume of traffic on Boulton Avenue and to safeguard school children travelling to three area public schools.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funds to cover the cost of this work in the estimated amount of $3,000.00 are available under Capital Fund Code No. 296702.

Recommendations:

1. That approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on Boulton Avenue, from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East for traffic calming purposes as described below, with implementation subject to the favourable results of polling of the affected residents pursuant to the policy related to speed hump installation as adopted by the former City of Toronto Council:

 "The construction of speed humps on Boulton Avenue from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East, generally as shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5175, dated May 1998";

2. That the speed limit be reduced from forty kilometres per hour to thirty kilometres per hour on Boulton Avenue from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East, coincident with the implementation of traffic calming; and

3. That the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to implement the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that might be required.

Background:

The former City of Toronto Council, at its meeting of September 22 and 23, 1997 in considering Clause 61 in City Services Committee Report No. 11 entitled, Adjustment to Parking Regulations - Boulton Avenue (Ward 8), adopted a number of parking regulation changes which resulted in the implementation of a staggered parking arrangement on Boulton Avenue. In the departmental report contained in the Clause, it was noted that Works staff would examine the feasibility of implementing traffic calming measures on Boulton Avenue.

Comments:

In consideration of the above noted Clause and at the request of Councillor Jack Layton and area residents, a staff investigation has been conducted to determine the feasibility of implementing speed humps on Boulton Avenue from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East to reduce the number of speeding motorists on this street.

Boulton Avenue from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East operates one-way southbound with a pavement width of 7.3 metres and has a posted speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour. A recent twenty-four hour speed and volume survey conducted on Boulton Avenue from Clark Street to Cummings Avenue has provided the speed data shown in the following table.

The incidence of speeding in excess of the forty kilometres per hour speed limit is approximately 40%; however, the percentage of vehicles recorded at a rate of speed in excess of fifty kilometres per hour (generally where Police enforcement would be provided) is 7.5%. This speed profile, although typical of many residential streets in the city, is of concern given the proximity of the adjacent schools along Boulton Avenue.

The former City of Toronto Council, at its meeting on August 21, 1997 adopted, as amended, Clause 28 in City Services Committee Report No. 10 entitled Installation of Speed Humps on City Streets which sets out five primary criteria that must be satisfied when evaluating requests for speed humps (as opposed to speed bumps). Specifically, to warrant speed hump  installation, one of the criteria stipulates that the street should carry a volume of between 1,000 and 8,000 vehicles per day. As noted above, Boulton Avenue carries a total of 1,029 vehicles per day and accordingly, the installation of speed humps is technically warranted.

As stipulated in the Policy, once it has been determined that speed hump installation is technically warranted, a City poll should be conducted of adults (18 years and older) of households directly abutting the affected street, and households on side streets whose only access is from the affected street. Given the relatively profound impact that such an initiative may have on a street, it is recommended that the high level of acceptance, namely 60% of those responding, be achieved in order to authorize the installation.

The changes proposed to the Boulton Avenue roadway as set out above constitute an alteration to a public highway pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Act.

As Community Council may know, pursuant to the requirements of the Municipal Act, the intent of Council to enact a by-law to authorize any physical changes resulting in the alteration of the pavement configuration must be advertised and subsequently be subject to a public hearing. It is noted that consultations with the emergency services agencies will be undertaken to ensure that the detailed design does not unduly hamper their respective operations.

This project is pre-approved in accordance with Schedule A of the Class Environmental Assessment for Municipal Roads Projects.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Peter Ip, Acting Traffic Investigator, 392-7771

Director

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