July 8, 1998

 To:Toronto Community Council

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

 Subject:Spadina Road between St. Clair Avenue West and Montclair Avenue - Design Refinements to the Approved Roadway Narrowing Plan (Midtown)

 Purpose:

 To report on the findings of a trial road narrowing plan on Spadina Road between St. Clair Avenue West and Montclair Avenue which was implemented by means of parking arrangements, and resulting minor refinements to the approved roadway narrowing plan to be built in conjunction with planned road reconstruction this year.

 Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

 The minor refinements to the roadway narrowing plan for Spadina Road will not result in any changes to the overall cost of the approved work.

 Recommendations:

 1. That the draft by-law approved by the former Toronto City Council at its meeting of September 22 and 23, 1997 to authorize the narrowing of the pavement on Spadina Road between St. Clair Avenue West and Montclair Avenue be amended to incorporate the design refinements described in the text of this report and illustrated in the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5233, dated July 1998, as follows:

 - delete the entry in Section (1) under Column 6 and replace with the following:

  (Column 1(Columns 2(Columns 3(Column 4(Columns 5(Columns 6

Street) Side of Width) From) To) Drawing

Location) No./Date)

 Spadina Road11 m-8 mSt. ClairMontclair421F-5233

AvenueAvenueJuly, 1998

West

 and the draft by-law, as amended, be enacted.

 2. That in order to remove one parking meter on the west side of Spadina Road between Heath Street West and Bantry Avenue and install two parking meters on the west side of Spadina Road between Lonsdale Road and Strathern Boulevard, the parking regulation changes outlined in Appendix A attached hereto be approved; and

 3. That the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect to the following, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that may be required.

 Background:

 The former Toronto City Council, at its meeting of September 22 and 23, 1997 authorized the enactment of a by-law to narrow Spadina Road between St. Clair Avenue West and Montclair Avenue, from a current width of 11 m to a width varying from 8 m to 11 m. The work was to be carried out in conjunction with a planned reconstruction project under the annual Capital Programme. Council also directed, among other things, that implementation of the work would be subject to a report back on the results of a trial narrowing to assess the impact on traffic operations in the Spring of 1998, which was accomplished by means of allowing parking at all times at specified locations and providing left turn lanes at key intersections. (Clause 23 in City Services Committee Report No. 11).

 Comments:

 The approved roadway narrowing on Spadina Road from St. Clair Avenue West to Montclair Avenue was based on reducing the current width of 11 m to a new width, generally, of 8 m, which would provide one travel lane in each direction. Left turn lanes would be provided at the intersections of Heath Street West and St. Clair Avenue West. The reduced roadway width would not decrease the current traffic volume capacity. The plan would result in the elimination of 6 parking spaces on the west side of Spadina Road south of Heath Street West and one metered parking space north of Heath Street West. However, peak period restrictions would be rescinded on four metered spaces south of Montclair Avenue and two new spaces were proposed for the Village. A key component of the plan was the introduction of 1.5 m wide boulevard areas on both sides that could accommodate the planting of grass or trees.

 As a result of concerns expressed largely by area businesses related to potential traffic congestion and parking, Council directed that a trial narrowing be conducted and monitored. On May 25, 1998 the peak hour parking restrictions on the west side of Spadina Road between St. Clair Avenue West and Montclair Avenue were rescinded, and northbound and southbound left-turn lanes on Spadina Road at Heath Street were implemented. These changes constituted the trial measures approved by the former Toronto City Council at its meeting of September 22 and 23, 1997.

 Traffic volumes on Spadina Road were recorded after the implementation of the trial measures for a period of one week beginning on June 22, 1998. The volumes were compared with previous data collected on Spadina Road, and the results are summarized in the table below:

 24-HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUMES ON

SPADINA ROAD

 Factoring in the variation that can be expected in traffic flows, we can conclude that there has been no significant change in the traffic volumes as a result of rescinding the peak period parking restrictions (which in effect produce a trial road narrowing) and implementing the left-turn lanes at Heath Street West.

 The results of the trial roadway narrowing were considered at a meeting held in June 1998 between representatives of Spadina Road residents, members of the Forest Hill Village BIA, representatives of the Ward Councillors' offices, an independent traffic consultant, and City staff. Based on the trial and assessment, certain design refinements to the approved plan were advanced. The amended plan is shown in the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5233, dated July 1998. The refinements include the following:

• maintaining parking on the west side of Spadina Road between St. Clair Avenue and Heath Street;

• narrowing the width of Spadina Road to 8 m by extending the curb on the west side, for a distance approximately 45 m south of Heath Street and approximately 55 m north of St. Clair Avenue;

• extending the length of the southbound left-turn lane at St. Clair Avenue; and

• staggering the northbound left-turn lane at Heath Street West to facilitate westbound to southbound left-turning traffic.

 It was further agreed that in lieu of the removal of the parking meter on the west side of Spadina Road between Heath Street West and Bantry Avenue, two parking meters would be added on the west side of Spadina Road between Lonsdale Road and Strathern Boulevard, as shown in the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5176, dated March 20, 1998. The parking regulation changes required to implement the new parking meters are outlined in Appendix A.

 Given that the proposed design refinements to the approved road narrowing plan for Spadina Road will serve the same purpose, within the same limits as the original, I am of the view that this represents a technical amendment which does not alter the intent or fundamental function of the plan, and accordingly should not require readvertising of the by-law.

  Conclusions:

 The traffic counts conducted after the implementation of the trial parking and traffic operation changes on Spadina Road between St. Clair Avenue West and Montclair Avenue indicate that there is no significant change in the daily traffic volumes. Consequently, it is recommended that the planned reconstruction of Spadina Road incorporate the proposed narrowing with the minor design refinements documented in this report. The planned reconstruction is anticipated to begin by late August or early September 1998.

 Contact Name and Telephone Number:

 Nigel Tahair, 392-7711

Transportation Management Branch

     Director

 AK/NT/sah

 (p:\1998\ug\cws\ipt\to980141.ipt) - sah

Appendix A

 Parking Regulation Amendments Required to Remove One Parking Meter

on Spadina Road Between Heath Street and Bantry Avenue and Add Two New Meters

on Spadina Road Between Lonsdale Road and Strathern Boulevard

   1.Delete the following:

§400-83 - Schedule XXX: Parking Meters

1. Add the following:

§400-83 - Schedule XXX: Parking Meters

1. Delete the following:

§400-77 - Schedule XXIV: No Stopping

1. Add the following:

§400-77 - Schedule XXIV: No Stopping