July 6, 1998

 To:Toronto Community Council

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

 Subject:Christie Street from Bloor Street West to Dupont Street - Proposed Road Narrowings (Davenport)

 Purpose:

 To authorize the narrowing of the pavement on Christie Street between Bloor Street West and Dupont Street to facilitate the planting of trees and landscaping portions of the boulevards and the traffic island at Bloor Street West while providing a measure of traffic calming on the street, as part of scheduled road reconstruction work in 1998.

 Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

 Funds to cover the cost of the planned reconstruction work on Christie Street have been accommodated in the 1998 Capital Budget. Funds to cover the incremental costs of the curb realignments, boulevard landscaping and island adjustments are available in the Urban Planning and Development Services Capital Budget and under Capital Fund Code No. 296702 for Traffic Calming.

 Recommendations:

 1. That approval be given to narrow the pavement on Christie Street described as follows:

 "the narrowing of the pavement from a width of 11 m to a width varying from 8 m to 10 m on CHRISTIE STREET between Bloor Street West and Dupont Street, and the narrowing of the pavement on the northbound leg of CHRISTIE STREET north of Bloor Street West from a width of 9 m to a width varying from 7 m to 8 m, as shown schematically on the attached print of Drawing No. SK-2200, dated July 6, 1998; and

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

  Comments:

 Existing Conditions

 Christie Street between Bloor Street West and Dupont Street is an arterial route and has a width of 11 m. It carries two-way traffic under a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit and serves a TTC bus route. Approximately 12,000 vehicles per day use this portion of Christie Street, with about 55% of vehicles exceeding the 40 km/h speed limit and about 9% exceeding the limit by at least 10 km/h. Traffic signals are located at the intersections of Christie Street with Bloor Street West, Barton Avenue and Dupont Street and pedestrian crossovers are located at Yarmouth Road and Follis Avenue. Abutting uses are primarily residential in nature with some retail/commercial sites. Christie Pits abuts the west side of the street south of Barton Avenue.

 The following parking regulations are in effect:

 East side- "Stopping" is prohibited from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.

 - Parking is prohibited at all other times.

  West side- "Stopping" is prohibited from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Monday to Friday.

 - Parking is prohibited at anytime from Dupont Street to a point 67.6 m south thereof and along the one-way sections north of Bloor Street West.

 - Parking is permitted for a maximum duration of one hour from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

 - Permit parking operates from 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. and parking is otherwise permitted for a maximum duration of 3 hours.

 - Parking meters are in operation from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, for a maximum duration of one hour; and from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for a maximum duration of three hours.

 Christie Street was realigned a number of years ago at Bloor Street West to eliminate the jog with Grace Street to the south of Bloor Street West. This realignment resulted in the construction of a traffic island and channelized northbound leg which also provides access to commercial properties and a subway station on the east side of the street.

 The pavement on Christie Street between Bloor Street West and Dupont Street was constructed in 1949 and is scheduled for reconstruction this year. In addition, portions of the sidewalks and curbs have reached the end of their economic life-cycle and also require reconstruction this year.

 Proposed Plan

 Staff of the Urban Design Division of Urban Planning and Development Services in consultation with staff of Works have developed a conceptual plan of streetscape improvements which includes a number of components. The main feature is the narrowing of the road by approximately one metre on the east side, generally as indicated in the attached print of Drawing No. SK-2200 dated July 6, 1998 and described in Recommendation No. 1 above. This will allow for the planting of a row of trees in the east boulevard. As the trees mature, this would gradually transform the appearance of the street.

 A moderate level of traffic calming can be introduced at certain intersecting streets by providing localized sidewalk extension/road pavement narrowings on the west side of Christie Street to "frame" the on-street parking and at the same time provide more generous pedestrian space at intersections. Specifically, these sidewalk extensions measuring about 2 m in width are proposed at:

 Melville Avenue- north and south sides

 Yarmouth Road- south side

 Garnet Avenue- north and south sides

 Essex Street- north side

 Pendrith Avenue- north and south sides.

 Such sidewalk narrowings are precluded at other corners on the west side of Christie Street due to the presence of bus stops and the manoeuvring space needs.

 Finally, a component of the proposal is a minor reconfiguration and enlargement of the existing traffic island just north of Bloor Street West, accomplished by narrowing the northbound leg of Christie Street. This will result in shorter pedestrian crossing distances and opportunities for additional landscaping and tree planting, while at the same time maintaining access to adjacent properties and facilitating bus turning movements.

 Under the present configuration, the width of the street is not sufficient to accommodate parking on both sides. The one metre narrowing will allow the existing travel and parking lane arrangement to remain, and accordingly, will not adversely affect the functioning of the street. Parking will be retained on the west side, and the existing peak parking prohibitions will be rescinded, so that parking is available 24 hours per day.

 Consultation and Approval Process

 The narrowing of the pavement on Christie Street constitutes an alteration to a public highway pursuant to the provision of the Municipal Act. Accordingly, it is anticipated that if this matter is recommended by Toronto Community Council at its July 22 meeting and endorsed by City Council at its July 29, 1998 meeting, the statutory advertising could proceed during the month of August. The required deputation hearing could be scheduled at the September 16, 1998 meeting of Toronto Community Council, with final approval by City Council on October 1, 1998. This schedule will allow for public consultation and an information session if deemed appropriate by the affected Ward Councillors in August or early September. Discussions with TTC and emergency services staff have been initiated and will continue as necessary. Any modifications to the proposal which are found to be desirable or necessary can be reported to the subsequent meetings of Community Council or City Council. The work is scheduled to be undertaken in the fall of this year.

 This work is pre-approved in accordance with Schedule A of the Class Environment Assessment for Municipal Road Projects.

 Contact Name and Telephone Number:

 John Niedra, Manager of Programmes

Infrastructure Planning and Transportation Division

392-7711

A. Koropeski

Director

 JN/AK/sah

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