August 6, 1998
To:The Urban Environment and Development Committee
From:General Manager, Transportation Services
Subject:Proposed Installation of Traffic Control Signals
Royal York Road and Newcastle Street
Lakeshore - Queensway: Councillors Irene Jones, Blake Kinahan
Purpose:
To propose the installation of traffic control signals at the intersection of Royal York Road
and Newcastle Street, coincident with the removal of the existing pedestrian crossover
(PXO).
Funding Sources:
The funds associated with new traffic control signal installations are contained in the Works
and Emergency Services Department's Capital Program under Project No. C-TR031. In
1998, $1.6 million has been allocated for new traffic control signal installations. These
funds have been fully committed already through the approvals of 21 new signal
installations. Therefore, unless additional funding is identified in 1998, new signal approvals
for the balance of 1998 will be placed on a priority list for 1999 and await approval of the
appropriate budget item in the 1999 Capital Budget. The estimated cost of the installation of
traffic control signals on Royal York Road and Newcastle Street is $67,000.00 including the
removal of the existing PXO.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that;
(1)traffic control signals be approved at the intersection of Royal York Road and Newcastle
Street, subject to the availability of funds;
(2)coincident with the traffic control signal installation, the existing pedestrian crossover on
Royal York Road at the north side of Newcastle Street be removed; and
(3)the appropriate by-law(s) be amended accordingly.
Background:
At the request of an area resident, our Department investigated the feasibility of replacing
the existing pedestrian crossover with traffic control signals because of concerns that some
motorists do not react appropriately to pedestrians at the PXO.
Discussion:
Royal York Road in the vicinity of Newcastle Street is a two-lane arterial roadway. The
posted speed limit is 50 kilometres per hour. A PXO is presently located on Royal York
Road at the north side of Newcastle Street. The Toronto Transit Commission (T.T.C.) has a
northbound near-side and a southbound far-side bus stop at Newcastle Street. The area is a
mix of commercial and residential frontage. A senior citizen apartment building is located at
No. 340 Royal York Road, on the southwest corner of the intersection. Newcastle Street,
east of Royal York Road, is a connection to the Mimico GO Station. Traffic control signals
are located 405 metres north of this site at Evans Avenue and a PXO is located 371 metres
to the south at Stanley Avenue.
To determine the level of activity at Royal York Road and Newcastle Street, our Department
conducted a traffic signal warrant study. The results of our study revealed that during an
eight-hour count on a typical weekday a total of 334 pedestrians were recorded crossing
Royal York Road in the vicinity of Newcastle Street. The results of the traffic signal
warrants study are tabled below:
Minimum Vehicular Volume Warrant45%
Delay to Cross traffic Warrant100%
Collision Hazard Warrant20%
Either Warrant 1 or Warrant 2 should be 100% satisfied or any two of the three warrants
should be 80% satisfied to meet the minimum technical requirements for the installation of
traffic control signals. Based on the above-noted results, the minimum technical warrants for
the installation of traffic control signals are satisfied.
Transportation Services staff reviewed the collision records provided by the Toronto Police
Service for the five-year period ending March 31, 1998. During this period three collisions
have occurred which are of the type susceptible to correction by the installation of traffic
control signals. One collision involved two pedestrians. In this collision the pedestrians
sustained no injuries and the driver of the vehicle was charged.
Both Councillors agree with the recommendations of this report.
Conclusion:
Traffic control signals are warranted at the intersection of Royal York Road and Newcastle
Street and should be installed coincident with the removal of the existing PXO.
Contact Name and Telephone Number:
Bruce Zvaniga, Manager
North & West Traffic Regions
(416)-392-8826
David C. Kaufman
General Manager
Transportation Services
Barry H. Gutteridge
Commissioner
Works and Emergency Services
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