September 9, 1998
To:Urban Environment and Development Committee
From:General Manager, Transportation Services
Subject:Proposed Installation of Traffic Control Signals
McNicoll Avenue and Harold Evans Crescent/Placer Court
North York Seneca Heights; Councillors Joan King, David Shiner
Purpose:
To obtain approval for the installation of traffic control signals at the intersection of McNicoll Avenue and Harold Evans
Crescent/Placer Court.
Funding Sources:
The funds associated with new traffic signal installations are contained in the Works and Emergency Services 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 at this location is $72,900.00.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that traffic control signals be approved on McNicoll Avenue at Harold Evans Crescent/Placer Court.
Background:
This location was investigated in response to a request from a member of the public to improve the delay experienced by
vehicles waiting to enter McNicoll Avenue from Harold Evans Crescent/Placer Court.
Discussion:
McNicoll Avenue in this vicinity is a two-lane collector roadway with a posted speed limit of 50 km/h and a two-way 24
hour volume of approximately 12,000 vehicles. Harold Evans Crescent and Placer Court are both local roads that intersect
with McNicoll Avenue to form a full intersection with four approaches. Harold Evans Crescent is on the north side of
McNicoll Avenue and Placer Court is directly opposite on the south side. At Harold Evans Crescent/Placer Court, there are
eastbound, westbound and southbound near side bus stops. The intersection is located in an industrial area bounded by
Highway No. 404 to the west, Steeles Avenue East to the north, Pharmacy Avenue to the east and an Ontario Hydro
corridor to the south. Adjacent traffic control signals are located approximately 1180 metres to the west at Don Mills Road
and 395 metres to the east at Victoria Park Avenue.
An eight-hour traffic control signal warrant study was conducted and revealed that traffic control signals are technically
warranted. The results are listed below:
| Warrant |
Compliance |
| Minimum Vehicular Volume |
100 per cent. |
| Delay to Cross Traffic |
92 per cent. |
| Collision Hazard |
7 per cent. |
For the traffic control signal warrants to be satisfied, one of the "Minimum Vehicular Volume" or "Delay to Cross Traffic"
warrants must be 100 per cent. satisfied or any two of the three warrants must be at least 80 per cent. satisfied. The
"Collision Hazard" warrant is based on the number of collisions that occurred at the intersection in a three-year period
which were potentially preventable by the installation of traffic control signals. Collision statistics provided by the Toronto
Police Service indicate one collision occurred over a three-year period from January 1, 1994 to December 31, 1996 which
was potentially preventable by the installation of traffic control signals. Based on the above information, the technical
warrants for the installation of traffic control signals are met.
Neither McNicoll Avenue, Harold Evans Crescent or Placer Court are arterial roads and the installation of traffic control
signals would not have an impact on the effectiveness of the network of arterial roads. Furthermore, the traffic control
signals would provide benefits to all road users in the immediate area.
Staff have contacted the ward Councillors and Councillor King has voiced support for the proposed installation of traffic
control signals at this location while Councillor Shiner has reserved judgement.
Conclusions:
The installation of traffic control signals on McNicoll Avenue and Harold Evans Crescent/Placer Court are technically
warranted and would provide benefits to all road users in the immediate area. In 1998, $1.6 million has been allocated for
new traffic control signal installation. Twenty-one traffic control signals have been approved so far in 1998, which fully
commits all these funds. Therefore, unless additional funding is identified in 1998, the installation of newly approved
traffic control signals will have to await approval of the appropriate budget item in the 1999 Capital Budget.
Contact Name and Telephone Number:
Martin D. Maguire
Acting Manager, East Traffic Region
(416) 392-5243
David C. Kaufman
General Manager, Transportation Services
Barry H. Gutteridge
Commissioner, Works and Emergency Services
RAN/jr
