Spadina Road between St. Clair Avenue West and
Montclair Avenue - Design Refinements to the
Approved Roadway Narrowing Plan (Midtown)
The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (July8,1998) from the
Director, Infrastructure Planning and Transportation, City Works Services:
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
LOCATION |
DATE |
PRIOR TO THE
TRIAL PLAN |
DATE |
DURING THE
TRIAL PLAN |
St. Clair to Heath |
October 1996 |
16,300 |
June 1998 |
15,900 |
February 1997 |
15,700 |
Heath to Montclair |
October 1996 |
17,900 |
June 1998 |
17,550 |
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
CCCC
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
Highway |
Side |
Between |
Hours |
Fee; Time Limit |
Maximum Parking
Period |
Spadina Road |
West |
Heath Street West and
Montclair Avenue |
9:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m., Mon. to Fri.;
8:00 a.m. to 6:00
p.m.; Mon. to Sat. |
$0.05 for 6 mins.
$0.10 for 12 mins.
$0.25 for 30 mins. |
60 mins |
Spadina Road |
West |
A point 85.9 metres
north of Lonsdale Road
and a point 35 metres
further north |
8:00 a.m. to 6:00
p.m. Mon. to Sat. |
$0.05 for 6 mins.
$0.10 for 12 mins.
$0.25 for 30 mins. |
60 mins |
Spadina Road |
West |
Montclair Avenue and a
point 131.3 metres north
of Lonsdale Road |
8:00 a.m. to 6:00
p.m. Mon. to Sat. |
$0.05 for 6 mins.
$0.10 for 12 mins.
$0.25 for 30 mins. |
60 mins |
2.Add the following:
'400-83 - Schedule XXX: Parking Meters
Highway |
Side |
Between |
Hours |
Fee; Time Limit |
Maximum Parking
Period |
Spadina Road |
West |
Bantry Avenue and a
point 41 metres south of
Strathern Boulevard |
8:00 a.m. to 6:00
p.m. Mon. to Sat. |
$0.05 for 6 mins.
$0.10 for 12 mins.
$0.25 for 30 mins. |
60 mins |
3.Delete the following:
'400-77 - Schedule XXIV: No Stopping
Highway |
Side |
Between |
Prohibited Times |
Spadina Road |
West |
Montclair Avenue and Eglinton Avenue West |
7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.,
except Sat., Sun. and Public
Holidays |
4.Add the following:
'400-77 - Schedule XXIV: No Stopping
Highway |
Side |
Between |
Prohibited Times |
Spadina Road |
West |
Heath Street West and Bantry Avenue |
Anytime |
Insert Table/Map No. 1
Spadina Road
Insert Table/Map No. 2
Spadina Road