Proposed Road Narrowings -
Christie Street from Bloor Street West to Dupont Street
(Davenport)
The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (July6,1998) from the
Director, Infrastructure and Transportation, City Works Services:
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:
Athe 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- AStopping@ is prohibited from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
- Parking is prohibited at all other times.
West side- AStopping@ 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 Aframe@ 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
Insert Table/Map No. 1
Christie Street from Bloor Street West