Hearing - Alteration of Boulton Avenue

- Installation of Speed Humps and

Reduction in Speed Limit (Don River)

The Toronto Community Council recommends that a by-law in the form of the draft by-law be enacted, and that the necessary Bills be introduced in Council to give effect thereto.

The Toronto Community Council reports, for the information of Council, having requested the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to relocate the speed humps as outlined in the communication (September 15, 1998) submitted to Councillor Layton, and to consult Mr. Rowan as to the new location of the speed humps.

The Toronto Community Council further reports, for the information of Council, that pursuant to Clause 4 of Toronto Community Council Report No. 6, headed "Boulton Avenue between Queen Street East and Dundas Street East - Installation of Speed Humps (Don River)", which was adopted, without amendment, by City Council at its meeting held on June 3 and 4, 1998, notice of its hearing on September 16, 1998 with respect to the proposed enactment of the draft by-law was advertised in a daily newspaper on August 25, September 1, September 8 and September 15, 1998, and no one addressed the Toronto Community Council.

The Toronto Community Council submits the following draft by-law:

Authority:Toronto Community Council

Report No. 6(4), adopted June 3 and 4, 1998 and

Intended for first presentation to Council: September 16, 1998

Adopted by Council:

CITY OF TORONTO

Bill No.

BY-LAW No.

To further amend former City of Toronto By-law No. 602-89, being "A By-law To authorize the construction, widening, narrowing, alteration and repair of sidewalks, pavements and curbs at various locations", respecting the alteration of Boulton Avenue by the installation of speed humps from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East.

WHEREAS notice of a proposed By-law regarding the proposed alteration was published in a daily newspaper on , , and , 1998 and interested persons were given an opportunity to be heard at a public meeting held on , 1998 and it is appropriate to amend the by-law to permit the alteration.

The Council of the City of Toronto HEREBY ENACTS as follows:

1.Former City of Toronto By-law No. 602-89, being "A By-law To authorize the construction, widening, narrowing, alteration and repair of sidewalks, pavements and curbs at various locations", is amended:

(1)by inserting in Columns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively, of Schedule "B-4" (Pavement Alteration/Repair) the following:

(Column 1 (Column 2(Column 3(Column 4(Column 5(Column 6

Side/ Alteration/Drawing

Street)Corner)Repair)From)To)No./Date)

Boulton AlterationQueen StreetDundas Street421F-5175

AvenueconsistingEastEastdated

of theMay, 1998

installation

of speed humps

ENACTED and PASSED this ______ day of ______________, A.D. 1998.

MEL LASTMAN,NOVINA WONG,

MayorCity Clerk

(Corporate Seal)

The Toronto Community Council also submits the report (August 31, 1998) from the Director, Infrastructure Planning and Transportation, City Works Services:

Purpose:

This report is to advise the Toronto Community Council of the results of a poll conducted on the subject section of Boulton Avenue respecting a proposal to install speed humps.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not Applicable

Recommendation:

That this report be received for information.

Background:

City Council at its meeting of June 3 and 4, 1998 adopted Clause 4 in Toronto Community Council Report No. 6 entitled, Boulton Avenue, between Queen Street East and Dundas Street East - Installation of Speed Humps (Don River) and in doing so, subject to the favourable results of a poll of affected residents pursuant to the policy related to speed hump installation as adopted by the former City of Toronto Council, approved the installation of speed humps at specific locations on this street and coincident with the installation of these traffic calming devices, the reduction of the speed limit from forty kilometres per hour to thirty kilometres per hour. The appropriate City Officials were also directed to take the necessary action to implement the foregoing.

Comments:

Works staff conducted a poll between July 6, 1998 and July 31, 1998 of adult residents on Boulton Avenue. About 20% of the eligible voters returned responses to the poll, the findings of which are as follows:

No. Of

Valid ResponsesPercentage

In support of the speed hump proposal2790%

Opposed to the speed hump proposal 310%

Under the provisions of the Speed Hump Policy adopted by the former City of Toronto Council at its meeting of August 21, 1997, a minimum of 60% of the valid responses to the speed hump poll must support the proposal to warrant further action by staff to install same.

In consideration of the results obtained and as the next step towards installation, I have requested staff of Corporate Services (City Clerk's Division and Legal Division) to arrange for the following:

a) The statutory advertising of the proposed highway alterations, which would include the date for the deputations meeting;

b) The preparation and distribution of a suitable notice to residents; and

c) The hearing of deputations concerning this matter at the Toronto Community Council meeting on September 16, 1998.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Peter Ip, Traffic Investigator, 392-7771

The Toronto Community Council also submits Clause 4 of Report No. 6 of the Toronto Community Council, headed "Boulton Avenue, between Queen Street East and Dundas Street East - Installation of Speed Humps (Don River)":

--------

(City Council on June 3 and 4, 1998, adopted this Clause, without amendment.)

The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (May13,1998) from the Director, Infrastructure Planning and Transportation, City Works Services:

Purpose:

To reduce speed and volume of traffic on Boulton Avenue and to safeguard school children travelling to three area public schools.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funds to cover the cost of this work in the estimated amount of $3,000.00 are available under Capital Fund Code No. 296702.

Recommendations:

(1) That approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on Boulton Avenue, from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East for traffic calming purposes as described below, with implementation subject to the favourable results of polling of the affected residents pursuant to the policy related to speed hump installation as adopted by the former City of Toronto Council:

"The construction of speed humps on Boulton Avenue from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East, generally as shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5175, dated May 1998";

(2) That the speed limit be reduced from forty kilometres per hour to thirty kilometres per hour on Boulton Avenue from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East, coincident with the implementation of traffic calming; and

(3) That the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to implement the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that might be required.

Background:

The former City of Toronto Council, at its meeting of September 22 and 23, 1997 in considering Clause 61 in City Services Committee Report No. 11 entitled, Adjustment to Parking Regulations - Boulton Avenue (Ward 8), adopted a number of parking regulation changes which resulted in the implementation of a staggered parking arrangement on Boulton Avenue. In the departmental report contained in the Clause, it was noted that Works staff would examine the feasibility of implementing traffic calming measures on Boulton Avenue.

Comments:

In consideration of the above noted Clause and at the request of Councillor Jack Layton and area residents, a staff investigation has been conducted to determine the feasibility of implementing speed humps on Boulton Avenue from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East to reduce the number of speeding motorists on this street.

Boulton Avenue from Queen Street East to Dundas Street East operates one-way southbound with a pavement width of 7.3 metres and has a posted speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour. A recent twenty-four hour speed and volume survey conducted on Boulton Avenue from Clark Street to Cummings Avenue has provided the speed data shown in the following table.

The incidence of speeding in excess of the forty kilometres per hour speed limit is approximately 40%; however, the percentage of vehicles recorded at a rate of speed in excess of fifty kilometres per hour (generally where Police enforcement would be provided) is 7.5%. This speed profile, although typical of many residential streets in the city, is of concern given the proximity of the adjacent schools along Boulton Avenue.

The former City of Toronto Council, at its meeting on August 21, 1997 adopted, as amended, Clause 28 in City Services Committee Report No. 10 entitled Installation of Speed Humps on City Streets which sets out five primary criteria that must be satisfied when evaluating requests for speed humps (as opposed to speed bumps). Specifically, to warrant speed hump installation, one of the criteria stipulates that the street should carry a volume of between 1,000 and 8,000 vehicles per day. As noted above, Boulton Avenue carries a total of 1,029 vehicles per day and accordingly, the installation of speed humps is technically warranted.

As stipulated in the Policy, once it has been determined that speed hump installation is technically warranted, a City poll should be conducted of adults (18 years and older) of households directly abutting the affected street, and households on side streets whose only access is from the affected street. Given the relatively profound impact that such an initiative may have on a street, it is recommended that the high level of acceptance, namely 60% of those responding, be achieved in order to authorize the installation.

The changes proposed to the Boulton Avenue roadway as set out above constitute an alteration to a public highway pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Act.

As Community Council may know, pursuant to the requirements of the Municipal Act, the intent of Council to enact a by-law to authorize any physical changes resulting in the alteration of the pavement configuration must be advertised and subsequently be subject to a public hearing. It is noted that consultations with the emergency services agencies will be undertaken to ensure that the detailed design does not unduly hamper their respective operations.

This project is pre-approved in accordance with Schedule A of the Class Environmental Assessment for Municipal Roads Projects.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Peter Ip

Acting Traffic Investigator

392-7771