Amendments to Parking Regulations on Keele Street,

Between Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee recommends:

(1)the adoption of the following report (August 10, 1998) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, for a three-month trial period; and

(2)that the General Manager, Transportation Services, and the Chief General Manager, Toronto Transit Commission, be requested to monitor the traffic situation on this portion of Keele Street during the trial period, and report thereon to the Urban Environment and Development Committee in January, 1999:

Purpose:

To amend parking regulations on Keele Street, between Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West.

Funding Sources:

The funds associated with the implementation of the proposed parking regulations are contained in the Transportation Services Division's 1998 Current Budget. The estimated cost of installing appropriate signs is $600.00.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the current parking regulations identified in Appendix 1 of this report be rescinded;

(2)the parking regulations identified in Appendix 2 of this report be enacted; and

(3)the appropriate by-law(s) be amended accordingly.

Background:

In response to concerns of the Keele Street/Parkside Drive Traffic Safety Committee, the Department reviewed available options to meet the community's goals of bringing more of a "community feel" to this section of roadway.

Discussion:

Keele Street, between Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West, is generally a four-lane roadway. The speed limit on this section of roadway is 50 kilometres per hour, except for the trial school speed zone near the Keele Street Public School (near Keele Street and Glenlake Avenue) where the speed limit is 40kilometres per hour when the school is in session. The daily, two-way traffic volume on this section of roadway, which is approximately 1.3 kilometres long, varies between 25,000 and 30,000vehicles.

The following table summarizes typical weekday average traffic volumes (vehicles per hour) for traffic on Keele Street:

The following represents the general parking regulations on this section of Keele Street:

West side:

-No stopping 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Monday to Friday, between Bloor Street West and AnnetteStreet; and

-no parking at other times.

East side:

-No parking 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Monday to Friday (except from Annette Street to DundasStreet West where parking is prohibited at all times except on Sundays);

-no stopping 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday; and

-parking for a maximum period of three hours at other times.

Based on the prevailing traffic flows on this section of Keele Street it is feasible to implement the following modifications to the parking regulations:

-allow parking on the west side, except during weekday peak periods, between Glenlake Avenue and Annette Street;

-allow parking on the west side, except during the period from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, between Bloor Street West and Glenlake Avenue;

-for consistency purposes, prohibit stopping on the west side from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Monday to Friday, between Annette Street and Dundas Street West; and

-allow parking on the east side of Keele Street, between Bloor Street West and AnnetteStreet, during the weekday morning peak period.

Allowing parking on Keele Street during off-peak periods could provide more of a "community feeling" to this section of roadway. A satisfactory level of service can be maintained for vehicular traffic on Keele Street. Also, additional parking would be provided for residents and businesses along this section of Keele Street.

Councillors David Miller, Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, Dennis Fotinos and Betty Disero have been consulted and have voiced no concerns with this proposal. Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) staff have suggested that this proposal may introduce delays to their bus service. However, the benefits for the community associated with this proposal could outweigh the potential increases in delay to the bus service along Keele Street. Transportation Services and TTC staff will work together to monitor the impacts of this change, and report further modifications if necessary.

Conclusions:

Allowing parking on Keele Street during off-peak periods could provide more of a "community.feeling" to this section of roadway, while maintaining a satisfactory level of service for traffic. Also, additional parking would be provided for residents and businesses along this section of Keele Street.

Contact Name:

Ms. Jacqueline White, Acting Manager, Central Traffic Region, 397-5021.

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Appendix 1

Parking Regulations to be Rescinded

Schedule VIII

No Parking

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Appendix 2

Parking Regulations to be Enacted

Schedule VIII

No Parking

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Schedule IX

No Stopping

The Urban Environment and Development Committee submits the following communication (September 2, 1998) from the Chief General Manager, Toronto Transit Commission:

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) objects to the proposed amendments to parking regulations on Keele Street, as outlined in the attached original letter from the TTC to Transportation Services, because it would result in delays and a reduction in the quality of service on two of the TTC's major high-frequency routes, 41 Keele and 89 Weston. If the parking regulation amendments are allowed to proceed, TTC buses would have to make two lane changes at every stop to weave in and out of the curb lane, and would experience delays from vehicles waiting to make a left turn from the single lane which would be available for moving traffic.

We do not believe that permitting parking on a road is how one brings a "community feel" to an area, nor is it sufficient justification to reduce levels of service on a major arterial road in Toronto.

I am requesting that a TTC staff member be allowed to speak to this issue when it is dealt with at Committee. (Communication dated August 5, 1998, addressed to Ms. Jacqueline White, Acting Manager, Central Traffic Region, City of Toronto Transportation Department from Mr. Mitch Stambler, Manager, Service Planning, Toronto Transit Commission.)

We have reviewed the proposed measures outlined in your June 8, 1998 letter to Mr. Jim Chisholm to reduce vehicle operating speeds and to bring more of a "community feel" to Keele Street/Parkside Drive between Annette Street and The Queensway. We are very concerned that Toronto Transportation Department would propose the implementation of measures that could severely degrade the level of service on a major arterial road and major transit corridor.

The TTC operates two high-frequency routes, 41 KEELE and 89 WESTON, on the affected segment of Keele Street and one low-frequency route, 80 QUEENSWAY, on Parkside Drive. The service frequencies and passenger volumes on the affected segments are displayed in the following table.

Affected TTC Buses (Riders)

Following are the TTC's comments on each proposed measure that would impact TTC operations.

Allow Parking on the West Side of Keele Street During the Off-peak Period:

The TTC is strongly opposed to this proposal as it would reduce the quality of service to the 41KEELE and 89 WESTON bus routes. Permitting parking to reduce vehicle speeds and bring more of a "community feel" is not sufficient justification to reduce levels of service on an arterial roadway which is also a major transit corridor, especially given that there is no evidence that the current parking availability is inadequate. If parking is permitted, our buses would have to make two lane changes at every transit stop. As all vehicular traffic would be restricted to the median lane, the lane change out of the curb lane would be particularly difficult. Longer queues at signalized intersections would also increase the frequency of buses being delayed an extra cycle because of increased delays in reaching nearside transit stops. Given the absence of left-turn lanes and the numerous T-intersections and private driveways, vehicles waiting to turn left would completely block southbound traffic, causing further delays. Reduced frequency of gaps in southbound traffic would also increase delays to northbound traffic as through vehicles could not pass due to parking in the curb lane.

Allow Parking on the East Side of Keele Street During the Weekday Morning Period:

The TTC is strongly opposed to this proposal for the same reasons outlined above. In addition to increased delays and poorer customer service, an additional bus could be needed to offset the capacity reductions from allowing this parking because of the frequent transit service.

Allow Parking on the West Side of Parkside Drive During the Off-peak Period:

The TTC has no objections to this proposal subject to implementation of the following measure to reduce the negative impact to the 80 QUEENSWAY bus route: parking should be prohibited at all times within 100 metres of all signalized intersections and at T-intersections and driveways to allow through vehicles to pass vehicles stopped to turn left.

Install a Painted Median on Keele Street, between Annette Street and the TTC Overpass,

North of Bloor Street West:

The TTC is opposed to this measure as the reduction of the curb lane widths would require buses to merge into the centre lane to overtake cyclists. This merge could increase delays to our buses.

Our assessment suggests that TTC customers would be subjected to longer and more variable travel times and the TTC could incur greater costs should the above proposals be implemented. We would request that you undertake further work to quantify the delay and cost impacts to traffic and transit operations.

Should you choose to move forward with these proposals, we would appreciate it if you would notify us well in advance of your report going to the Urban Environment Development Committee and/or Council, so that we could object to the proposals there.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on these proposals.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee also submits the following communication (September 8, 1998) from Councillor David Miller, High Park:

I am writing to request that Members of Committee strongly support the recommendations of the Transportation Department.

This section of Keele Street is a very significant area of traffic safety and speeding concern. In fact, it is so serious that the Transportation Department will be recommending it to be one of the first areas to become a Community Traffic Safety Zone under the new Provincial legislation. Three people have been killed in the area, there has been consistent enforcement by Police--thousands of tickets have been handed out. Nothing works. A junior school, Keele Street Public/Mountview Alternative and Community Centre, is located in the area and several other schools and day care centres are in the vicinity. One of the people killed crossing this street was a teenaged Humberside Collegiate student who was killed by a bus last year.

The parking changes will help to increase safety by promoting a "community feel" to this street which will help to slow drivers down. At the moment Keele Street is like a raceway visually. Additional parked cars on the streets should help to counteract this visual appearance.

I understand that TTC staff might be making some objections to this proposal. Please be advised that their comments have not been approved by the Commission. Furthermore, their letter indicates no understanding whatsoever of the traffic conditions on Keele Street and the importance of stopping any further deaths. I regret that I am unable to be at the Committee today and hope that you are able to support this most important traffic safety initiative.

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The following persons made oral presentations to the Urban Environment and Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Mr. Mitch Stambler, Manager, Service Planning, Toronto Transit Commission; and

-Mr.DaveKaufman, General Manager, Transportation Services Division, Works and Emergency Services Department.

Councillor Chris Korwin Kuczynski, High Park, appeared before the Urban Environment and Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(A copy of the location plan, which was appended to the foregoing report dated August 10, 1998, from the General Manager, Transportation Services, has been forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the September 8, 1998 meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee, and a copy thereof is also on file in the office of the City Clerk.)