Installation of Speed Humps on George Street South and
Pedestrian Crossover with Median Traffic Islands on
Front Street East (Downtown)
The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (September 30, 1998) from the
Director, Transportation Services, District 1:
Purpose:
To reduce the operating speed of traffic on George Street South between Front Street East and The Esplanade and enhance
safety for pedestrians crossing Front Street East at George Street South.
Funding Sources:
Funds to cover the cost of installing the speed humps on George Street south, and the median islands on Front Street East,
in the amounts of about $4,000 and $5,000, respectively, are available under Capital Fund Code No. 296702 and funds to
cover the cost of installing the Pedestrian Crossover, estimated at about $15,000.00, are available in the Department=s
1998 Operating Budget.
Recommendations:
(1)That approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on George Street South between Front Street East and The
Esplanade 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:
AThe construction of speed humps on George Street South between Front Street East and The Esplanade, generally as
shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5255, dated September 1998";
(2) That the speed limit be reduced from forty kilometres per hour to thirty kilometres per hour on George Street South
between Front Street East and The Esplanade, coincident with the implementation of speed humps;
(3)That a pedestrian crossover be installed on Front Street East at the east side of George Street South;
(4) That approval be given to narrow and alter specified sections of the pavement on Front Street East from Jarvis Street
to George Street South and from George Street South to Frederick Street, through the placement of centre median traffic
islands, as described in the body of this report and generally as shown on Drawing No. 421F-5268, and as follows:
A(a) The narrowing of the pavement on Front Street East from approximately 6.5 metres west of George Street South to a
point 6 metres further west, from a current width varying from 17.1 to 21.0 metres to a width varying from 15.1 to 21.0
metres;
(b) The narrowing of the pavement on Front Street East from approximately 15 metres east of George Street South to a
point 6 metres further east, from a current width of 15.26 metres to a width varying from 13.26 to 15.26 metres@;
(5) That parking be prohibited at anytime on:
(a)the north side of Front Street East from a point 25.8 metres east of George Street South to a point 30.3 metres west of
George Street South;
(b) the south side of Front Street East from a point 28.0 metres west of George Street South to a point 25.6 metres east of
George Street South; and
(6) That the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take whatever action is necessary to implement the
foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that might be required to give effect thereto.
Comments:
At the request of and in consultation with Councillor Kyle Rae, staff of Works and Emergency Services have investigated
various measures to reduce the operating speeds of traffic on George Street South, between Front Street East and The
Esplanade, and to assist pedestrians crossing Front Street East at the intersection of Front Street East at George Street
South.
Staff have completed their review of these matters, and with respect to each, I note as follows.
1.George Street South - Installation of speed humps
George Street South is a local/residential street operating two way from Front Street East to The Esplanade on a pavement
width of 8.42 metres with a down grade of about 2.5% from north to south. The maximum speed limit is 40 kilometres per
hour. Parking is prohibited at anytime on the east side of the street and is permitted, with certain temporal restrictions, on
the west side.
A recent 24-hour speed/volume survey conducted on George Street South between Front Street East and Jenoves Place
recorded about 2,500 vehicles of which about 50% traveled in excess of the speed limit, including about 25% which
traveled at an excessive rate of speed (11 km/h or more over the speed limit). The 85th percentile speed on this street was
about 52 km/h.
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 5 primary installation
criteria related to the speed limit, roadway dimensions, public transit operations, traffic volume and road grade which must
be satisfied when evaluating requests for speed humps. Based on our assessment, this section of George Street South
satisfies these primary installation criteria for speed humps.
Staff have prepared a speed hump plan for George Street South between Front Street East and The Esplanade (shown on
Drawing No. 421F-5255, attached). We suggest that two speed humps be installed to reduce the incidence of speeding.
The speed humps would be located about 47 metres apart, at a point 47 metres north of The Esplanade (immediately north
of Jenoves Place) and approximately 42.0 metres south of Front Street East. In combination with the installation of speed
humps, we suggest that the speed limit be reduced from 40 km/h to 30 km/h. Implementation of this plan would have no
impact on the existing parking regulations on this street.
As stipulated in the above-noted Clause, once it has been determined that the speed hump installation is technically
warranted, a City poll should be conducted of adult residents of households directly abutting the affected street. Given the
relatively profound impact that such an initiative may have on a street, it is recommended that a moderately high level of
acceptance, namely 60% of those persons responding, be achieved in order to authorize the installation.
The changes proposed to George Street South, as set out above, constitute alterations to a public highway pursuant to the
provisions of the Municipal Act. Accordingly, 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 emergency services will be advised of the proposal to ensure that the detailed design does not
unduly hamper their operations.
This project is pre-approved in accordance with Schedule A of the Class Environmental Assessment for Municipal Roads
Projects.
2. Intersection of Front Street East/George Street South - Installation of a Pedestrian Crossover
Front Street East and George Street South form a slightly skewed 4-way intersection with Front Street East being the
through street. Front Street East is a 4-lane arterial road operating two-way on a pavement width ranging from 15.1 metres
to 21.0 metres with a 50 km/h per hour maximum speed limit. As noted in Item 1 above, George Street South is a
local/residential street operating two-way on a pavement width of 8.42 metres with a 40 km/h maximum speed limit.
A review of the Toronto Police Service=s collision data records for the 3 year period from January 1, 1995 to December 31,
1997 has revealed that 5 collisions were reported at this intersection, none of which involved either pedestrians or cyclists.
Notwithstanding, I am sure that the members of the Toronto Community Council are aware of the recent incident that
occurred at this intersection which tragically claimed the life of a 5 year-old pedestrian.
Although statistically, the Front Street East/George Street South intersection has generally been operating safely for many
years and a signalized crossing of Front Street East is provided about 100 metres west at Jarvis Street, the volume of
pedestrians crossing Front Street East in the vicinity of George Street South is increasing. Much of the increase in
pedestrian crossings of Front Street East can be attributed to the construction of new residential developments (which are
still on-going in the area) and the opening of commercial/retail businesses in the area which serve the residential
community.
With this in mind, staff looked at options which might enhance crossing safety, specifically, installing median islands on
Front Street East immediately east and west of George Street South to provide a pedestrian refuge area, installing a
pedestrian crossover (PXO) at the intersection and the combined implementation of both measures.
The median islands by themselves would provide a measure of safety which might increase the number of pedestrians
crossing at this location. However, aside from the general provision that motorists yield to pedestrians in the roadway,
there would be no legal requirement for motorists to stop. Pedestrians would still have to wait for a gap in on-coming
traffic and cross at their discretion to get from the curb to the island and then from the island to the opposite curb.
Alternatively we reviewed this intersection against the installation warrants for a PXO. Based on the current volume of
traffic travelling on Front Street East, a minimum of 225 pedestrians would be required of which 115 pedestrians
experience delays at the curb in excess of 10 seconds, to satisfy the numerical warrants for the installation of a PXO. A
pedestrian delay/difficulty survey was conducted at the Front Street East/George Street South intersection on September
22, 1998. A total of 481 pedestrians were recorded crossing the street, of which 160 pedestrians experienced delays at the
curb in excess of 10 seconds.
Although the spacing to the adjacent signalized intersection is very close and a PXO would not normally be recommended
in an instance like this, based on the environmental considerations, particularly the vehicular traffic volume, the number of
recorded crossings at George Street South and the number of pedestrian delays recorded, the installation of a pedestrian
crossover is justified at the east side of the intersection, where the majority of pedestrians currently cross and where
advance sight lines between motorists and pedestrians are best. This would provide a controlled crossing area at which
motorists would be required to stop for pedestrians and would enhance operational safety for all road users, particularly if
the pedestrian early warning system (overhead flashing amber beacons) is activated by the person wishing to cross.
Combining the installation of median islands and the pedestrian crossover, (as shown on Drawing No. 421F-5268,
attached) would provide a controlled crossing area with the added benefit of a pedestrian refuge area at the mid-point of
the roadway. As Front Street East has a relatively wide four lane cross-section varying between 15.1 metres to the east and
21.0 metres to the west of George Street South, and a moderately high traffic volume in the order of 20,000 vehicles daily,
these combined measures would enhance pedestrian safety and add a measure of traffic calming on the eastbound and
westbound approaches to George Street South by slightly reducing the widths of the traffic lanes.
I note, however, that 8 parking meter spaces would have to be removed (2 each on the north and south sides of the street,
both east and west of George Street South) to allow for the realignment of the traffic lanes on the approaches to the
intersection and to ensure that satisfactory advance sight lines between motorists and pedestrians are provided in the
vicinity of the pedestrian crossover.
Contact Name and Telephone Number:
Dave Dignard/Curt Russell, 392-7771
Insert Table/Map No. 1
George Street/Front Street
Insert Table/Map No. 2
George Street/Front Street
