Proposed Installation of Pedestrian Crossover:

McNicoll Avenue and Silver Springs Boulevard.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee recommends that:

(1)traffic control signals be installed at the intersection of McNicoll Avenue and SilverSprings Boulevard, subject to such installation being effected at no cost to the City; and

(2)the necessary funding therefor be made available from Account No.70697-00000-00000-853, Section 37 agreement, as follows:

(a)Bamburgh Gate Developments Inc. - $60,000.00; and

(b)Monarch Construction Ltd. - $25,000.00.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee reports, for the information of Council, having requested the General Manager, Transportation Services, to review this matter with the Toronto Pedestrian Committee prior to installing the proposed traffic control signals at McNicollAvenue and Silver Springs Boulevard.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee submits the following report (July 30, 1998) from the General Manager, Transportation Services:

Purpose:

To report on the results of the traffic signal warrant studies conducted at McNicoll Avenue and SilverSprings Boulevard. To obtain approval for the installation of a pedestrian crossover at the subject location.

Funding Source:

Funds are available for the installation of pedestrian crossovers as per Section 37 agreement, Account No. 70697-00000-00000-853. The estimated cost of the installation of a pedestrian crossover at this location is $19,300.00.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that a pedestrian crossover be installed on McNicoll Avenue at Silver Springs Boulevard.

Background:

The subject location has been investigated on numerous occasions in response to pedestrian safety concerns raised by the Silver Springs Community Association.

At its meeting on September 30, 1997, Scarborough Council adopted Clause No. 9, Report 16 of TheWorks and Environment Committee which contained the following recommendation:

"That prior to the crosswalk being installed on McNicoll Avenue at Silver Springs Boulevard, Metropolitan Toronto Council be once again requested to install traffic lights at this location. If Metro's response is negative, that staff be authorized to proceed with this crosswalk installation"

Due to the timing of Scarborough Council's request, Metropolitan Toronto Council was not able to respond in 1997. In December 1997, the Metropolitan Toronto Transportation Department responded to the Scarborough City Clerk's office indicating that the installation of traffic control signals at the subject location is not warranted.

Scarborough District staff submitted a report regarding this issue to the Scarborough Community Council at its July 22, 1998 meeting which concluded that a pedestrian crossover should be installed. Scarborough Community Council deferred the report and requested another report to further discuss the installation of traffic control signals.

Discussion:

McNicoll Avenue in this vicinity is a four-lane collector roadway with a posted speed limit of 50kilometres per hour. Silver Springs Boulevard, a local road, forms a "T" intersection on the south side of McNicoll Avenue. A northbound stop sign on Silver Springs Boulevard currently controls traffic at this intersection. A TTC bus loop, the L'Amoureaux Community Centre and Mary Ward Secondary School are located on the north side of McNicoll Avenue immediately east of SilverSprings Boulevard. L'Amoureaux Tennis Centre, Silver Springs Elementary School and St.Sylvester Elementary School gain access to Silver Springs Boulevard south of McNicoll Avenue. A pedestrian underpass is located immediately to the west of Silver Springs Boulevard and allows pedestrians to cross McNicoll Avenue free from potential conflicts with vehicles. Adjacent traffic control signals are located approximately 390 metres to the west at Birchmount Road and 375 metres to the east at Kennedy Road.

Over the past two years, several eight-hour traffic control signal warrant studies have been conducted and revealed that the warrants for traffic control signals are not met at McNicoll Avenue and SilverSprings Boulevard. The results are listed below:

For the traffic control signal warrants to be satisfied, one of the "Minimum Vehicular Volume" or "Delay to Cross Traffic" warrants must be 100 per cent. satisfied or any two of the three warrants must be at least 80 per cent. satisfied. The "Collision Hazard" warrant is based on the number of collisions that occurred at the intersection in a three-year period which were potentially preventable by the installation of traffic control signals. Collision statistics provided by the Toronto Police Service indicate six collisions occurred over a three-year period from January 1, 1994, to December31, 1996 which were potentially preventable by the installation of traffic control signals. None of these collisions involved pedestrians. Based on the above information, the technical warrants for the installation of traffic control signals are not met.

During the most recent study, 53 pedestrians were observed crossing McNicoll Avenue over the eight-hour period. Although there is a pedestrian underpass immediately to the west of SilverSprings Boulevard, the majority of pedestrians crossed McNicoll Avenue on the east side of Silver Springs Boulevard and were heading towards the TTC bus loop and Mary Ward Secondary School.

In 1997, Scarborough Council authorized staff to proceed with the installation of a pedestrian crossover at this location subject to a negative response from the Metropolitan Toronto Transportation Department regarding the installation of traffic control signals. Given that Toronto Transportation Services staff do not support the installation of unwarranted traffic control signals, a pedestrian crossover should be installed on McNicoll Avenue at Silver Springs Boulevard.

As instructed by the Urban Environment and Development Committee, staff have contacted the Ward Councillors. Both Councillors Mahood and Shaw would prefer the installation of traffic control signals to the installation of a pedestrian crossover at the subject location.

Conclusions:

The technical warrants for the installation of traffic control signals are not met at McNicoll Avenue and Silver Springs Boulevard. In support of the September 1997 resolution of Scarborough Council, a pedestrian crossover should be installed at this location.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Mr. Martin D. Maguire, Acting Manager, East Traffic Region, 392-5243.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee also submits the following communication (October 2, 1998) from Councillor Doug Mahood, Scarborough Agincourt:

Due to previous commitments and an important Ontario Municipal Board Hearing occurring on Monday, October 5, 1998, I will be unable to attend the October 5th meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee.

I am requesting that Members of the Urban Environment and Development Committee support the installation of traffic control signals at the intersections of:(1)McNicoll Avenue and Silver Springs Boulevard (Item No. 9); and

(2)Midland Avenue and Lockie Avenue (Item No. 10).

I have had numerous discussions with residents regarding both of these very dangerous intersections and fully support the installation of traffic control signals at these locations. The Midland/Lockie intersection connects Agincourt Junior Public School (located at the west end of the current crosswalk) with the Agincourt Collegiate High School (located at the east end of the current crosswalk). There have been very serious personal injury accidents at this location and it is only a matter of time before one or more young children are killed at this location. A set of traffic signals is an absolute necessity at this intersection.

The former City of Scarborough had Section 37 funds dedicated for traffic improvements in this area, and I request that Members of the Committee recommend the funding of these traffic improvements using these funds.

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The following persons appeared before the Urban Environment and Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Ms. Cathy Gaspar, Member, Silver Springs Community Association; and

-Councillor Sherene Shaw, Scarborough Agincourt.

(A copy of the location map, which was appended to the foregoing report, has been forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the October 5, 1998 meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee, and a copy thereof is also on file in the office of the City Clerk.)