February 3, 1999
To:East York Community Council
From:Andrew Koropeski, Director, Transportation Services, District 1
Subject:Pedestrian Refuge Islands on Dawes Road (Ward 1, East York)
Purpose:
To report to the East York Community Council on the feasibility and cost implications of
installing pedestrian refuge islands on Dawes Road at Goodwood Park Court and at Beth
Street.
Financial Implications:
The estimated cost to construct pedestrian refuge islands on Dawes Road at Goodwood Park
Court and at Beth Street are $7,500.00 and $4,500.00 respectively. Funds in those amounts
can be accommodated in the Transportation Services 1999 Capital Budget request.
Recommendations:
1.That approval be given to narrow and alter specified sections of the pavement on Dawes
Road, through the installation of centre median pedestrian refuge islands as follows:
a) The narrowing of Dawes Road from approximately 28.0 metres north of Goodwood Park
Court to a point 38.0 metres north thereof, from a current width of 12.5 metres to a width of
11.0 metres, generally as shown in the attached Drawing No. 1, dated February 3, 1999;
b) The narrowing of Dawes Road from approximately 6.4 metres south of Beth Street to a
point 11.4 metres south thereof, from a current width of 11.6 metres to a width of 10.1 metres,
generally as shown in the attached Drawing No. 2, dated February 3, 1999; and
2.That the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action
to give effect thereto, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that may be required.
Background:
The former Borough of East York Council, at its meeting of October 6 and 7, 1997, requested
that the Commissioner of Development Services report to the Council for the new City of
Toronto on the installation of a pedestrian refuge to be located between the two bus stops on
either side of Dawes Road between the driveway at 200 Dawes Road and Goodwood Park
Crescent, and to consider the report of the Commissioner of Development Services dated
September 16, 1997, in connection with the foregoing matter; and to also consider a letter
from Ms. Sylvia Moreland, dated September 22, 1997, advocating some type of safety
crossing system at the aforementioned location (Item No. 24 in Report No. 20 of the
Regulatory and Development Committee).
Subsequent to this, the Transportation Services Division received a request from a resident of
East York to install a pedestrian crossover at the intersection of Dawes Road and Beth Street.
Since these issues are similar in nature, they are both discussed in this report.
Comments:
- Dawes Road at Goodwood Park Crescent
Pedestrian crossing concerns in the vicinity of Dawes Road and Goodwood Park Crescent
have been the subject of in-depth study since 1994. Staff have evaluated a variety of options at
the request of East York Council, including the implementation of traffic control signals and a
pedestrian crossover. These options have not been viable due to the vertical alignment of
Dawes Road, the proximity of other traffic control measures and the technical traffic warrants
not being met.
Staff have evaluated the feasibility of constructing a pedestrian refuge island in this area,
which would provide a safe zone for pedestrians crossing Dawes Road. The proposed location
is approximately 28 metres north of Goodwood Park Court, immediately north of the
driveway access to True Davidson Acres and adjacent to the southbound T.T.C. bus stop. The
cost to construct this refuge island is estimated at $7,500.00. Drawing No. 1, attached,
illustrates the proposed location of the pedestrian refuge island.
- Dawes Road at Beth Street
The Transportation Services Division received a request from an East York resident to install
a pedestrian crossover on Dawes Road in the vicinity of Beth Street. There are T.T.C. bus
stops on opposite sides of Dawes Road at Beth Street.
Staff conducted a pedestrian crossover study at this location on a typical day to evaluate the
volumes of pedestrians crossing the street during peak and off-peak times. The results of our
investigation revealed that a pedestrian crossover is only 11 percent warranted. However, our
study also revealed that pedestrians wishing to cross Dawes Road consistently crossed one
half of the street and waited in the centre of the street until the other direction of traffic was
clear before completing their crossing. Staff studied the reported collisions in the vicinity of
the intersection of Dawes Road and Beth Street for the period January 1, 1993, to December
31, 1997. There were no reported collisions involving a pedestrian.
Although a pedestrian crossover is not warranted at this location, staff recommend the
implementation of a pedestrian refuge island to provide a safe refuge for pedestrians who
regularly wait in the centre of Dawes Road for traffic to clear, as was observed in a study
conducted by staff. The proposed location is approximately 6.4 metres south of Beth Street
and is illustrated in Drawing No. 2, attached.
The installation of the proposed pedestrian refuge islands on Dawes Road constitute
alterations to a public highway pursuant to the provisions 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.
The work is pre-approved in accordance with Schedule A of the Class Environmental
Assessment for Municipal Road Projects.
Conclusions:
Studies conducted by Works and Emergency Services staff into pedestrian crossing concerns
on Dawes Road at Goodwood Park Court have revealed that neither traffic signals or a
pedestrian crossover are warranted at this location. Similarly, a pedestrian crossover is not
warranted on Dawes Road at Beth Street. However, in order to provide a degree of safety for
pedestrians crossing Dawes Road in the vicinity of Goodwood Park Court and in the vicinity
of Beth Street, it is recommended that pedestrian refuge islands be constructed at these
locations. The refuge islands will provide a safe place for pedestrians to wait for traffic to
clear as they cross Dawes Road.
Contact Name and Telephone Number:
Bryan Muir, Transportation Technologist
397-4588
bmuir@borough.eastyork.on.ca
Director
BM/
