April 13, 1999

To: Toronto Community Council

From: Andrew Koropeski, Director, Transportation Services District 1

Subject: Bernard Avenue, from Huron Street to Madison Avenue - Transference of parking from the south side to the north side of the roadway (Ward 23, Midtown)

Purpose:

To transfer parking from the south side of the section of Bernard Avenue from Huron Street to Madison Avenue to the north side, for the purpose of providing a visual break in the sight lines to reduce vehicular speeds and to provide more permit parking spaces.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funds in the estimated amount of $500.00 for the necessary adjustments to signage are accommodated in the Transportation Services Division's 1999 Operating Budget request.

Recommendations:

1.That the "No Parking Anytime" prohibition on the north side of Bernard Avenue, from Huron Street to Madison Avenue be adjusted to operate on the south side of the street;

2.That the 12:01 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. permit parking hours of operation on the south side of Bernard Avenue, from Huron Street to Madison Avenue be adjusted to operate on the north side of the street; and

3.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.

Comments:

At the request of concerned area residents, Transportation Services staff originally investigated the feasibility of implementing a "Stop" sign control for east/west traffic at the intersection of Bernard Avenue at Madison Avenue as a means to slow traffic and to provide a break in the section between Spadina Avenue and Huron Street. Traffic operations on Madison Avenue at this intersection are one-way northbound at the north branch of the intersection and one-way southbound at the south branch. As the existing traffic operations do not create any vehicular conflict, the installation of "Stop" signs at the east and west branches of Bernard Avenue is not an appropriate control.

Bernard Avenue at its intersection with Madison Avenue is a residential roadway that operates two-way with a pavement width of 7.3 metres and a maximum speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour.

Parking is prohibited at anytime on the north side of the roadway from Spadina Avenue to St. George Street and allowed for a maximum period of three hours outside of the signed 12:01 a.m to 10:00 a.m. permit parking hours of operation on the south side.

As part of the above investigation, speed and volume studies were undertaken on Bernard Avenue, east and west of the Madison Avenue intersection. Daily traffic volumes average roughly 3,500 vehicles (1,500 eastbound and 2,000 westbound).

Generally, the speeding profiles were found to be within acceptable parameters, however a number of sporadic incidences of "high-end" speeding (vehicles travelling in excess of 60 kilometres per hour) were observed for westbound motorists between Huron Street and Madison Avenue that ranged from 10 to 80 vehicles per day.

Transferring parking from the south side of the subject section of Bernard Avenue to the north side, should assist in reducing the incidence of westbound "high-end" speeding on this block by giving westbound motorists the visual perception of a reduced roadway width.

Field observations have also confirmed that five additional on-street parking spaces could be realized on this block and in permit parking area 5D, if parking were to switched to the north side of the roadway (there are currently 5 spaces on the south side and 10 potential spaces on the north side). As of this date a total of 999 permits have been issued against 1,101 available on-street parking spaces.

Accordingly, to reduce the incidence of "high-end" speeding and to increase the number of on-street parking opportunities for area residents, parking should be transferred from the south side to the north side on the section of Bernard Avenue from Huron Street to Madison Avenue.

Contact name and Telephone Number:

Colin Booth, Senior Traffic Investigator, 392-7771

Director.

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