Examination of Feasibility of Installing Speed Humps-
Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue
(Midtown)
(City Council on March 2, 3 and 4, 1999, adopted this Clause, without amendment.)
The Toronto Community Council recommends that:
(1)approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue
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:
"The construction of speed humps on ALBANY AVENUE, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue, generally as
shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5274, dated October 1998";
(2)the speed limit be reduced from forty kilometres per hour to thirty kilometres per hour on Albany Avenue,
from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue, coincident with the implementation of the traffic calming measures; and
(3) 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.
The Toronto Community Council submits the following report (February 1, 1999) from the Director of
Transportation Services, District 1, Works and Emergency Services:
Purpose:
To report on a request to consider the installation of speed humps on Albany Avenue between Bloor Street West and Barton
Avenue.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
Should Council decide to pursue the installation of speed humps on the subject section of Albany Avenue, the estimated
cost would be $6,600.00. Funds in this amount are accommodated in the Transportation Services Division's 1999 Capital
Budget request.
Recommendation:
That this report be received for information.
Comments:
At the request of Midtown Councillors John Adams and Ila Bossons, on behalf of area residents, staff undertook an
investigation on Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue, to determine if the implementation of speed
humps would be an appropriate traffic calming measure on this section or roadway.
Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue operates one-way northbound with a pavement width of 6.7
metres and a speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour. Staff recently conducted twenty-four hour speed and volume surveys
over a six day period from November 27 to December2,1998 inclusive.
The subject section of Albany Avenue carries an average daily volume of approximately 1,050 vehicles (volumes ranged
from 973 to 1,182 vehicles). These volumes marginally satisfy the minimum requirement of 1,000 vehicles per day
necessary for further consideration to implement speed humps.
In terms of vehicular speed, the above studies have revealed that the average daily speed on this section of Albany Avenue
was 31.6 kilometres per hour and the average operating speed (the speed at which 85 percent of the traffic volume operates
at or below) was 43 kilometres per hour. Incidents of excessive speeding (vehicles travelling in excess of 55 kilometres per
hour) represented less than two percent of the average daily traffic volume. It should also be noted that the above data is
consistent, if not somewhat lower than previous data that was obtained on the same section of Albany Avenue in April/May
of 1997, following the reversal of the one-way traffic operation on the section between Barton Avenue and Wells Street.
As requested by the Councillors and interested residents, staff prepared a plan consisting of three speed humps with
spacings that range from 70 to 90 metres, as illustrated on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5274, dated October
1998. It is not anticipated that this plan would impact on existing on-street parking spaces, garbage collection, street
cleaning or winter operations.
Implementation of this proposal, in conjunction with other speed hump installations and current investigations on sections
of Barton Avenue, Howland Avenue and Brunswick Avenue, could result in increased response times for emergency
vehicles into the local residential community. Accordingly, copies of the above plan, if approved, will be circulated to
emergency services agencies for comment.
In the event that Council wishes to proceed with the installation of speed humps on Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West
to Barton Avenue, then the following recommendations would have to be approved:
(1) That approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue
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:
"The construction of speed humps on Albany Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue, generally as shown on the
attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5274, dated October 1998";
(2) That the speed limit be reduced from forty kilometres per hour to thirty kilometres per hour on Albany Avenue, from
Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue, coincident with the implementation of the traffic calming measures; 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.
The terms of the Speed Hump Policy require that a formal poll be conducted of all adults (18 years and older) of households
directly abutting the affected section of street and also households on side streets whose only access is from the street under
consideration for speed humps, of which 60 percent of those responding should be in favour of the proposed
implementation.
Further, the changes to Albany Avenue as described above would constitute an alteration to the 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 project
would be pre-approved in accordance with Schedule "A" of the Class Environmental Assessment for Municipal Road
Projects.
Conclusions:
In evaluating the section of Albany Avenue from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue for the installation of speed humps, it
has been determined that although such a course of action is technically feasible, the guidelines for installation are only
marginally met. In addition, as the incidence of excessive speeding represents less than 2 percent (approximately 13
vehicles per day) of the daily traffic volume, the overall impact that speed humps would have on this street would be minor,
compared to a number of other locations where excessive speeding constitutes a much greater percentage of the total daily
traffic volume.
Contact Name and Telephone Number:
Colin Booth, Senior Traffic Investigator, 392-7771
Insert Table/Map No. 1
Albany Ave. Barton Ave - Bloor st. W.
The Toronto Community Council reports, for the information of Council, having also had before it during consideration of
the foregoing matter, the following communications, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk:
-February 11, 1999) from Mr. Niels Petersen;
-(July 15, 1998) addressed to Councillors Adams and Bosson from Mr. Niels Petersen and Ms. Wendy Martin; and
-(February 14, 1999) from Mr. Niels Petersen.