December 22, 1998

To:The Urban Environment and Development Committee

From:General Manager, Transportation Services Division

Subject:Proposed Eastbound and Westbound Left Turn Prohibitions During the Weekday Afternoon Peak Period at Bathurst Street and College Street

Trinity: Councillors Joe Pantalone and Mario Silva

Downtown: Councillors Olivia Chow and Kyle Rae

Purpose:

To introduce eastbound and westbound left-turn prohibitions on College Street at Bathurst Street to decrease delays to transit vehicles.

Funding Sources:

The funds associated with the proposed eastbound and westbound left-turn prohibition will be contained in the Transportation Services Division 1999 Current Estimates. The estimated cost of this work is $1,000.00.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)eastbound and westbound left turns be prohibited on College Street at Bathurst Street from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m, Monday to Friday; and

(2)the appropriate by-law(s) be amended accordingly.

Background:

In response to a request from the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Transportation staff reviewed the feasibility of prohibiting eastbound and westbound left turns during the weekday afternoon peak period (4:00p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday) at Bathurst Street and College Street.

Discussion:

The intersection of Bathurst Street and College Street is controlled by traffic signals which operate with a transit priority feature. The TTC operates the 506 Carlton streetcar service with headways of approximately 4 ½ minutes during the weekday afternoon peak period. According to the TTC, these streetcars carry a combined ridership of approximately 1,100 passengers per hour in the afternoon.

Our field observations confirmed that left-turning vehicles do contribute to delays experienced by eastbound and westbound streetcars during the afternoon peak period. These delays can be as long as 3 ½ minutes.

The potential benefits associated with prohibiting eastbound and westbound left turns during the weekday afternoon peak period would be decreased delay to east-west streetcar service and decreased delay to east-west private vehicles.

The potential disadvantage of this proposal is the redirection of approximately 200 westbound left-turning and 80 eastbound left-turning vehicles away from this intersection during the two-hour period. These motorists would likely use local roadways such as Palmerston Boulevard and Markham Street to access Bathurst Street. Also, some of the reduction in east-west delay would be offset as more through motorists would use the streetcar lane knowing that they would not be blocked by a left-turning vehicle.

We have consulted with the Ward Councillors for this area. Councillor Pantalone is in favour of reducing transit delay, Councillor Silva is concerned with potential traffic infiltration, Councillors Chow and Rae have expressed no position on the matter.

Conclusion:

Based on the above-noted results, we would have no objection to prohibiting eastbound and westbound left turns during the weekday afternoon peak period at this intersection because it would improve the level of service for streetcars. However, we have concerns with the redirection of approximately 280 motorists who would likely use local roadways near this intersection to access Bathurst Street and we would propose that the overall impacts be carefully monitored and further reports be brought forward as deemed necessary.

Contact Name:

Jacqueline White

Manager, Traffic Operations

District 1

416-397-5021

David C. Kaufman

General Manager, Transportation Services

Barry Gutteridge

Commissioner, Works & Emergency Services

DB/fc/sah;jr