Draft By-law - Alteration of Elm Ridge Drive - Speed Humps

(North Toronto)

The Toronto Community Council recommends that a by-law in the form of the draft by-law be enacted, and that the necessary Bills be introduced in Council to give effect thereto.

The Toronto Community Council reports, for the information of Council, that pursuant to Clause 48 of Report No. 16 of the Toronto Community Council, titled "Installation of Speed Humps - Elm Ridge Drive, from Bathurst Street to William R. Allen Road (North Toronto), which was adopted without amendment by City Council at its meeting on December 16 and 17, 1998, notice with respect to the proposed enactment of the draft by-law was advertised in a daily newspaper on March 12, 15, 22 and 29, 1999, and the following persons addressed the Toronto Community Council:

-Ms. Julianna Braun, Toronto, Ontario;

-Mr. Steven Plant, Toronto, Ontario; and

-Mr. Art Krause, Elm Ridge Drive Traffic Committee.

The Toronto Community Council submits the following Draft By-law from the City Solicitor:

Authority:Toronto Community Council Report No. 16, Clause No. 48, as adopted by Council on December 16 and 17, 1998

Enacted by Council:

CITY OF TORONTO

Bill No.

BY-LAW No.

To further amend former City of Toronto By-law No. 602-89, being "A By-law To authorize the construction, widening, narrowing, alteration and repair of sidewalks, pavements and curbs at various locations", respecting the alteration of Elm Ridge Drive from Bathurst Street to William R. Allen Road by the installation of speed humps.

WHEREAS notice of a proposed By-law regarding the proposed alteration was published in a daily newspaper on , , and , 1999 and interested persons were given an opportunity to be heard at a public meeting held on , 1999 and it is appropriate to amend the by-law to permit the alteration.

The Council of the City of Toronto HEREBY ENACTS as follows:

1.Former City of Toronto By-law No. 602-89, being "A By-law To authorize the construction, widening, narrowing, alteration and repair of sidewalks, pavements and curbs at various locations", is amended:

(1)by inserting in Columns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively, of Schedule "B-4" (Pavement Alteration/Repair) the following:

ENACTED AND PASSED this day of , A.D. 1999.

MayorCity Clerk

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The Toronto Community Council also submits Clause No. 48 of Report No. 16 of The Toronto Community Council, titled "Installation of Speed Humps - Elm Ridge Drive, from Bathurst Street to William R. Allen Road (North Toronto)", which was adopted by City Council at its meeting held on December 16 and 17, 1998:

(City Council on December 16 and 17, 1998, adopted this Clause, without amendment.)

The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (December2, 1998) from the Director, Transportation Services, District 1:

Purpose:

To reduce the speed of traffic on Elm Ridge Drive from Bathurst Street to William R. Allen Road by the introduction of speed humps.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funds to cover the cost of this work in the estimated amount of $15,000 are available under Capital Fund Code No. 296702

Recommendation:

(1)That approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on Elm Ridge Drive, from Bathurst Street to William R. Allen Road for traffic calming purposes as described below, with implementation subject to favourable results of the polling of 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 Elm Ridge Drive, from Bathurst Street to William R. Allen Road, generally as shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5265, dated September 1998";

(2)That the speed limit be reduced from 40 km/h to 30 km/h on Elm Ridge Drive between Bathurst Street and William R. Allen Roadway coincident with the implementation of speed humps; and

(3)That the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect to the foregoing including the introduction in Council of any Bills that may be required.

Comment

At the request of North Toronto Ward Councillors Anne Johnston and Michael Walker, and area residents, a staff investigation was conducted to determine the feasibility of installing speed humps on Elm Ridge Drive from Bathurst Street to William R. Allen Road to reduce the speed of motor vehicles.

Elm Ridge Drive is a collector street with a two-way operation, a daily traffic flow of about 4,500 vehicles and a speed limit of 40 km/h. The pavement width varies from 8.5 m to 10.4 m in the sections with no median while in the sections with a median, each roadway is approximately 5.5 m wide. Parking is permitted on the south side of Elm Ridge Drive from the North Toronto ward boundary to Marwood Road (except on the William R. Allen Road bridge) and from Burmont Road to Manitou Boulevard. Parking is not permitted at any time on either side of Elm Ridge Drive from Bathurst Street to Manitou Boulevard. In general, parking supply is unaffected by the installation of speed humps.

Elm Ridge Drive, for the most part, consists of very short blocks (in the order of 90 metres in length). The exception to this is the block between Manitou Boulevard and Lawnhurst Boulevard which is about 190 metres in length. An 85^th percentile speed (the speed exceeded by 15% of the traffic) is 47 km/h. I note that the block between Manitou Boulevard and Bathurst Street which is slightly longer than the typical block (about 110 metres) has an 85^th percentile speed of 42 km/h.

To be consistent with the former City's Speed Hump Policy, one speed hump per block could be installed on the short blocks, and two on the Manitou Boulevard/Lawnhurst Boulevard block. The proposed locations for these speed humps are shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5265, dated September 1998. Six humps are proposed on the undivided roadway sections of Elm Ridge Drive, plus another four humps at two sections where there is a median.

It is not advisable to install speed humps on the bridge over the William R. Allen Road because of the potential for structural damage to the bridge. Speed humps are also not proposed west of the bridge at this time. I note that the land use east of the bridge is predominantly single family dwellings whereas west of the bridge it is mainly apartment buildings.

In light of the above and the apparent support for the proposal evident at a public meeting of November 26, 1998, hosted by the Elm Ridge Drive Traffic Committee, it is recommended that residents be polled to determine the amount of community support for speed humps as outlined above. The poll should be conducted of adults (18 years and older) of households directly abutting the affected portions of the street. At least 60% of valid responses should support the plan in order to authorize the installation. The final decision rests with City Council.

One of the concerns of residents from neighbouring streets in the area is whether or not traffic volumes on their streets will be impacted because of traffic diversion from Elm Ridge Drive. Studies conducted so far on Glengrove Avenue (where 10 speed humps were installed in July 1998) suggest that there is minimal, if any, diversion of traffic with the introduction of speed humps. Traffic volumes will be monitored closely on Ridelle Avenue and Briar Hill Avenue to establish whether any traffic increases occur due to the installation of speed humps on Elm Ridge Drive. If remedial action is required one option would be to install speed humps on Ridelle Avenue and Briar Hill Avenue.

The changes proposed to Elm Ridge Drive as set out above constitute alterations to a public highway pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Act. Accordingly, 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. It is noted that emergency services are being advised of the proposal to ensure that the proposal does not unduly hamper their operations.

This project is pre-approved in accordance with Schedule A of the Class Environmental Assessment for Municipal Roads Projects.

Contact Name and Telephone Number

Michael J. Harris, Transportation Planner, 392-7711

The Toronto Community Council also submits the following communication (November27,1998) from Councillor Walker, addressed to the Director, Infrastructure Planning and Transportation, City Works Services:

Last night I attended a meeting for all residents on Elm Ridge Drive (Bathurst Street to Newgate Road) that was well attended. At this meeting Mr. Mike Harris presented a Speed Hump proposal to the residents. There was overwhelming enthusiasm from the members of this street to proceed as soon as possible with the installation of these devices and a unanimous vote was taken to request that a poll be taken on their street as soon as possible.

Mr. Harris at the meeting suggested that it would be feasible to have this item brought before the next Toronto Community Council on December 9, 1998. Therefore, I am requesting that you expedite this process.

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The Toronto Community Council reports, for the information of Council, having also had before it during consideration of the foregoing matter, a communication (December 6, 1998) from Dr. Stephen Abrams, Ms. Rosetta Rutman and Mr. A. and Ms. J. Braun, enclosing petitions from 156 residents of Elm Ridge Drive and 292 residents of the North West Forest Hill neighbourhood and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk.

Insert Table/Map No. 1

Elm Ridge Drive

(City Council on December 16 and 17, 1998, had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, a communication (December 15, 1998) from Dr. Stephen Abrams, Toronto, forwarding various documents and petitions in opposition to the proposed installation of speed humps on Elm Ridge Drive from Bathurst Street to William R. Allen Road, and a copy of each is on file in the office of the City Clerk.)

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The Toronto Community Council also submits the report (March 29, 1999) from the Director of Transportation Services, District 1, Works and Emergency Services:

Purpose:

To report on the results of a speed hump poll of residents and to advise that conditions for the installation of speed humps on the subject section of Elm Ridge Drive have been satisfied.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

That this report be received for information.

Background:

City Council at its meeting of December 16 and 17, 1998, in adopting Clause 48 in Toronto Community Council Report No.16, approved the alterations of the pavement on the above noted street, subject to the favourable results of polling of the affected residents, pursuant to the former City of Toronto policy relating to speed hump installation. The proposed enactment of the draft by-law to give effect to the above was advertised in a daily newspaper on four consecutive weeks in March 1999 and will be considered by Toronto Community Council at its meeting of March 30, 1999.

Comments:

The former City of Toronto's Speed Hump Policy (adopted by Council at its meeting of August 21, 1997) requires that a poll of adult residents (18 years of age or older) be conducted on streets being considered for speed hump installations and that at least 60% of the valid responses to the poll endorse the speed hump proposal.

The results of the poll undertaken on Elm Ridge Drive between Bathurst Street and William R. Allen Road in March 1999 showed that 70% of the eligible voters responded to the poll and of these 121 (84%) supported speed humps and 23 (16%) opposed the plan.

As indicated above, the criteria for the installation of speed humps as set out in the Speed Hump Policy, have been satisfied on the subject section of roadway.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Michael J. Harris, Supervisor Traffic Engineering, 392-7771

The Toronto Community Council reports, for the information of Council, also having had before it the following communications, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk:

-(March 23, 1999) from Dr. Brian Schwartz;

-(March 28, 1999) from Dr. Harold Ashley;

-(March 30, 1999) from C. Hirsh; and

-(Undated) from Ms. Julianna Dora Braun