Installation of Speed Humps - Merton Street

from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue (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 35 of Report No. 7 of the Toronto Community Council, headed "Proposed Installation of Speed Humps - Merton Street from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue", which was adopted without amendment by City Council on May 11 and 12, 1999, notice with respect to the proposed enactment of the draft by-law was advertised in a daily newspaper on August 23, August 30, September 7 and September 13, 1999, and no one addressed the Toronto Community Council.

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

Authority:Toronto Community Council Report No. 7, Clause No. 35, as adopted by Council on May 11 and 12, 1999

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 Merton Street by the installation of speed humps from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue.

WHEREAS notice of a proposed By-law regarding the proposed alteration was published in a daily newspaper on August 23, 30, September 7 and September 13, 1999 and interested persons were given an opportunity to be heard at a public meeting held on September 14, 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:

(Column 1 Street)	(Column 2 Side/Corner)	(Column 3 Alteration/ Repair)	(Column 4 From)	(Column 5 To)	(Column 6 Drawing No./Date)
Merton Street		Alteration consisting of the installation of speed humps	Mount Pleasant Road	Bayview Avenue	421F-5302 dated Dec. 1998

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

   Mayor City Clerk

 The Toronto Community Council also submits the following Clause 35 of Toronto Community Council Report No. 7, titled "Proposed Installation of Speed Humps - Merton Street from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue (North Toronto)", which was adopted by City Council at its meeting held on May 11 and 12, 1999:

(City Council on May 11 and 12, 1999, adopted this Clause, without amendment.)

The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (April 12, 1999) from the Director, Transportation Services, District 1:

Purpose:

To reduce the speed of traffic on Merton Street, from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue, 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 $21,000.00 can be accommodated in the Transportation Services Division 1999 Capital Budget, Account No. 296702.

Recommendations:

(1)That approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on Merton Street, from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue, 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 Merton Street, from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue, generally as shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5302, dated December, 1998";

(2)That the speed limit be reduced from 40 km/h to 30 km/h on Merton Street from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue coincident with the implementation of speed humps; and

(3)That the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to implement the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that might be required.

Background:

City Council at its meeting of November 25, 26 and 27, 1998 in adopting Clause 60, Item W in Toronto Community Council Report No. 14, requested City staff to review the feasibility of installing speed humps on Merton Street from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue and to report back to Community Council with the results of the feasibility study.

Comments:

Merton Street from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue is a collector street with two-way operation, a daily traffic flow of about 6,400 to 6,600 vehicles with a speed limit of 40 km/h and a pavement width varying from 8.5 metres to 10.9 metres. Parking is prohibited anytime on the north side of Merton Street from Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue; on the south side of Merton Street from Mount Pleasant Road to a point 82 metres east thereof; in front of Pottery Playground; and from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Monday to Friday from about a point 82 metres east of Mount Pleasant Road to a point 309 metres further east thereof. Otherwise, parking is permitted for a maximum period of three hours.

Merton Street was included in the South Eglinton Area (East) Traffic Calming Project (Phase I) comprised of 85 modular traffic islands to narrow selected intersections and midblock locations. As a result of polling, the majority of respondents (72 percent) in the community opted to have the road narrowing devices removed, however, a majority (59 percent) also indicated their support for the development of additional or other forms of traffic management. On Merton Street this majority was 74 percent.

This section of Merton Street consists of two blocks: Mount Pleasant Road to Cleveland Street (approximately 800 metres in length); and Cleveland Street to Bayview Avenue (approximately 300 metres in length). A typical speed study on Merton Street revealed that the average speed traveled by vehicles is 49 km/h, the operating speed (the speed traveled by 85 percent of traffic) is 58 km/h and 24 percent of all vehicles traveled in excess of 55 km/h.

The proposed locations for the speed humps are shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5302, dated December 1998. Ten humps are proposed on Merton Street from Mount Pleasant Road to Cleveland Street and four humps are proposed from Cleveland Street to Bayview Avenue.

Implementation of the proposed speed humps on the above-noted street should have no impact on the availability of on-street parking and will not unduly hamper snow removal, street cleaning or garbage pick-up operations.

In light of the above and the apparent local support for the proposal which was evident at a public meeting held on April 8, 1999, hosted by the Merton Street Traffic Committee and attended by both North Toronto Councillors Ann Johnston and Michael Walker as well as Transportation Services staff, it is recommended that residents be polled to determine the level 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 streets. At least 60 percent of valid responses should support the plan in order to authorize the installation. The final decision rests with City Council.

The changes proposed to Merton Street 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 significantly impede 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, Supervisor Traffic Engineering, 392-7711

The Toronto Community Council also submits the following report (September 8, 1999) from the Director, Transportation Services, District 1, Works and Emergency Services:

Purpose:

To report the results of a poll of residents regarding the installation of speed humps on Merton Street, from Mt. Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not applicable.

Recommendation:

That this report be received for information.

Background:

City Council at its meeting of May 11 and 12, 1999, adopted Clause No. 35 of Report No. 7 of the Toronto Community Council, and in doing so, approved the alterations of the pavement on the section of Merton Street, from Mt. Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue, subject to the favourable results of polling of the affected residents, pursuant to the former City of Toronto policy relating to speed hump installation.

Accordingly, Transportation Services undertook a poll on the above noted section of Merton Street in August of this year to determine the degree of community support for the installation of speed humps on this street.

The speed hump proposal for this section of Merton Street was advertised in a local newspaper for four consecutive weeks in August and September 1999, and the draft by-law is scheduled to be considered by Toronto Community Council at its meeting on September 14 and 15, 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 percent of the valid responses to the poll endorse the speed hump proposal.

The results of the poll undertaken on Merton Street, from Mt. Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue showed that 52 percent of the eligible voters responded to the poll and of these, 241 (69 percent) supported speed humps, 103 (29 percent) opposed the plan. A total of 7 (2 percent) ballots were invalid.

As indicated above, the criteria for the installation of speed humps as set out in the Speed Hump Policy has been satisfied on Merton Street, from Mt. Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Mike Harris, Supervisor Traffic Engineering, District 1 (Central)

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The Toronto Community Council also submits the communication (April 13, 1999) from Councillor Walker, addressed to the Manager, Transportation Services, District 1:

On Thursday, April 8, 1999, I and Mike Harris of your staff attended a meeting held by the ad hoc traffic committee of Merton Street to discuss the proposal of installing speed humps on their street between Mount Pleasant Road and Bayview Avenue. Clearly there is a speeding problem on this street and the residents who attended this meeting, in my opinion, seemed quite favourable with this option. Therefore I would like to see the formal polling of this stretch on Merton Street take place as soon as possible.

The residents brought up two additional concerns at this meeting that I would like to have addressed by your staff. The first being that between now and the date that the speed humps are actually installed, the residents have requested police enforcement to ensure that traffic slows down. It may take four months before the humps are actually installed and the safety of pedestrians of all ages, particularly children and seniors as well as for motorists in this area is of paramount importance!

Secondly, residents also raised the issue of the flashing green light on Bayview Avenue for cars travelling northbound that allows cars to make a left (travel westward) onto Merton Street. This invites additional cars onto a residential street that already has nearly 8,000 cars travelling on it each day. Would you please have your staff report on the repercussions, if any of removing this flashing light.

Your attention to these issues is greatly appreciated.

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Mr. John Lightfoot appeared before the Toronto Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter.