Draft By-law - Installation of Speed Humps - Gore Vale Avenue

from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West (Trinity-Niagara)

The Toronto Community Council recommends that a by-law in the form of the draft by-law be enacted.

The Toronto Community Council reports, for the information of Council, that pursuant to the Municipal Act, notice with respect to the proposed enactment of the draft by-law was advertised in a daily newspaper on December 30, 1999, January 3, January 10 and January 17, 2000, 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. 9, Clause No. 43, as adopted by Council on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999 and Toronto Community Council Report No. , Clause No. , as adopted by Council on , 2000.

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 Gore Vale Avenue by the installation of speed humps from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West.

WHEREAS notice of a proposed By-law regarding the proposed alteration was published in a daily newspaper on December , 1999 and January 3, 10 and 17, 2000 and interested persons were given an opportunity to be heard at a public meeting held on January 18, 2000 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. 2000.

__________________________________________________

Mayor City Clerk

_________

The Toronto Community Council also submits the following Clause 43 of Report No. 9 of the Toronto Community Council, headed "Gore Vale Avenue between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West - Operational Safety (Trinity-Niagara)", as adopted by the Council of the City of Toronto at its meeting held on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999:

(City Council on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999, adopted this Clause, without amendment.)

The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the recommendations contained in the following communication (May 28, 1999) from Councillors Pantalone and Silva:

Purpose:

To reduce the incidents of speeding vehicles on Gore Vale Avenue between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West.

Recommendations:

(1) That approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on Gore Vale Avenue between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West for traffic calming purposes as described below, with implementation subject to the favourable results of polling the affected residents pursuant to the policy related to speed hump installation as adopted by the former City of Toronto Council:

AThe construction of speed humps on Gore Vale Avenue from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West, generally as shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F - 5344 March 1999.@

(2) That the speed limit be reduced from forty kilometers per hour to thirty kilometers per hour on Gore Vale Avenue between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West, coincident with implementation of the traffic calming measures.

(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.

Background:

At our request on behalf of the area residents, Transportation Services Staff investigated concerns regarding excessive speeding and the feasibility of installing speed humps on Gore Vale Avenue between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West (see attached May 12^th , 1999 letter).

We have consulted with area residents and have been advised to proceed with the polling process on Gore Vale Avenue for the speed humps.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

CCCC

Communication dated May 12, 1999 from the

Director of Transportation Services, District 1, Works and Emergency Services

addressed to Councillor Pantalone

I refer to your letter dated December 2, 1998, regarding the above. I apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay in this response.

Gore Vale Avenue between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West operates one-way southbound on a pavement width of 6.4 metres. Parking is prohibited at anytime on the west side. Parking is permitted on the east side to a maximum of three hours. The permit parking system is in effect from 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., daily. The maximum speed limit is 40 kilometres per hour and heavy vehicles are prohibited.

Transportation Services staff conducted a twenty-four hour automatic speed and volume survey on Gore Vale Avenue and it was found that this street carries approximately 1,600 vehicles per day. The speed data obtained reflected the following:

Average Speed 44 km/h

Pace Speed 40-50 km/h

(10 km/h range with the highest (783 vehicles)

number of vehicles)

Operating Speed 52 km/h

(Maximum speed of 85% of the traffic)

A review of the Toronto Police Service=s collision data records for Gore Vale Avenue for the three year period beginning November 30, 1995 and ending November 30, 1998 revealed five collisions were reported in which speeding may have been a factor and no collisions involved pedestrians.

Under the provisions of the Highway Traffic Act, the lowest enforceable speed limit allowed on a public highway in the Province of Ontario is 40 kilometres per hour. However, under special provision granted by the Province to the former City of Toronto, the maximum enforceable speed limit may be lowered to 30 kilometres per hour in conjunction with the implementation of significant traffic calming measures. In light of this speed survey, this street is an appropriate candidate for the installation of speed humps and Transportation Services staff have developed a traffic calming plan with the view of reducing operating speeds to a range of 30 kilometres per hour.

The traffic calming proposal, as illustrated on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5344 dated March 1999 consists of six speed humps with spacings between the speed humps of approximately 72 to 85 metres. A speed limit reduction to 30 kilometers per hour would also be appropriate. No impacts on parking are anticipated and the effects on snow removal, street cleaning and garbage collection should be minimal.

As stipulated in the Speed Hump Policy, once it has been determined that speed hump installation meets the initial criteria, a formal poll should be conducted of adults (18 years of age 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 hump installations. Under this policy, at least 60% of those responding should be in favour of the proposal to authorize implementation.

The changes proposed to Gore Vale Avenue, as described above, constitute an alteration to a 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. In the interim, consultations with the emergency services agencies have been undertaken to ensure that the detailed design does not unduly hamper their respective operations.

I would be pleased to hear your thoughts on this matter before taking any action.

Insert Table/Map No. 1

Gore Vale

The Toronto Community Council also submits the report (December 23, 1999) from the Director, Transportation Services, District 1:

Purpose:

To report the results of a poll of residents regarding the installation of speed humps on Gore Vale Avenue, from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West .

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

Recommendation:

That this report be received for information.

Background:

City Council, at its meeting of July 6, 1999, adopted Clause No. 43 of Report No. 9 of the Toronto Community Council, and in doing so, approved the alterations of the pavement on Gore Vale Avenue, from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West, 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 Gore Vale Avenue, from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West, in October 1999, to determine the degree of community support for the installation of speed humps on this street.

Comments:

The Speed Hump Policy (adopted by the Council of the former City of Toronto 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 Gore Vale Avenue, from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West, showed that 43 percent of the eligible voters responded to the poll and of these, 71 (65 percent) supported speed humps, 37 (34 percent) opposed the plan. A total of 2 (1 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 Gore Vale Avenue, from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West.

Contact:

Bob Runnings, Traffic Investigator

Telephone: (416) 392-7771

Fax: (416) 392-0816

E-mail: rrunning@toronto.ca