Proposed By-law Regarding the Installation of

Ward 28, York Eglinton

The York Community Council recommends that:

(1) WHEREAS a Public Meeting was held to hear comments from area residents regarding a proposal to pass a by-law to implement traffic calming measures on the above-noted streets; and

(2) WHEREAS the Community Council considered the survey results in the report (September 27, 1999) from Director, Transportation Services, District 1, embodied in Clause No. 8 of Report No. 11 of the York Community Council, which was adopted without amendment by City Council on November 23, 24 and 25, 1999, which indicated less than 50  percent of the residents were in favour, with only one resident on Atlas Avenue and two residents on Cherrywood Avenue indicating support for the speed humps; and

(3) WHEREAS the deputations heard at the Public Meeting were not in favour of the traffic calming measures;

(4) THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the proposed by-law to implement the traffic calming measures on Atlas Avenue, Cherrywood Avenue, NorthcliffeBoulevard and Westmount Avenue not be enacted, and that the proposed traffic calming measures on these streets not be implemented.

The York Community Council reports for the information of Council, having requested the Director, Transportation Services, District 1, to ensure that the following are available at all meetings with respect to issues related to traffic calming measures:

(a) a list of the municipal addresses to which notices were sent;

(b) maps indicating the locations of speed humps and raised intersections;

(c) technical and related data with respect to the height of the humps and raised intersections; and

(d) statistics regarding volume and speed of traffic.

The York Community Council had before it during consideration of the foregoing matter a Notice of the Public Meeting which was advertised in the Toronto Star on December 22 and 29, 1999 and January 5 and 12, 2000, setting out the following information to be contained in the proposed by-law with respect to the locations of the traffic calming measures:

1. Atlas Avenue between St.Clair Avenue West and Dundurn Castle by the installation of speed humps (near Barrie Avenue an, St. Clair Avenue West and Westmount Avenue) and the raising of certain intersections (Graham Gardens and Normanna Avenue);

2. Cherrywood Avenue from Maplewood Avenue and Vaughan by the installation of speed humps (near Maplewood Avenue, Valewood Avenue and Vaughan Road) and the raising of an intersection (Valewood Avenue);

3. Northcliffe Boulevard from St.Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue by the installation of speed humps (near St.Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue);

4. Westmount Avenue from St.Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue by the installation of speed humps (near St.Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue); and

The York Community Council submits Clause No. 8 of Report No. 11 of the York Community Council which was adopted without amendment by City Council on November  23, 24 and 25, 1999:

(Council on November 23, 24 and 25, 1999, adopted this Clause without amendment.)

The York Community Council recommends that:

(1) in view of the number of schools located in the foregoing area and concerns for the safety of the children, that the following traffic calming measures be implemented:

(a) a total of two speed humps on Atlas Avenue from St. Clair Avenue West and Dundurn Crescent and construction of table intersections at Atlas Avenue and Graham Gardens and Atlas avenue and Normanna Avenue;

(b) a total of four speed humps on Cherrywood Avenue from Maplewood Avenue and Vaughan road and construction of a tabled intersection at Cherrywood Avenue and Valewood Avenue;

(c) a total of four speed humps on Northcliffe Boulevard from a St. Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue; and

(d) as total of four speed humps on Wesmount Avenue from St. Clair Avnue West and Cloverlawn Avenue;

(2) the City Solicitor prepare the road alteration by-laws for the traffic calming measures described above and that authority be granted to introduce the necessary Bills in Council;

(3) the City Clerk provide public notice to introduce the above-noted traffic calming measures; and

(4) the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

The York Community Council reports for the information of Council, having requested the Director, Transportation Services, District 1:

(1) to have available at the public meeting, the statistics with respect to the traffic volume and speed studies conducted; and

(2) to report on ways to inform parents of the City's safety concerns, particularly with regard to the children attending the several schools in the area; and on an initiative to educate the parents through the school system.

The York Community Council submits the following report (September 27, 1999) from the Director, Transportation Services, District 1:

Purpose:

To respond to requests from Councillor Joe Mihevc for reports on the feasibility of installing traffic calming various street sections on Atlas Avenue, Cherrywood Avenue, Northcliffe Boulevard and Westmount Avenue.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

None required.

Recommendation:

That this report be received for information.

Background:

York Eglinton Councillor Joe Mihevc has requested that the Transportation Services staff report to York Community Council on the results of volume and speed studies undertaken on various street sections of Atlas Avenue, Cherrywood Avenue, Northcliffe Boulevard and Westmount Avenue.

Comments:

The following summarizes the results of those studies for each of the individual streets:

1. Atlas Avenue between St. Clair Avenue West and Dundurn Crescent

Atlas Avenue between St. Clair Avenue West and Dundurn Crescent operates two-way in a north/south direction, with a pavement width of 7.3 metres. The speed limit is 40 km/h.

Volume and sped studies conducted over a seven-day period in May 1999, recorded an average combined daily total of 2500 vehicles travelling at a combined average speed of 34 km/h, with 19 percent of these vehicles travelling at speeds greater than 40 km/h. We recorded a combined daily operating speed (the speed at which 85 percent of the vehicular traffic travels at or below) of 42 km/h over the period of the survey.

2. Cherrywood Avenue between Maplewood Avenue and Vaughan Road

Cherrywood Avenue between Maplewood Avenue and Vaughan Road operates two-way in a north/south direction, with a pavement width of 7.3 metres. The speed limit is 40 km/h.

Volume and speed surveys conducted over a seven-day period in May 1999, recorded an average daily total of 2840 vehicles travelling at an average speed of 40 km/h, with 50 percent of these vehicles travelling at speeds greater than 40 km/h. The operating speed (the speed at which 85 percent of the vehicular traffic travels at or below) was 49 km/h over the period of the survey.

4. Westmount Avenue between St. Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue:

Westmount Avenue between St, Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue operates one-way southbound, with a pavement width of 7.3 metres. The legal speed limit is by-lawed and signed as 40 km/h.

Volume and speed surveys conducted over a two-day period in April 1999, recorded an average daily total of 1820 vehicles travelling at an average speed of 41 km/h, with 56 percent of these vehicles travelling at speeds greater than 40 km/h. We recorded an operating speed (the speed at which 85 percent of the vehicular traffic travels at or below) was 51 km/h over the period of the survey.

Based on these study results staff undertook a survey of resident owners, non-resident owners and tenants on each of the individual street locations to determine the levels of support for traffic calming plans. It was concluded that the traffic calming is supported if more than 50 percent of property owners responded and more than 50 percent of those responses were favourable.

The attached Appendix details the results of the residents survey for each individual street section.

Conclusions:

The survey results reveal the total number of responses received on all four streets was less than 50 percent of the total number surveyed. In view of the low response rate traffic calming is not recommended at this time on the following sections of streets:

1. Atlas Avenue between St. Clair Avenue West and Dundurn Crescent;

2. Cherrywood Avenue Between Maplewood Avenue and Vaughan Road;

3. Northcliffe Bouldevard between St. Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue; and

4. Westmount Avenue between St. Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue.

Contact:

Jacqueline White

Manager, Traffic Operations, District 1

397-5021, 392-8504 (fax)

APPENDIX 1

1. ATLAS AVENUE Between St. Clair Avenue and Dundurn Crescent

Total # Replies Replies Not In

Total # Responses Supporting Support of

Survey Group Surveyed Received Traffic Calming Traffic Calming

Owner 32 9 8 1

Tenant 23 1 1 0

Non-Resident 7 2 2 0

Owner

Total 62 12(19%) 11(92%) 1(8%)

Total # of Replies Supporting Traffic Calming

7 - support tabled intersection and speed humps

1 - support only speed humps

2. CHERRYWOOD AVENUE Between Vaughan Road and Maplewood Avenue

Total # Replies Replies Not In

Total # Responses Supporting Support of

Survey Group Surveyed Received Traffic Calming Traffic Calming

Owner 57 26 19 7

Tenant 5 1 1 0

Non-Resident 4 1 0 1

Owner

Total 66 28(42%) 20(71%) 8(29%)

Total # of Replies Supporting Traffic Calming

16 - support tabled intersection and speed humps

2 - support only speed humps

1 - supports only tabled intersection

3. NORTHCLIFFE BOULEVARD Between St.Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue

Total # Replies Replies Not In

Total # Responses Supporting Support of

Survey Group Surveyed Received Traffic Calming Traffic Calming

Owner 60 18 13 5

Tenant 35 4 4 0

Non-Resident 13 1 1 0

Owner

Total 108 23(21%) 18(78%) 5(22%)

4. WESTMOUNT AVENUE Between St.Clair Avenue West and Cloverlawn Avenue

Total # Replies Replies Not In

Total # Responses Supporting Support of

Survey Group Surveyed Received Traffic Calming Traffic Calming

Owner 69 23 20 3

Tenant 36 4 4 0

Non-Resident 14 1 0 1

Owner

Total 119 28(24%) 24(86%) 4(14%)

The following persons appeared before the Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter:

- Mr. Bob Menagh, 110 Atlas Avenue - enquired as to the method of testing the speed of vehicles; that police vehicles regularly speed along this street en route to Vaughan Road; concerned that only the residents on the section of Atlas between St. Clair Avenue West and Dundurn Crescent were notified; that homes located on flankages were not surveyed; that only one person supported the speed humps; that these humps on the roadway affect seniors travelling in vehicles; that the measures are not warranted and the costs for such should not be incurred.

- Ms. Susan Middleton Palin, 151 Maplewood Avenue - enquired as to the time of the year the survey was conducted; advised that her property is at the corner of Maplewood and Cherrywood Avenues and did not receive a notice; expressed concern that this was as a result of a school, rather that a resident initiative.