The Esplanade and Mill Street are two important streets in the east part of downtown Toronto. They connect people to iconic destinations like the St. Lawrence Market and Distillery District, as well as parks such as Corktown Common and David Crombie Park. Parliament Square Park is a vital pedestrian connection between the two streets.

The City of Toronto is changing the way people move through and experience The Esplanade and Mill Street.

The project’s goals are to:

  1. Improve safety for everyone
  2. Make walking, cycling and taking transit more attractive
  3. Maintain access to local and citywide destinations

A final recommendation was approved at Infrastructure and Environment Committee and City Council (IE22.11) in spring of 2021.

 

Project Information Materials

Information Booklets:

Installation Notices:

What has changed along The Esplanade and Mill Street Corridor

The Esplanade

The following changes have been installed along The Esplanade as part of Phase 1 (east of Sherbourne Street) and Phase 2a (east of Lower Jarvis Street). The following will also be installed as part of Phase 2b (east of Yonge Street) in 2024.

  • Two-way cycle tracks added to the south side of The Esplanade.
  • Safety enhancements added to all intersections, including renewed pavement markings, prohibited vehicle turns, and signal timing that separates the movements of vulnerable road users from vehicles.
  • The speed limit reduced from 40km/h to 30km/h
  • The Esplanade converted to one-way westbound from Church Street to Scott Street, from Jarvis Street to Market Street, and from Princess Street to Berkeley Street.
  • The Esplanade converted to one-way eastbound from George Street to Frederick Street.
  • Through traffic prohibited in both directions between Sherbourne Street and Princess Street.
  • George Street between The Esplanade and Wilton Street is one-way southbound to prevent Wilton Street from becoming a bypass and to reduce traffic near St. Michael School.
  • The north half of Farquhars Lane is one way northbound to reduce local traffic infiltration and the traffic volume across the busy Front Street sidewalk.

Map of changes on The Esplanade. 

Parliament Square Park

The existing path through Parliament Square Park was too narrow to accommodate the existing number of people walking and cycling. A bikeway now runs through the parking lot just to the north of the Park. This provides a separate space for people walking and cycling, creating a safer and more desirable experience for all users.

Photo of the completed bikeway north of Parliament Square Park. 

Mill Street

The following changes have been installed along Mill Street as part of Phase 1.

  • Two-way cycle tracks added to the south side of Mill Street as well as one block of Bayview Avenue to Front Street East.
  • Mill Street converted to one-way westbound between Cherry Street and Parliament Street and between Bayview Avenue and Tannery Road.
  • Bayview Avenue converted to one-way southbound between Front Street East and Mill Street.
  • Curbside activity accommodated on one side for most blocks.

A map showing the proposed changes on Mill Street.

Map of changes on Mill Street.

Walking, cycling and transit make up nearly three-quarters of the trips in the St. Lawrence and Distillery District neighbourhood, yet, before the project was installed, there were more than 340 collisions on this corridor in the last five years; 10 per cent involving people walking or cycling, and one per cent leading to serious injury or death. The Esplanade is also being used as a bypass to Front Street and Lower Jarvis Street. This non-local traffic leads to congestion, pollution and noise, and delays to TTC service.

Design Considerations

Design considerations along The Esplanade included:

  • Designating the limited available space in the right-of-way
  • Managing high volumes of pedestrian and vehicular traffic
  • Coordinating with the David Crombie Park Revitalization
  • Coordinating with St. Lawrence Market operations
  • Maintaining parking and loading where possible
  • Accommodating TTC bus routes

Design considerations for Parliament Square Park included:

  • Lack of available space on the existing park path
  • Coordinating with current and planned park uses
  • Coordinating with current and planned First Parliament Site uses
  • Considering existing conditions, including site contamination and slope

Design considerations for Mill Street included:

  • Designating the limited available space in the right-of-way
  • Planning for complex intersections, including pedestrian, vehicle and streetcar crossings
  • Maintaining parking and loading where possible
  • Coordinating with new developments
  • Accommodating TTC bus routes

A map of project phases. Phase 1 and 2a are installed. Phase 2b, The Esplanade west of Lower Jarvis Street, is scheduled to be installed in 2024. Phase 3 involves various upgrades along the corridor and is planned for 2025 – 2026. 

Phase 1 and 2

  • Public consultation for the whole project began in 2019 and culminated in series of stakeholder and public events in the winter of 2021.
  • Changes to all segments from Bayview Avenue to Yonge Street were approved at Infrastructure and Environment Committee and City Council (IE22.11) in the spring of 2021.
  • Phase 1 was installed in fall 2021.
  • Phase 2a was installed in spring 2022 and 2a.
  • Compliance with the new traffic conditions has improved over time, and the number of people cycling has doubled compared to pre-installation counts.
  • Phase 2b is planned for installation in 2024 and will extend to Yonge Street. Once complete, the project will connect to planned and existing bikeways on Yonge Street, Lower Sherbourne Street, Cherry Street, Bayview Avenue, and the Don Valley trails network. The completion of Phase 2 is intended to create a safe and continuous east-west cycling route in the eastern part of downtown.

 

Phase 3

  • Phase 3 is planned for 2025-2026 and involves various upgrades along the corridor, most significantly along David Crombie Park as part of the David Crombie Park Revitalization. These include raising of the bikeway to sidewalk level, raised pedestrian and bicycle crossings of local streets, and intersection upgrades at Lower Jarvis Street and Lower Sherbourne Street.
  • Phase 3 will also see opportunities to upgrade The Esplanade between Church Street and Yonge Street, with a planned resurfacing.
  • Community feedback continues to shape the refinement of the installation as opportunities arise.

Consultation Overview

Public consultation for the whole project began in 2019 and culminated in series of stakeholder and public events in the winter of 2021.

In the development of the project design, the project team consulted local businesses, multi-residential building operators, institutions and other properties along The Esplanade and Mill Street. Accessibility, loading, parking, and overall mobility needs were considered in the development, design and finalization of this project.

Emergency Services were also consulted throughout the design process. Emergency response times are not projected to increase. Emergency Services are exempt from the bus-only lanes, such as between Market Street and Lower Jarvis Street.

Consultation Materials

 

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