Renewing Overlea Boulevard: What’s Proposed

Project Wide Changes

The City is recommending a plan that includes:

• Sidewalks are proposed to be widened to 2.1 meters, to make it easier to walk together, and to allow people with mobility devices to pass each other safely.
• New bikeways such as cycle tracks or multi-use trails are proposed to connect existing cycling routes in the area.
• Traffic signals would be coordinated and timed to enhance safety for everyone, while minimizing delays to buses, people driving, emergency vehicles and trucks.
• Integrated bus stops with larger waiting areas.

Don Mills Road, Overlea Boulevard and Gateway Boulevard Intersection

After additional review, staff are proposing a new option for the Don Mills Road, Overlea Boulevard and Gateway Boulevard Intersection. The new option will:

• Maintain the southbound-left vehicle turn onto Gateway Boulevard, by adjusting signal timing to serve vehicle movements from Overlea Boulevard onto Don Mills Road
• Preserve benefits to TTC passengers, especially for 100 Flemingdon Park Bus and 25 Don Mills and 925 Don Mills Express
• Retain benefits common to both options:
  • Safer corner design
  • Separate green time for the highest volume vehicle turns from pedestrians and people cycling
  • Serving highest volume movements

Overlea Bridge

Traffic Signal

After review, staff are no longer recommending the traffic signal on Overlea Boulevard East of the Bridge. Staff are no longer recommending the signal because:

• Low volume of people crossing, with other opportunities to cross east and west of the bridge
• Longer wait times for bus passengers and motor vehicles
• Mixed support and opposition from the public

Staff will monitor and re-evaluate the traffic signal after Phase 1 construction.

Overlea Bridge Deck

With the planned replacement of the bridge deck, some widening of the bridge is possible. A total bridge width of 24.8 meters is proposed, maintaining the vehicle lanes, adding cycle tracks, and widening the sidewalks by one meter.

The City is recommending Option 2 because it would provide a more defined separation between the uses, slightly wider sidewalks and cycle tracks. Option 2 was the preferred option from round one of public feedback.

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Bridge Repairs

Interim bridge repair work is taking place in 2022 (contract 21ECS-TI-15BE). Visit the Don Valley East Ward Profile – Construction Notices to learn more about this work.

West of Overlea Bridge to Thorncliffe Park Drive

The City is recommending Option 2 because it would provide more overall green space, larger bus stops and provide greater comfort for people walking and cycling. Option 2 would also have a lower cost and complexity of construction. Option 2 was the preferred option from round 1 of public feedback.

Thorncliffe Park Drive East & Overlea Boulevard Intersection

The City is recommending Option 2 because of enhanced safety and, it would allow for larger bus stops and areas for people walking and cycling. Option 2 was the preferred option from round 1 of public feedback.

A similar corner design, in Ottawa ON