September 25, 2023: Installation of cycling improvements on Palmerston Boulevard between Bloor Street and College Street and Lennox Street between Palmerston Boulevard and Bathurst Street are about to begin. please see the Installation Notice for more details.
The City is installing cycling, pedestrian, and road safety upgrades on Palmerston Avenue, Palmerston Square and Palmerston Boulevard as well as Tecumseth Street. The project was approved in December 2021.
The bike lanes, contra-flow lanes, cycle tracks, and wayfinding markings will expand the local cycling network and connect to the bikeways on Bloor Street West, Harbord Street, College Street, Richmond Street, Adelaide Street West, and Wellington Street West.
The traffic changes will include modifications to the direction of certain blocks to enable the new bikeways and reduce through traffic, while maintaining local access, as well as a reduced number of on-street parking spaces in some locations.
Project Updates
September 25, 2023: Installation Update
The City has recently completed upgrades to the Watermain on Palmerston Boulevard between Bloor Street and College Street. Cycling installation is planned for installation beginning in October and ending in November 2023. Please see the Installation Notice for more details.
August 31, 2023: Installation Update
The City is in the final stages of completing upgrades to the Watermain on Palmerston Boulevard between Bloor Street and College Street. It is anticipated that this work will be completed by the beginning of September 2023. Following this, cycling infrastructure will be installed, including signal work at Bloor Street and Palmerston Boulevard and Harbord Street and Palmerston Boulevard over a three-week period. The main changes in traffic lanes and traffic flow directions between Bloor Street and College Street will be completed afterwards, bringing the project to a close in mid-October 2023.
From July to September 2022 and spring 2023, the City will install contra-flow bike lanes, protected cycle tracks and other safety improvements including wayfinding markings on Palmerston Avenue, Palmerston Square, Palmerston Boulevard and Tecumseth Street from Dupont Street to Niagara Street, and on Lennox Street from Palmerston Boulevard to Markham Street.
Public Information Event
On July 5, 2022, the City hosted a Virtual Public Information Event that provided residents with an opportunity to learn more about the planned changes and implementation timeline.
The first image represents the road configuration before installation. The second image represents the planned changes to the road configuration.
If you drive:
No change to travel
New all-way stop controls at Palmerston Square (north and south legs).
Right-turn prohibition during the red traffic signal indication southbound at Bloor Street.
If you park or load on the street:
Parking permit hours remain
Net parking impact = -7
Pick-up and drop-off at Palmerston Avenue Junior School and the Boys and Girls St. Alban’s Club maintained.
Curbside loading space north of Bloor Street moved to west side to improve road safety and visibility, making space for the contra-flow bike lane.
If you cycle:
Cycling allowed in both directions on Palmerston Avenue
Shared-lane wayfinding markings added between Dupont Street and Barton Avenue; and at Palmerston Square to London Street.
Contra-flow bike lanes added between Barton Avenue and Palmerston Square (north leg); and London Street and Bloor Street to allow people cycling to travel north and south where vehicle flow is one-way.
If you walk:
Additional crosswalks; pavement markings for pedestrian crossings converted to zebra markings at multiple locations.
New stop controls for improved safety at Palmerston Square
Final Design: Bloor Street to College Street
Phase 2: Installation Fall 2023
The first image represents the road configuration before installation. The second image represents the planned changes to the road configuration.
If you drive or park on the street:
One-way conversions:
Palmerston Boulevard between Bloor Street and Lennox Street converted to one-way northbound.
Lennox Street between Palmerston Boulevard and Markham Street converted to one-way eastbound (see Council motion).
Palmerston Boulevard between Herrick Street and Harbord Street converted to one-way southbound.
Palmerston Boulevard between Harbord Street and Ulster Street converted to one-way northbound.
Palmerston Boulevard between Ulster Street and College Street converted to one-way southbound.
Right-turn prohibitions during the red traffic signal indication northbound at Bloor Street ; northbound and southbound at Harbord Street; southbound at College Street.
Permit parking hours remain unchanged.
Parking made permanent on east side from Bloor Street to Lennox Street and Harbord Street to Ulster Street; west side from Lennox Street to Harbord Street and Ulster Street to College Street; on south side of Lennox Street between Palmerston Boulevard and Markham Street.
Net parking impact = +8 spaces
If you cycle:
Cycling allowed in both directions on Palmerston Boulevard and Lennox Street.
Contra-flow bike lanes added to Palmerston Boulevard from Bloor Street to Lennox Street and from Herrick Street to College Street; on Lennox Street from Markham Street to Palmerston Boulevard.
New bike signal heads added at Bloor Street, Harbord Street, and College Street intersections along Palmerston Boulevard.
If you walk:
Pavement markings for pedestrian crossings converted to zebra markings at multiple locations.
Investigation into controlled crossing opportunities at Bloor Street and Markham Street ongoing.
Changes to Lennox Street
To address community concerns about motor vehicle volumes and road user safety, Transportation Services is proposing changes to Lennox Street:
Introduce a one-way block on Lennox Street, between Palmerston Boulevard and Markham Street, permitting eastbound motor vehicle movements.
Introduce a contra-flow bike lane on Lennox Street, between Palmerston Boulevard and Markham Street, permitting westbound cycling movements.
The changes were determined to best achieve the goal of mitigating motor vehicle through-traffic associated with new development, while maintaining safety, mobility and access for residents of neighbourhood streets.
If you drive or park on the street:
Eastbound motor vehicle movements will be permitted on Lennox Street between Palmerston Boulevard and Markham Street.
Permit parking and car-share parking will be made permanent on the south side of Lennox Street
If you cycle:
Eastbound and westbound cycling movements will be maintained on Lennox Street between Palmerston Boulevard and Markham Street, through shared lane
Shared-lane wayfinding markings added eastbound.
Contra-flow bike lane added westbound.
Final Design: College Street to Queen Street
Phase 1: Installation July-September 2022
The first image represents the road configuration before installation. The second image represents the planned changes to the road configuration.
If you drive, park or load on the street:
One-way conversions:
Palmerston Avenue between the first laneway south of College Street and the first laneway north of Dundas Street converted to one-way northbound.
Palmerston Avenue between Dundas Street and the first laneway north of Dundas Street converted to two-way.
Palmerston Avenue between Dundas Street and the first laneway north of Robinson Street converted to one-way northbound.
Curbside loading space on west side north of Queen Street.
Permit parking hours remain
Parking made permanent on the east side from College Street to Robinson Street.
Net parking impact = -4
Pedestrian crossover (PXO) converted to full traffic signal at Dundas Street.
If you cycle:
Cycling allowed in both directions on Tecumseth Street
Shared-lane wayfinding markings added between College Street and the first laneway south of College Street; from Dundas Street to the first laneway to the north; from Robinson Street to the first laneway to the north.
Contra-flow bike lanes added to Palmerston Avenue from the first laneway south of College Street to the first laneway north of Dundas Street; from Dundas Street to the first laneway north of Robinson Street; from Robinson Street to Queen Street.
New bike signal heads added at Queen Street.
If you walk:
Pavement markings for pedestrian crossings converted to zebra markings at multiple locations.
Pedestrian crossover (PXO) converted to full traffic signal at Dundas Street, formalizing the intersection for improved safety.
Final Design: Queen Street to King Street and Niagara Street
Phase 1: Installation July-September 2022
The first image represents the road configuration before installation. The second image represents the planned changes to the road configuration.
If you drive, park or load on the street:
One-way conversions:
Tecumseth Street between Richmond Street and Mitchell Avenue converted to one-way south.
Tecumseth Street between Mitchell Avenue to Adelaide Street converted to one-way northbound.
New stop controls at Tecumseth Street and Mitchell Avenue.
Curbside loading space on east side between Richmond Street and Mitchell Avenue.
Parking moved to east side from Richmond Street to Mitchell
Net parking impact between Queen Street and Niagara Street = -4
If you cycle:
Cycling allowed in both directions on Tecumseth Street
Bike lanes added to Tecumseth Street between Queen Street and the first laneway south of Queen Street; southbound between Richmond Street and Mitchell Avenue; northbound between Mitchell Avenue and Adelaide
Shared-lane wayfinding markings added between the first laneway south of Queen Street and Richmond Street; from Adelaide Street to King Street.
Contra-flow cycle tracks (protected bike lanes) added to Tecumseth Street northbound from Richmond Street to Mitchell Avenue; southbound from Mitchell Avenue to Adelaide Street.
New bike signal heads added at Queen Street
If you walk:
Additional crosswalks; pavement markings for pedestrian crossings converted to zebra markings at multiple locations.
New stop controls for improved safety at Mitchell Avenue
King Street to Niagara Street
Phase 1: Installation: July-September 2022
If you drive, park or load on the street:
Tecumseth Street between Tecumseth Place North and South converted to one-way northbound.
Tecumseth Street between Wellington Street and Niagara Street converted to one-way northbound.
Parking to remain with no change
Permit parking hours to remain unchanged
Net parking impact = No loss
If you cycle:
Cycling allowed in both directions on Tecumseth Street
Bike lanes added to Tecumseth Street between King Street and Tecumseth Place North; northbound bike lane from Wellington Street to Niagara Street.
Shared-lane wayfinding markings added between Tecumseth Place South and Wellington Street.
Southbound contra-flow cycle tracks (protected bike lanes) added to Tecumseth Street from a point 66 m south of King Street to Tecumseth Place South; from Wellington Street to Niagara Street.
Consultation
Virtual Public Meeting
A Virtual Public Meeting was held on the evening of October 20, 2021. This was an opportunity to learn more about the Palmerston-Tecumseth Cycling Connections project, provide feedback and ask questions.
On June 9, 2016 Toronto City Council approved the 10 Year Cycling Network Plan to connect, grow and renew infrastructure for Toronto’s cycling routes. On July 17, 2019 Toronto City Council approved the Cycling Network Plan Update, which provides a new timeframe to improve road work coordination, accountability, and implementation. The Palmerston-Tecumseth corridor was identified as a key north-south route in this update.
Within the last five years (2016-2020), there have been 37 reported collisions between people driving and people walking or cycling in this corridor. 12 of those collisions involved people walking, of which one of those collisions resulted in serious injury, and 25 collisions involved people cycling.
As part of the project development process, a more detailed analysis of collisions along this corridor will take place to identify trends and locations where safety improvements can be implemented.
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Please email Dominic Cobran at Dominic.Cobran3@toronto.ca to be added to the project list and to stay informed.
