West Parkdale Cycling Connections

July Update

City Council has approved the installation of bikeways from The Queensway to Brock Avenue along Glendale Avenue, Merrick Street, Claude Avenue, Parkdale Road, Sunnyside Avenue, Galley Avenue, Macdonell Avenue and Seaforth Avenue, along with associated changes on parts of Sunnyside Avenue, Pearson Avenue, Macdonell Avenue, Fern Avenue, and Maple Grove Avenue. View the staff report at IE.14.4.

Installation will begin on August 5, 2024. View the Installation Notice. A roll plan (technical map) will be shared here in the coming days.

Approved changes include:

• New bike lanes, contra-flow bike lanes, and shared lane markings
• One-way street conversions and changes to one-way street directions
• Changes to on-street parking, and a net reduction of approximately 28 on-street parking spaces
• New stop signs and intersection improvements, including painted curb extensions
• New traffic signal at Roncesvalles Avenue and Galley Avenue (to be installed in 2025)

A second phase of improvements is being planned for installation in 2025 at two intersections in the project area: 1) Parkdale Road and Glendale Avenue; and 2) Seaforth Avenue and O’Hara Avenue.

Additional traffic safety measures such as speed humps are being studied for installation along the bikeway route and on adjacent streets and laneways. A report with recommendations about additional traffic safety measures is anticipated to be brought forward to Toronto and East York Community Council in fall 2024.

Next Steps

Once installation is finished, the project is not yet complete. It takes time for people to adjust to change. The City will continue to monitor the project area, receive and analyze feedback on the project, and make adjustments as necessary.

Over the 6 to 12 months following installation, the City will observe new travel behaviours and collect new traffic counts throughout the project area. If these evaluations indicate operational or safety challenges, the City will consider adjustments to turn- and through-restrictions, changes to on-street parking, and/or implementation of additional speed management measures such as “Watch Your Speed” signs and traffic calming (speed humps).

Staff Recommendation

• Staff thoroughly investigated the comments shared during the public consultation period while weighing other factors, including City safety standards and traffic counts. Based on their analysis, their recommendation, which City Council approved, was to implement the originally proposed design while also continuing to study community requests for additional stop signs and speed humps along the bikeway route. After installation, the City will also continue to monitor the project area, conduct additional traffic counts, and make additional adjustments as needed.
• The approved design included three differences from the originally proposed design with respect to parking impacts. Overall, 27 parking spaces will be removed rather than 28 as originally proposed. The differences to parking impacts are outlined in the Approved Changes — Parking Impacts tab below.

Bikeway Design

• West Parkdale Cycling Connections uses a Neighbourhood Greenway design approach. Neighbourhood Greenways are routes where vulnerable road users (pedestrians and people cycling) are given priority through design changes that result in lower motor vehicle volumes and speeds. One way to achieve lower motor vehicle volumes is to use one-way streets to interrupt convenient cut-through routes and encourage non-local trips to remain on major corridors instead.
• For an All Ages and Abilities shared bikeway, the City’s target maximum motor vehicle volume is 50 per hour, with an upper limit of 75 per hour. The City’s traffic counts found that these thresholds were exceeded along the route both before and during the King-Queen-Queensway-Roncesvalles (KQQR) construction. Therefore, a major focus of the project is to reduce motor vehicle volumes along the bikeway route.

Street Selection

• During preliminary analysis and planning, a number of parallel local streets within the West Parkdale neighbourhood were reviewed for feasibility to implement an east/west cycling connection. The streets chosen for the bikeway route were selected based on factors including existing motor vehicle volumes and speeds, collision data analysis, existing cycling demand, topography, right-of-way width and existing traffic control signal locations. For example, Glendale Avenue was selected because it connects with the terminus of the bike lanes on The Queensway, and Galley Avenue was selected because of its width and the opportunity to convert the existing pedestrian crossing at Roncesvalles Avenue to a traffic signal.

Traffic Counts

• Traffic counts were used during preliminary analysis and planning to generate and evaluate bikeway types, routes and options for speed and volume management. The City’s traffic counts are conducted by a third party that uses either midblock Automated Traffic Recorders (ATRs), which are tubes on the street that measure speed and volume of motor vehicles, or Turning Movement Counts (TMCs), which capture movements of all modes at an intersection. Traffic counts used for this project were conducted on weekdays in 2019 and 2022-2024. Counts completed during the 2020 and 2021 pandemic lockdowns were not used. TMC traffic counts are available to the public through the City’s Open Data Portal.
• Following public consultation, the City requested additional counts on streets where the community requested stop signs or speed humps.
• After installation, the City will also conduct traffic counts post-installation to compare to pre-installation counts for evaluation.

Community Requests

• Additional stop signs, speed humps, traffic signals, one-way conversions and street direction changes: The City is investigating whether current conditions meet City standards, warrants and guidelines for potential changes in locations requested by the community. The City is also analyzing opportunities to coordinate such changes with other upcoming projects in the area. A report with recommendations for additional traffic safety measures is anticipated to be brought forward to Toronto and East York Community Council in fall 2024. After installation, the City will also continue to monitor post-installation vehicle volumes along the project route and on adjacent streets and laneways to determine whether further changes should be made.
• Relocating on-street parking on Macdonell Avenue: The City studied the safety and legality of relocating on-street parking to the east side of Macdonell Avenue and determined that it is not possible due to Highway Traffic Act restrictions that do not permit left-side parking on a two-way street. Since two-way cycling will be permitted on Macdonell Avenue, it will be considered a two-way street under the Act.

West Parkdale Cycling Connections is a bikeway route from The Queensway to Brock Avenue along Glendale Avenue, Merrick Street, Claude Avenue, Parkdale Road, Sunnyside Avenue, Galley Avenue, Macdonell Avenue, and Seaforth Avenue. Associated changes will be implemented on Sunnyside Avenue, Macdonell Avenue, Fern Avenue, Pearson Avenue, and Maple Grove Avenue. The project goals are to improve safety and conditions for all road users, minimize impact to on-street parking, and reduce local traffic infiltration.

While we aim to provide fully accessible content, there is no text alternative available for some of the content on this page. If you require alternate formats or need assistance understanding our maps, drawings or any other content, please contact us at 416-392-9510 or email WestParkdaleCycling@toronto.ca.

In this area, changes are being implemented to slow vehicle speeds and reduce non-local traffic infiltration while maintaining emergency entrance access and clockwise circulation around St. Joseph’s Health Centre and preserving parking adjacent to the hospital.

Claude Avenue

• Merrick Street to The Queensway:
  • Maintain two-way traffic flow
  • Add southbound shared lane markings

Merrick Street

• Claude Avenue to Glendale Avenue:
  • Maintain two-way traffic flow
  • Add westbound shared lane markings

Glendale Avenue

• The Queensway to Merrick Street:
  • Maintain two-way traffic flow
  • Add northbound bike lane
• Merrick Street to Parkdale Road:
  • Convert to one-way northbound for motor vehicles
  • Add northbound bike lane and southbound buffered contra-flow bike lane to allow people cycling to travel in both directions
  • Remove 2 on-street parking spaces

Parkdale Road

• Glendale Avenue to Sunnyside Avenue:
  • Convert to one-way eastbound for motor vehicles
  • Add eastbound bike lane and westbound contra-flow bike lane to allow people cycling to travel in both directions

Sunnyside Avenue

• Galley Avenue to Pearson Avenue:
  • Convert to one-way southbound for motor vehicles
  • Add southbound bike lane between Galley Avenue and Parkdale Road and northbound contra-flow bike lane to allow people cycling to travel in both directions
  • Relocate on-street parking to west side of street and remove 10 parking spaces
  • Add new stop signs at Pearson Avenue intersection

Pearson Avenue

• Sunnyside Avenue to Roncesvalles Avenue:
  • Maintain one-way eastbound traffic flow
  • Remove 2 on-street parking spaces

In this area, changes are being implemented to slow vehicle speeds and reduce vehicle volumes.

Galley Avenue

• Sunnyside Avenue to Macdonell Avenue:
  • Maintain one-way westbound motor vehicle flow
  • Add eastbound contra-flow bike lane to allow people cycling to travel in both directions
  • Relocate on-street parking to north side of the street, remove 6 parking spaces between Sunnyside Avenue and Sorauren Avenue, and add 5 parking spaces between Sorauren Avenue and Macdonell Avenue
  • Replace pedestrian crossover with new traffic signal at Roncesvalles Avenue intersection (to be installed in 2025)
  • Add new stop signs for all directions at Sorauren Avenue intersection

Macdonell Avenue

• Rideau Avenue to Seaforth Avenue:
  • Maintain one-way southbound motor vehicle flow, except between Fern Avenue and Garden Avenue
  • Permit two-way cycling with added signage and pavement markings
• Fern Avenue to Garden Avenue:
  • Convert to one-way northbound for motor vehicles
  • Relocate on-street parking to east side of street and add 2 parking spaces
  • Add new stop signs at Fern Avenue intersection

Fern Avenue

• Sorauren Avenue to Macdonell Avenue:
  • Maintain one-way westbound traffic flow
  • Remove 1 on-street parking space

Pearson Avenue

• Fuller Avenue to Macdonell Avenue:
  • Convert to one-way westbound
  • Maintain on-street parking on south side but change parking direction to westbound and remove 1 parking space
  • Add new stop signs at Fuller Avenue intersection

In this area, changes are being implemented to slow vehicle speeds and reduce vehicle volumes.

Seaforth Avenue

• Macdonell Avenue to Lansdowne Avenue:
  • Convert to one-way eastbound for motor vehicles
  • Add westbound contra-flow bike lane to allow people cycling to travel in both directions
• Lansdowne Avenue to O’Hara Avenue:
  • Convert to one-way westbound for motor vehicles
  • Permit two-way cycling with added signage and pavement markings
  • Relocate on-street parking to north side and remove 8 parking spaces
  • Add new school bus loading zone and pick-up/drop-off zone in front of Parkdale Junior and Senior Public School during the day
  • Add painted curb extensions at the O’Hara Avenue intersection
• O’Hara Avenue to Brock Avenue:
  • Convert to one-way eastbound for motor vehicles
  • Permit two-way cycling with added signage and pavement markings
  • Remove 2 on-street parking spaces

O’Hara Avenue

• O’Hara Avenue cul-de-sac to Maple Grove Avenue:
  • Maintain two-way traffic flow
  • Make on-street parking permanent on west side, add 1 parking space between the cul-de-sac and Seaforth Avenue, and remove 3 parking spaces between Seaforth Avenue and Maple Grove Avenue

Maple Grove Avenue

• O’Hara Avenue to Brock Avenue:
  • Convert to one-way westbound traffic flow
  • Maintain on-street parking on north side but change parking direction to westbound

Improvements are being planned at intersections in the project area where community feedback indicates safety concerns including high-speed vehicle turns, poor sight lines, lack of pedestrian amenities and recent collisions. In some cases, these improvements are recommended to be installed in two phases.

Parkdale Road and Glendale Avenue:

• Phase 1, 2024 (approved): new pedestrian crossing markings, buffered bike lanes, and conversion of Parkdale Road and Glendale Avenue to one-way streets to reduce vehicle volumes and improve safety for all road users.
• Phase 2, 2025 (undergoing design): modified corner radii, shortened route for northbound to eastbound bicycles and better sight lines. Opportunities for raised pedestrian crossings and enhanced greening are also being explored.

Roncesvalles Avenue and Galley Avenue:

• A new traffic signal has been approved to replace the existing pedestrian crossover, to make it safer for pedestrians and people cycling to cross in both directions. It will be installed in 2025.

Seaforth Avenue and O’Hara Avenue:

• Phase 1, 2024 (approved): new pedestrian crossing markings and painted curb extensions to improve safety for all road users.
• Phase 2, 2025 (undergoing design): wider sidewalks, concrete curb extensions and short sections of cycle tracks to improve safety and accessibility. In-ground planters are also being explored.

Of the 422 existing on-street parking and loading spaces along the route and streets with associated changes, 94% will be retained. A total of 27 parking spaces will be removed to create space for people cycling and safety upgrades.

Permit Parking Area 2 (bounded by Bloor Street West to the north, the rail corridor and Dufferin Street to the east, the Gardiner Expressway to the south, and Parkside Drive to the west) currently includes 6057 spaces and has 4751 issued permits. With the approved changes, availability will be reduced from 22% to 21% in Area 2.

The following map shows the approved changes to parking on each block in the project area. The approved changes include the following updates from the proposed changes originally outlined in the Public Information Panels under the Public Consultation tab:

• Fern Avenue from Sorauren Avenue to Macdonell Avenue: one on-street parking space removed at the corner of Macdonell Avenue to improve turn radius
• Pearson Avenue from Fuller Avenue to Macdonell Avenue: one parking space removed at the corner of Macdonell Avenue to improve turn radius
• Macdonell Avenue from Rideau Avenue to Fern Avenue: correction to number of existing spaces, and no parking spaces removed

Public Drop-In Event

A Public Drop-In Event was held on March 5, 2024 that provided opportunity to view the public information panels and speak with members of the project team one-on-one. View the display panels below.

Consultation Materials

• Public information panels (5MB)
• Roll plans (7.5MB)

Consultation Report

Download and read the Public Consultation Report for West Parkdale Cycling Connections.

Staff thoroughly investigated the comments shared during the public consultation period while weighing other factors, including City safety standards and traffic counts. Based on their analysis, their recommendation, which was approved by City Council, was to implement the originally proposed design while also continuing to study community requests for additional stop signs and speed humps along the bikeway route. After installation, the City will also continue to monitor the project area, conduct additional traffic counts, and make additional adjustments as needed

While we aim to provide fully accessible content, there is no text alternative available for some of the content on this page. If you require alternate formats or need assistance understanding our maps, drawings or any other content, please contact us at 416-392-9510 or email WestParkdaleCycling@toronto.ca.

City Council approved the implementation of a bikeway and traffic changes in West Parkdale to help fulfill the City’s commitment to the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan. Vision Zero’s goal is to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by making our roads safer for everyone, especially for seniors, school children, pedestrians, and people cycling. In the past 10 years, there have been 227 reported collisions along the recommended route, in which eight have involved pedestrians, and 12 have involved people cycling. All approved changes are focused on reducing future collisions, injuries, and fatalities.

This project also fulfills the City Council-directed Cycling Network Plan for 2022-2024 and to take advantage of the planned watermain rehabilitation and road resurfacing on Galley Avenue. The Cycling Network Plan is a comprehensive roadmap and work plan that outlines the City’s planned investment in our cycling network. The aim of the Cycling Network Plan is to connect gaps in Toronto’s current cycling network by growing existing and future cycling opportunities with safer and more comfortable cycling route options where quality can be improved.

The approved design meets City of Toronto and Province of Ontario laws, standards and guidelines. The changes have been reviewed by City services that use the area roadways, so that Toronto’s Fire Services, Paramedics, Police, Solid Waste pickup, TTC, Wheel-Trans, road maintenance and snow clearing can continue to function well and serve the community.