April 22, 1998

 To:East York Community Council

 From:Richard Z. Tomaszewicz

Commissioner of Development Services, East York

 Subject:Safety Issues at the intersection of Broadway Avenue and Rumsey Road

 Purpose:

 To report to the May 6, 1998, meeting of the East York Community Council on perceived safety issues at the intersection of Broadway Avenue and Rumsey Road.

 Financial Implications:

 not applicable.

 Recommendations:

 AIt is recommended that this report be received for information.@

  Background:

 The former Borough of East York Council, at its meeting of October 6 and 7, 1997, received a letter from Ms. Lillian Robus, 33 Glenvale Boulevard, dated October 6, 1997, requesting an investigation into the need for crosswalks and crossing guards on Broadway Avenue. Council subsequently requested the Commissioner of Development Services to report to the new City of Toronto regarding safety issues at the intersection of Broadway Avenue and Rumsey Road.

 Discussion:

 This Department was first made aware of Ms. Robus= concerns in a memorandum from then Mayor Michael Prue dated August 13, 1997, regarding a letter she sent to the Toronto Police Department, 53 Division, requesting crosswalks on Broadway Avenue. In an earlier letter to Mayor Prue dated July 7, 1997, she stated that there are no safety measures for children residing north of Broadway Avenue who attend Northlea Public School. She requested the installation of crosswalks on Broadway Avenue near Rumsey Road incorporated with traffic calming. She also stated that crossing guards alone are not satisfactory since children may have to cross Broadway Avenue outside of school hours.

 Broadway Avenue at its intersections with Bessborough Drive, Hanna Road, Rumsey Road, Sutherland Drive, Laird Drive and Don Avon Drive are regulated by all-way stop control. Broadway Avenue is a posted 40 km/h zone between Bayview Avenue and Brentcliffe Road. The all-way stop and pedestrian crossover locations in the vicinity of Rumsey Road are illustrated in Appendix >A=. In response to Ms. Robus= concerns, staff conducted a pedestrian crossover study on September 10, 1997, at the intersection of Broadway Avenue at Rumsey Road. Our analysis concluded that the pedestrian crossover was only 76 percent warranted at this location, and therefore would not be justified.

 In light of this, staff subsequently sent a letter dated September 26, 1997, to the Toronto Police Service to conduct a feasibility study for a school crossing guard at this intersection. In their response dated February 16, 1998, the Police advised that school crossing guard supervision is not warranted. They reported that: children have minimal involvement with motor vehicle traffic; accident reports covering the past 24 months for the location indicate that there were no accidents involving elementary school children; radar checks show that speeding is not a problem; the elementary school children that crossed did not appear to experience difficulty in crossing; traffic control provides adequate assistance for the children to cross safely, and; the majority of elementary school children crossed in groups and/or were escorted by adults.

 Studies conducted by Department staff and by the Toronto Police Service indicate that neither a pedestrian crossover nor school crossing guard supervision is warranted at the intersection of Broadway Avenue at Rumsey Road. Therefore, no further action is recommended at this time.

 Conclusions:

 Broadway Avenue has all-way stop control at its intersections with Bessborough Drive, Hanna Road, Rumsey Road, Sutherland Drive, Laird Drive and Don Avon Drive, and is regulated by a posted 40 km/h zone from Bayview Avenue to Brentcliffe Road. Staff conducted a pedestrian crossover study at the intersection of Broadway Avenue and Rumsey Road and determined that this location does not warrant the installation of a pedestrian crossover at this time.

 The Toronto Police Service conducted a study to determine the feasibility of crossing guard supervision at this intersection, and concluded that a crossing guard is not warranted at this location. Their study also revealed that children have minimal involvement with traffic; there have been no collisions involving elementary school children in the past 2 years; speeding is not a problem; school children did not appear to have difficulty crossing the street; traffic control (i.e. existing all-way stop control) provides adequate assistance for children to cross safely, and; the majority of children crossed in groups and/or were escorted by adults.

 These studies indicate that additional measures to provide for safety of school children at this intersection are not warranted at this time. Police studies show that the existing all-way stop control is providing adequate assistance for children. Therefore, no further action is recommended at this time.

 Contact Name:

 Bryan Muir, Transportation Technologist

East York District

778-2227

bmuir@borough.eastyork.on.ca

 RICHARD Z. TOMASZEWICZ

Commissioner of Development Services, East York