Roads - Princess Avenue - From Dudley Avenue to

Willowdale Avenue - North York Centre

 The North York Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (June 9, 1998) from the Director of Engineering, North York Civic Centre:

 Purpose:

 The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for changes with respect to works approved in the 1998 Capital Budget for Princess Avenue.

 Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

 The construction of an asphalt pavement with curbs, storm sewers and sidewalk on Princess Avenue from Dudley Avenue to Willowdale Avenue at an estimated cost of $220,000.00 was approved in the 1998 Capital Works Program as a North York Local Improvement Project.

 The approval of the recommendations in this report will result in an estimated saving of $78,000.00 in construction.

 Recommendations:

 (1)Princess Avenue from Dudley Avenue to Willowdale Avenue be repaved without constructing curbs, storm sewers or sidewalk as a pilot North York project; and

 (2)the funds approved be transferred from the Local Improvement program to the North York Road Overlay And Restoration program.

 Council Reference/Background/History:

 In the North York District there are approximately 39 kilometres of the old semi-urban type roads similar to Princess Avenue from Dudley Avenue to Willowdale Avenue; that is, surface treated with no curbs or storm sewers and drained by ditches. It has been the practice in North York to improve these semi-urban roads to urban standards under the Local Improvement Act with the construction of an asphalt pavement, curbs and storm sewers. This practice was consistent with the Provincial standards and was a requirement for receipt of subsidy for urban roads and resulted in the construction of roads with drainage for the urban environment.

 The following is the North York policy with respect to Local Improvement charges to affected residents:

'For residential assessable frontages the owner's share for a 28 ft. asphalt roadway with curbs constructed is established at a rate of $9.00/ft. of assessable frontage, exclusive of interest charges.'

 Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

 This Department received requests from Councillor Filion and from some of the local residents on Princess Avenue to repave Princess Avenue without constructing curbs or storm sewers, leaving the existing ditches in place for drainage.

 With the elimination of the Provincial subsidy for road construction and the requests of some residents to maintain the semi-urban roads, it may be appropriate to consider alternate methods of improving the semi-urban roads such as repaving the existing road surface without constructing curbs or storm sewers.

 The advantages of repaving Princess Avenue without constructing curbs or storm sewers include: lower initial construction cost, some residents prefer the "semi-urban environment", and environmental benefits such as minimum disruption to landscaping and trees and increased infiltration of rainwater. The disadvantages include: substandard pavement width of 7.2 metres, no parking available on the roadway and lack of proper drainage.

 The repaving of Princess Avenue from Dudley Avenue to Willowdale Avenue without constructing curbs or storm sewers would be treated as a pilot North York project and would be monitored in terms of the life cycle costs of the road, the adequacy of the road for the local residents and the environmental benefits. This method of road improvement should be restricted to local residential roads.

 It is noted that there are also semi-urban roads in the Scarborough and Etobicoke Districts and programs are in place to repave the roads, where appropriate, without constructing curbs or storm sewers. These programs are funded in full by the City.

 Under North York policy sidewalks are required on Local Improvement projects, however there is no requirement to construct a sidewalk on Road Overlay projects. The Transportation Department is currently assessing the need for a sidewalk on Princess Avenue. Also, if the existing ditches are maintained a sidewalk cannot be accommodated without the removal of several mature trees.

 Conclusion:

 Considering the requests of the Councillor and some of the local residents and the practices of improving semi-urban roads in the other Districts, it would be appropriate to repave Princess Avenue from Dudley Avenue to Willowdale Avenue without constructing curbs or storm sewers as a pilot North York project.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

 Stan Bertoia, P.Eng.

Director of Engineering, North York District

Tel: 416-395-6235

Fax: 416-395-0349

E-Mail: sbertoia@city.north-york.on.ca