Lansdowne Avenue from Queen Street West to Rideau Avenue -

Proposed Road Narrowings (High Park)

The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (June 10, 1998) from the Director, Infrastructure Planning and Transportation, City Works Services:

Purpose:

To authorize the narrowing of the pavement on Lansdowne Avenue between Queen Street West and Rideau Avenue to facilitate the planting of trees and landscaping of the boulevards while providing a measure of traffic calming on the street, as part of scheduled road reconstruction work in 1998.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funds to cover the cost of the planned reconstruction work on Lansdowne Avenue have been accommodated with the 1998 Capital Budget. No additional funding is required to narrow the road and provide the landscaping, as outlined in this proposal.

Recommendations:

1. That approval be given to narrow the pavement on Lansdowne Avenue described as follows:

"the narrowing of the pavement from a width of 14.0 m to a width varying from 10.0 m to 14.0 m on LANSDOWNE AVENUE between Queen Street West and Rideau Avenue, as shown on the attached print of Drawing No. SK-2199, dated June 10, 1998;

2. That the City Solicitor and City Clerk be requested to commence the statutory advertising process of the draft by-laws to authorize the narrowings of Lansdowne Avenue such that ads are placed the weeks of June 29 and July 6, 13 and 20, 1998, to enable the hearing of deputations on this matter at the July 22, 1998 Toronto Community Council meeting; and

3. That the appropriate City Officials be authorized to take whatever action is necessary to implement the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that might be required.

Comments:

Existing Conditions

Lansdowne Avenue between Queen Street West and Rideau Avenue is primarily residential in nature with a fire hall on the west side and Parkdale Public School and West Lodge Park on the east side. The street has a width of 14.0 m and carries two-way traffic with a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit. Frequent bus service is provided by the Toronto Transit Commission, with buses every six minutes during peak periods. Approximately 12,000 vehicles per day use this portion of Lansdowne Avenue, with 48% of vehicles exceeding the 40 km/h speed limit and 7% exceeding the limit by at least 10 km/h. Pedestrian crossovers are located at Seaforth Avenue (south side), approximately 170 metres north of Seaforth Avenue and about another 190 metres further north.

The following parking regulations are in effect:

East side-No Parking anytime.

West side-No parking anytime from Queen Street West to a point 60 metres north thereof.

No parking anytime from Rideau Avenue to a point 30.5 metres south thereof.

No parking between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

The pavement, sidewalks and curbs on Lansdowne Avenue between Queen Street West and Rideau Avenue were constructed in 1946 and are scheduled for reconstruction this year. These facilities have reached the end of their economic life-cycle.

Proposed Plan

Lansdowne Avenue could comfortably carry the existing traffic volume as a two-lane road. Accordingly, it is proposed to narrow the road approximately two metres on each side, generally as indicated in the attached print of Drawing No. SK-2199 dated June 10, 1998. In addition, it is proposed to plant a row of trees in each boulevard approximately one metre away from the existing curbs. As the trees mature, this would gradually transform the appearance of the street.

Parking will be retained on the west side, and the existing evening peak parking prohibition will be rescinded, so that parking is available 24 hours per day. There are two bus stops on the east side of the street and four on the west. On the east side, two-metre wide bus bays will be provided (so that at bus stops, the existing curb location will not change). No special provisions are needed to accommodate buses on the west side, as statutory "No Standing" regulations are already in place at the bus stops.

Consultation and Approval Process

Councillors Chris Korwin-Kuczynski and David Miller will be hosting a public meeting on July 14, 1998 to solicit feedback from residents. Discussions with TTC and emergency services staff have been initiated and will continue as necessary. Any modifications which are found to be desirable or necessary can be reported to subsequent meetings of Community Council or City Council.

This work is pre-approved in accordance with Schedule A of the Class Environment Assessment for Municipal Road Projects.

The narrowing of the pavement on Lansdowne Avenue constitutes an alteration to a public highway pursuant to the provision of the Municipal Act. The statutory requirements of The Municipal Act provide that notice of the intent to enact a by-law in respect of the work shall be published once a week for 4 successive weeks and subsequently be subject to a public hearing. Having regard to these statutory requirements coupled with the schedule of Council meetings for the months of August and September, it will be necessary to begin advertising the proposed alteration after endorsement by the Toronto Community Council on June 24, 1998, but prior to City Council approval on July 8. Specifically, it is recommended that this matter be advertised during the weeks of June 29, July 6, July 13 and July 20, 1998, and be scheduled as a deputation item for the July 22, 1998, meeting of the Toronto Community Council, with final approval by City Council on July 29, 1998. Adhering to this schedule will allow work to commence in August, prior to the commencement of the school year in September. Of course, should City Council not endorse the plan at its July 8, 1998 meeting, the advertising would be discontinued.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Andrew Macbeth, Manager

Transportation Management Section, 392-1799

(Copy of map appended hereto, is on file in the office of the City Clerk.)