510 Spadina: Roadway Changes to Improve Safety

(Downtown)

The Toronto Community Council recommends that:

(1)in order to address traffic safety concerns on the section of Spadina Avenue extending from Front to College Streets, temporary barriers be installed between signalized intersections to prevent vehicles crossing the streetcar tracks, with breaks in the barriers to accommodate left-turn movements at all non-signalized intersections except those at D'Arcy Street and Glen Baillie Place, Oxley Street and Front Street to the northern edge of Wellington Street West;

(2)the lane markings, including double yellow lines and signage on Spadina Avenue be modified to reinforce and complement the effects of the temporary barriers on managing traffic movements;

(3)T.T.C. and City Officials closely monitor the traffic situation on Spadina Avenue and adjacent streets following the introduction of the temporary barriers;

(4)T.T.C. and appropriate City Officials consult with local residents to develop options for permanent solutions to the traffic safety problem on Spadina Avenue, and report back to the Toronto Community Council in January, 1999 on a recommended proposal along with cost estimates and an implementation schedule;

(5)T.T.C. and appropriate City Officials work with the Chinatown Police Liaison Committee to develop a public awareness and road safety campaign regarding the operation of light rail transit on Spadina Avenue; and

(6)T.T.C. and appropriate City Officials consult with the residents and merchants in the Kensington area to consider the issue of vehicular access to and from the market, including the installation of traffic signs at Baldwin Street.

The Toronto Community Council submits the following communication (April 9, 1998) from the General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission:

At its meeting on Wednesday, April 8, 1998, the Commission considered the attached report entitled, "510 Spadina: Roadway Changes To Improve Safety."

The Commission also considered the attached report from Mr. D. Floyd, Interim Lead, Transportation Department, City of Toronto, in connection with this matter.

The Commission received the foregoing reports for information, noting the contents therein, and approved the following:

1.That Toronto City Council be requested to approve, in principle, the construction of a physical separation on Spadina Avenue, between Spadina Circle and Front Street, excluding signalized intersections, in order to prevent vehicles from travelling on the streetcar right-of-way, subject to the Minister of Environment issuing a Declaration Order pertaining to the Environment Assessment for the Spadina Streetcar Line, and subject to public consultation regarding the need for, and the design of such a physical separation;

2.That staff from the TTC and City Transportation Department hold a public meeting a the earliest possible time in order to discuss the problems and potential solutions for the current situation on Spadina Avenue, and that all reports regarding this matter be made available at this meeting;

3.That staff from the TTC and City Transportation Department proceed with discussions on the simplification of signal operations as outlined on Page 2, Section (a) of the aforementioned report submitted by Mr. Floyd; and

4.That staff report on possible traffic signal improvements that would assist motorists to distinguish between regular and transit related signals, including consideration of what is used in Europe.

The foregoing is forwarded to City of Toronto Council for the approval noted above, as well as, the Toronto Community Council, the Toronto Transportation Department and the Ontario Ministry of Environment for information.

The Toronto Community Council also submits the following communication (April 9, 1998) from the General Secretary, Toronto Transit Commission:

 At its meeting on Wednesday, April 8, 1998, the Commission considered the attached report entitled, "Automobile-Streetcar Collisions Continue On 510 Spadina Route."

The Commission received the foregoing report for information, noting that:

-the trend of automobile-streetcar collisions on the Spadina Avenue section of the 510 Spadina streetcar route is not subsiding;

-the collisions documented in this report, as with those documented in the previous reports on the 510 Spadina streetcar route, are those which are occurring at non-signalized mid-block location which, therefore, cannot be attributed to the traffic signal arrangements on Spadina Avenue;

-since that last Commission meeting on February 25, 1998, there have been an additional 18 automobile-streetcar collisions on Spadina Avenue.

The foregoing is forwarded to City to Toronto Council, the Toronto Community Council, the Toronto Transportation Department and the Ontario Ministry of Environment for information.

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The Toronto Community Council reports, for the information of Council, having also had before it during consideration of the foregoing matter, the following communications, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk:

-(June 23, 1998) from Mr. Alex Speigel, Project Manager, Kensington Market Lofts

-(June 23, 1998) from Ms. Catherine Cragg, Chair, SURA

-(Undated) from Pat McKendry

The following persons appeared before the Toronto Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Ms. Pat McKendry

-Mr. Tony Louie; and

-Mr. Lloyd Alter.

(A copy of the following reports, referred to in the foregoing communications was forwarded to all Members of the Toronto Community Council with the agenda for its meeting on June 24 and 25,1998, and copies thereof are on file in the office of the City Clerk:

-Toronto Transit Commission Report No. 5

-(April 7, 1998) from Interim Functional Lead, Transportation

-Toronto Transit Commission Report No. 6)