Hearing - Installation of Speed Humps - Brunswick Avenue

from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue, and Barton Avenue

from Brunswick Avenue to Albany Avenue (Midtown)

The Toronto Community Council recommends that a by-law in the form of the draft by-law be enacted, and that the necessary Bills be introduced in Council to give effect thereto.

The Toronto Community Council reports, for the information of Council, that pursuant to Clause 44 of Report 8 of the Toronto Community Council titled "Installation of Speed Humps - Brunswick Avenue from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue, and Barton Avenue from Brunswick Avenue to Albany Avenue (Midtown) " which was adopted, without amendment, by City Council on July 8, 9 and 10, 1998. notice with respect to the proposed enactment of the draft by-law was advertised in a daily newspaper on November 17, November 24, December 1 and December 8, 1998, and no one addressed the Toronto Community Council.

The Toronto Community Council submits the following draft by-law:

Authority:Toronto Community Council Report No. 8, Clause No. 44, as adopted by Council on July 8, 9 and 10, 1998

Enacted by Council:

CITY OF TORONTO

Bill No.

BY-LAW No.

To further amend former City of Toronto By-law No. 602-89, being "A By-law To authorize the construction, widening, narrowing, alteration and repair of sidewalks, pavements and curbs at various locations", respecting the alteration of Brunswick Avenue by the installation of speed humps from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue and the alteration of Barton Avenue by the installation of speed humps from Brunswick Avenue to Albany Avenue.

WHEREAS notice of a proposed By-law regarding the proposed alteration was published in a daily newspaper on , , and , 1998 and interested persons were given an opportunity to be heard at a public meeting held on , 1998 and it is appropriate to amend the by-law to permit the alteration.

The Council of the City of Toronto HEREBY ENACTS as follows:

1.Former City of Toronto By-law No. 602-89, being "A By-law To authorize the construction, widening, narrowing, alteration and repair of sidewalks, pavements and curbs at various locations", is amended:

(1)by inserting in Columns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively, of Schedule "B-4" (Pavement Alteration/Repair) the following:

ENACTED AND PASSED this day of , A.D. 1998.

MayorCity Clerk

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The Toronto Community Council also submits the following report (November 27, 1998) from the Director, Transportation Services District 1, Works and Emergency Services:

Purpose:

To report the results of speed hump polls of residents and to advise that all conditions for the installation of speed humps on Brunswick Avenue from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue and on Barton Avenue from Albany Avenue to Brunswick Avenue have now been met.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

N/A

Recommendations:

That this report be received for information

Background

Toronto City Council at its meeting of July 8, 9 and 10, 1998, in adopting Clause 44 in Toronto Community Council Report No. 8, entitled "Brunswick Avenue from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue and Barton Street from Albany Avenue to Brunswick Avenue - Proposed Speed Humps", approved the alteration of sections of the pavement of Brunswick Avenue and Barton Avenue, subject to favourable results of polling of the affected residents pursuant to the former City of Toronto policy relating to speed hump installation.

Comments:

The former City of Toronto's Speed Hump Policy (adopted by Council at its meeting of August 21, 1997) requires that a poll of residents be conducted on streets being considered for speed hump installations, and that at least 60% of the valid responses to the poll endorse the speed hump proposal. A poll of residents was conducted by Works and Emergency Services staff between September 18, 1998 and October 16, 1998. Some 33% of eligible voters on Brunswick Avenue and 53% of eligible voters on Barton Avenue responded to the poll, and the results were as follows:

Accordingly, speed humps should be installed on Brunswick Avenue from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue and on Barton Avenue from Albany Avenue to Brunswick Avenue as proposed.

I note that no drawing for the Barton Avenue proposal was available at the time of my June 23, 1998 report to Toronto Community Council on this matter. Accordingly, the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5250 dated September 1998 illustrates the proposal for Barton Avenue.

Contact Name and Telephone Number

Michael J. Harris, Transportation Planner, 392-7711

Insert Table/Map No. 1

Barton Avenue

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The Toronto Community Council also submits Clause 44 of Report No. 8 of the Toronto Community Council, headed "Installation of Speed Humps - Brunswick Avenue from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue, and Barton Avenue from Brunswick Avenue to Albany Avenue (Midtown):

(City Council on July 8, 9 and 10, 1998, adopted this Clause without amendment.)

The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (June23,1998) from the Director, Infrastructure Planning and Transportation, City Works Services:

Purpose:

To reduce the speed of traffic on Brunswick Avenue and Barton Avenue by the introduction of speed humps on these streets.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funds to cover the cost of this work in the estimated amount of $15,000 are available under Capital Fund Code No. 296702.

Recommendations:

(1)That approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on Brunswick Avenue, from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue for traffic calming purposes as described below, with implementation subject to favourable results of the polling of the residents pursuant to the policy related to speed hump installation as adopted by the former City of Toronto Council:

"The construction of speed humps on Brunswick Avenue from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue, generally as shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5229, dated June 1998";

(2)That approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on Barton Avenue from Brunswick Avenue to Albany Avenue for traffic calming purposes by the construction of speed humps at specific locations to be determined by the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, with implementation subject to favourable results of the polling of residents pursuant to the policy related to speed hump installation as adopted by the former City of Toronto Council;

(3)That the speed limit be reduced from forty kilometres per hour to thirty kilometres per hour on Brunswick Avenue from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue, and on Barton Avenue, from Brunswick Avenue to Albany Avenue coincident with the implementation of the speed humps; and

(4)That the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to implement the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that might be required.

Background:

The review of various traffic management options in the West Annex neighbourhood has been on-going for a considerable length of time. The City Services Committee of the former Toronto Council, at its meeting of June 7, 1995 directed staff to assist a residents' traffic committee in the development of an area plan. Staff have participated with Ward Councillors and concerned residents in attempting to develop suitable options. However, issues emerging in the area resulted in some difficulty in achieving consensus on an area-wide approach, although site-specific measures have been implemented at various locations. In continuing to deal with area concerns in this manner, written complaints of speeding on Brunswick Avenue from residents and their traffic committee have resulted in Brunswick Avenue becoming a focus for introducing measures to reduce the speed of traffic on streets in the area. Likewise, the adjacent section of Barton Avenue is also of concern in this regard.

Comments:

At the request of Councillor John Adams and area residents, a staff investigation was conducted to determine the feasibility of implementing speed humps on Brunswick Avenue from Bloor Street West to Wells Avenue to reduce motor vehicle speeds on this street. A draft plan was presented at a public meeting on June 16, 1998. At this meeting the majority of residents were in favour of modifying the initial plan somewhat, and the one shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5229 has emerged to take into account the input received.

Brunswick Avenue is a collector street which operates two-way between Wells Avenue and Lowther Avenue and one-way southbound between Lowther and Bloor Street West. The street has a pavement width of 7.3 m, a speed limit of 40 km/h and carries about 1500 vehicles per day (Wells Avenue to Barton Avenue), 3300 vehicles per day (Barton Avenue to Lowther Avenue) and 1900 vehicles per day (Lowther Avenue to Bloor Street West). Parking is prohibited at anytime on the east side of Brunswick Avenue from Bloor Street West to Wells Street and on the west side from Bloor Street West to a point 38.1 m north thereof between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Parking is restricted to 60 minutes between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on the west side from Bloor Street West to Barton Avenue and permitted up to three hours elsewhere on the west side. The permit parking system is in effect between 12:01 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. from Bloor Street West to Wells Street.

Brunswick Avenue between Wells Avenue and Bloor Street West meets all of the primary criteria for the installation of speed humps as outlined in the former City of Toronto's Speed Hump Policy (adopted by Toronto City Council at its meeting of August 21, 1997). The most recent speed surveys (April 1998) have revealed that the proportions of traffic exceeding the speed limit between Bloor Street West and Lowther Avenue, Lowther Avenue and Barton Avenue and Barton Avenue and Wells Street respectively are 31%, 5% and 37%. I note that the installation of speed humps will not affect the number of on-street parking spaces, as cars can park on speed humps.

Of particular concern to the residents was the traffic speed in front of Tyrrell Park and as noted on the attached diagram one speed hump could be established directly in front of this park. Other speed hump locations were established on the basis of recommended distances between humps and distances from traffic controls. In addition, the geometry of driveway ramps, presence of catch basins and maintenance hole covers and availability of existing poles were taken into consideration. Although the portion of Brunswick Avenue between Lowther Avenue and Barton Avenue has very little speeding, it does have the highest traffic volumes and is close to Loretto College and Private School. It is proposed that a single hump be established in this block. If speed humps are installed, the speed limit on the street would be reduced to 30 km/h.

As stipulated in the policy, once it has been determined that the speed hump installation is technically warranted, a City poll should be conducted of adults (18 years and older) of households directly abutting the affected street, and households on side streets whose only access is from the affected street. The policy notes that 60% of those responding should support the plan in order to authorize the installation.

Based on discussions at the meeting, Councillor Adams has requested that when this poll is conducted, a similar poll be conducted on Barton Avenue for the two blocks between Brunswick Avenue and Albany Avenue to determine if residents there are in favour of having speed humps on their portion of Barton Avenue. At present, field work and technical data have not been obtained for the subject section of Barton Avenue but could be completed before the actual poll and advertising.

The changes proposed to Brunswick Avenue as set out above and to Barton Avenue constitute alterations to public highways pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Act.

Accordingly, the intent of Council to enact a by-law to authorize any physical changes resulting in the alteration of the pavement configuration must be advertised and subsequently be subject to a public hearing. It is noted that emergency services will be advised of the proposal to ensure that the detailed design does not unduly hamper their operations.

These projects are pre-approved in accordance with Schedule A of the Class Environmental Assessment for Municipal Roads Projects.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Mike Harris, Transportation Planner, 392-7711

Insert Table/Map No. 1

brunswick avenue