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April 15, 1999

To:Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee

From:City Clerk

Subject:Sidewalk Snow Clearance

Recommendation:

At its meeting held on March 25, 1999, The Toronto Pedestrian Committee reiterated the position taken at its meeting held on March 4, 1999, with respect to sidewalk snow clearance wherein it recommended to the Urban Environment and Development Committee, that:

(i)Sidewalks should be cleared first;

(ii)Pedestrians should have unimpeded access to the T.T.C.;

(iii)Bus and streetcar routes should be the first streets plowed;

(iv)Bus stops should be cleared and made accessible;

(v)In a snow emergency, parking on any bus or streetcar route should be prohibited;

(vi)Street plowing should facilitate pedestrian access; and

(vii)Windrows should be cleared at intersections and transit stops to provide accessibility to the T.T.C.

Comments:

Having regard that this matter was considered at the joint meeting of the Urban Environment and Development and Works and Utilities Committee meeting that was held on March 16, 1999, The Toronto Pedestrian Committee's action is being forwarded to the special meeting of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee to be held on April 20, 1999 for consideration with the harmonization of services.

Background:

At the meeting held on March 25, 1999, Mr. GaryWelsh, Director, Transportation Services, was in attendance and advised the Committee of the outcome of the joint meeting of the UrbanEnvironment and Development and the Works and Utilities Committee which was held on March16, 1999.

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(Report dated March 4, 1999, addressed to the

Urban Environment and Development Committee

from the City Clerk)

At its meeting of February 18, 1999, The Toronto Pedestrian Committee referred the following recommendations to The Urban Environment and Development Committee for approval:

i)Sidewalks should be cleared first.

ii)Pedestrians should have unimpeded access to the T.T.C.

iii)Bus and streetcar routes should be the first streets plowed.

iv)Bus stops should be cleared and made accessible.

v)In a snow emergency, parking on any bus or streetcar route should be prohibited.

vi)Street plowing should facilitate pedestrian access.

vii)Windrows should be cleared at intersections and transit stops to provide accessibility to the T.T.C.

Background:

The foregoing recommendations were developed following a presentation made by Mr. Gary Welsh, Director, Transportation Services, Works and Emergency Services Department, at the January27,1999 meeting of The Toronto Pedestrian Committee to address concerns regarding sidewalk snow removal following snow storms that occurred in early January.

From the reports available from the media, press releases and statements from those involved in the snow clearing operation, the emphasis and priority was given to snow ploughing and snow removal from the roads for the sole purpose of facilitating vehicle movement.

However, little or no attention was paid to the plight of the pedestrian. In many cases, sidewalks were not cleared for two weeks or more after January 3rd. Even then, sidewalk clearance was not satisfactory.

At intersections, snow banks were left by the snow plows, leaving pedestrians to climb over them. At signal controlled intersections, pedestrian buttons were not accessible. At many bus stops, passengers had to climb over snow banks to get to the bus while passengers exiting the bus could not use the rear doors.

There is confusion across the City as to who should clear the sidewalk. Some say the City. Some say the resident, while others say the resident, except the aged and infirm, but the "City" does not have a list of addresses of the aged and infirm. Some say businesses or commercial establishments have the obligation. Some say there are different rules, depending on whether it is a main road or side street or whether the street is at the front or the rear of a property.

The net result was an unsatisfactory state of affairs. For pedestrians, this is not only unsatisfactory, but patently unfair. It does not take any imagination to realize the plight of a person in a wheelchair or using another assistive device. But it does take considerable empathy to understand the plight of a blind pedestrian or an elderly person or a person with a physical disability.

In this last emergency, because of the lack of consideration for pedestrians, many people opted for using their car rather than the T.T.C., with consequent results of reduced T.T.C. ridership and added traffic chaos.