McRoberts Avenue from St. Clair Avenue West

to Rogers Road - Proposed Installation of Speed Humps

Ward 28, York Eglinton

The York Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (April22,1999) from the Director, Transportation Services, District 1:

Purpose:

To reduce the speed of traffic on McRoberts Avenue between St. Clair Avenue West and RogersRoad by the introduction of speed humps.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funds to cover the cost of this work and associated signage in the estimated amount of $18,000. are available in Works and Emergency Services 1999 Capital Fund Code No. 296702.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)approval be given to alter sections of the roadway on McRoberts Avenue, from St. Clair Avenue West to Rogers Road, for traffic calming purposes as described below, with implementation subject to the favourable results of polling of affected residents pursuant to the policy related to speed hump installation as described in the text of this report:

"The construction of speed humps on McRoberts Avenue from St.ClairAvenue West to Rogers Road, generally as shown on the attached print of Drawing No. 421F-5354, dated March, 1999";

(2)Works staff be authorized to conduct the required poll on both portions of McRobertsAvenue, that being the portion in the Toronto Community Council area and the portion in the York Community Council area;

(3)the speed limit be reduced from 40 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour on McRoberts Avenue from St. Clair Avenue West to Rogers Road coincident with the implementation of speed humps; and

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

Comments:

At the request of Councillor Betty Disero and residents of McRoberts Avenue, Works staff investigated the feasibility of installing speed humps on McRoberts Avenue from St. Clair Avenue West to the north limit of Davenport Ward. Upon investigating this request Works staff determined that the remaining portion of McRoberts Avenue between the north limit of Davenport Ward and Rogers Road (approximately 80 metres), which is part of the York Community Council area (York-Eglinton Ward), should be included in the speed hump evaluation.

Mc Roberts Avenue from St. Clair Avenue West to Rogers Road, operates two-way with a pavement width which varies from 7.3 to 7.9 metres and a speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour. The following parking regulations are in effect on Mc Roberts Avenue.

East side

• Parking is prohibited at anytime.

West side

• Parking is prohibited from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, from Innes Avenue to a point 106.7 metres south.

• Parking is permitted for a maximum period of three hours except during the hours of permit parking operation from 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., daily between St. Clair Avenue West and the north limit of Davenport Ward.

• Parking is permitted for a maximum period of three hours except during the hours of permit parking operation from 12:00 midnight to 6:00 a.m., daily between the north limit of Davenport Ward and Rogers Road.

Works staff conducted 24-hour speed and volume counts on Mc Roberts Avenue and found that on average the street carried 1800 vehicles per day. On a daily basis, approximately 26% of vehicular traffic travelled in excess of 55 kilometres per hour.

Mc Roberts Avenue has been evaluated against the primary criteria for speed hump installation contained in the Speed Hump Policy adopted by the former City of Toronto Council at its meeting on August 21, 1997 (Clause 28 in City Services Committee Report No. 10) and it has been determined that the installation of speed humps is warranted.

Under the Policy there are five primary criteria that must be met when a street is being evaluated for speed hump installation.

PRIMARY CRITERIA:

1. The posted speed limit is 40 kilometres per hour or less.
2. The number of travel lanes (excluding bicycle lanes) is less than or equal to two.
3. There are no public transit routes operating on the street or that the street is not a primary emergency response route, unless a design acceptable to the respective emergency service is developed.
4. The number of vehicles per day on the street is between 1,000 and 8,000; and
5. The gradient on a particular section of a street being considered for speed hump installation does not exceed 5%.

In accordance with the Policy, once the primary criteria has been satisfied, a formal poll must be conducted of residents, 18 years of age and older, of households directly abutting McRoberts Avenue and also residents on side streets whose sole access is from Mc Roberts Avenue. Further, at least 60% of returned ballots must be in favour of the installation of speed humps in order to proceed with the proposal. Works staff will conduct this poll and report on the results at a deputation meeting for the project.

It should be noted that the City Clerk for the York Community Council area has been requested, subject to support from York Community Council, to permit Works staff to conduct the required poll for all of McRoberts Avenue to maintain consistency in polling procedures.

The speed hump proposal, as illustrated on the attached copy of Drawing No. 421F-5354 dated March, 1999, consists of 12 speed humps at spacings of 45 to 90 metres apart. A speed limit reduction from the present 40 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour on Mc Roberts Avenue concurrent with the installation of the speed humps would be appropriate. No alterations to the parking regulations are required nor will the number of on-street parking spaces be affected.

One of these speed humps will be located in the York Community Council area and until a uniform speed hump policy is developed for the City of Toronto it is recommended that the speed hump design and height recommended in the above noted Speed Hump Policy be utilized on the entire section of McRoberts Avenue from St. Clair Avenue West to Rogers Road.

The recommended speed hump design is 7.5 to 10 centimetres in height and approximately four metres in length in the direction of travel. This design encourages vehicular crossing speeds of 20 to 30 kilometres per hour and there are no negative impacts to the number of parking spaces.

The intent of Council to enact a by-law to install speed humps on Mc Roberts Avenue constitutes an alteration to a public highway pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Act. Consequently, the proposed changes to the roadway must be advertised and be subject to a public hearing. In the interim, consultations with emergency service agencies will be undertaken to ensure that the design and layout of speed humps does not adversely affect their operations.

This project is pre-approved in accordance with Schedule A of Class Environmental Assessment for Municipal Roads Projects.

Contact Name:

Erin Holl, 392-7771

Co-ordinator, Traffic Operations