New Sidewalk and Accessibility Upgrades on Dwight Avenue

The City of Toronto has coordinated several infrastructure upgrades on streets in the area north of Lakeshore Boulevard West, between Islington Avenue and Royal York Road. These include road reconstruction, road resurfacing, watermain replacement, missing sidewalk installation and road safety improvements. Some of the planned work is underway, and Construction Notices with details about construction have been mailed to area residents and businesses.

A Virtual Public Information Event will take place on September 23, 2021, to share information about the planned sidewalk and provide an opportunity for residents to ask questions. View full event details by clicking on the Public Information Event tab.

Item: Missing Link Sidewalk Program – Dwight Avenue Sidewalk Installation

This item was considered by the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on December 2, 2021 and was adopted without amendment.

Committee Recommendations

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

  1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to continue with the planned construction of a new sidewalk on the west side of Dwight Avenue from Birmingham Street to Maple Boulevard.

The item was considered by City Council on December 15, 2021 and was adopted with amendments.

Motions (City Council) 

1a – Motion to Adopt Item as Amended moved by Councillor Mark Grimes (Carried)

That City Council delete Infrastructure and Environment Committee Recommendation:

  1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to continue with the planned construction of a new sidewalk on the west side of Dwight Avenue from Birmingham Street to Maple Boulevard.

and adopt instead the following:

  1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to postpone the construction of a new sidewalk on the west side of Dwight Avenue from Birmingham Street to Maple Boulevard until a new design can be achieved though the planned construction of bike lanes on Dwight Avenue or through a future reconstruction of Dwight Avenue that does not impact the mature trees.

1b – Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Mark Grimes (Redundant)

If motion A fails, that:

  1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to:
  2. incorporate a 3:1 replanting ratio to compensate for the removal of the twelve City-owned trees on Dwight Avenue, in a combination of on-site planting and cash-in-lieu of planting; 17 trees are to be planted on-site and the remaining; and 19 trees are to be planted by Urban Forestry in the immediate area, in consultation with local Councillor and Toronto District School Board Trustee;
  3. ensure that replacement trees along Dwight Avenue are a minimum of 80 millimetre caliper (diameter), and fast-growing, large shade species, to the satisfaction of the Director, Urban Forestry; and
  4. establish a maintenance plan to ensure the replacement trees survive.

This Public Information Event will be conducted online and by telephone. This is based on the expert advice of City’s Medical Officer of Health to practice physical distancing, to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to protect Toronto residents and staff. At the virtual public information event, City staff will present the project and provide an opportunity to ask questions.

Event Date: Thursday, September 23, 2021

Presentation and Question & Answer Period: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

There are two ways to participate:

  1. Attend online (computer, tablet or smart phone)
  2. Join by phone (audio only): When the meeting starts, call 416 915 6530 and enter access code 2459 569 2606

If you have not previously attended a City of Toronto virtual (Webex) event, please review information about participating in virtual engagement events.

Click here for Presentation

Project Area Map

Map showing the location of streets in the project area

 

 

 

 

Sidewalks are a critical piece of transportation infrastructure that improve accessibility and safety for all road users, particularly the most vulnerable.

The work being carried out in the area north of Lake Shore Boulevard West and between Islington Avenue and Royal York Road includes road reconstruction, road resurfacing, storm sewer replacement, water service replacement and missing sidewalk installation.

Also included is the installation of a new sidewalk and accessibility upgrades on the west side of Dwight Avenue between Birmingham Street/Murrie Street and Maple Boulevard. This work has not yet begun. This portion of missing sidewalk is the remaining link in the sidewalk network on Dwight Avenue and is adjacent to a school.

Dwight Avenue is classified as a Collector road, which is a road that typically moves a moderate amount of motor vehicle traffic and connects local roads to larger arterial roads. The City Council-adopted Missing Sidewalk policy requires sidewalks on both sides of Collector roads.

Installation of the new sidewalk will involve the removal of trees. While the City makes every effort to minimize the impact of construction on trees, injury and removal of trees is required for some infrastructure projects. After the completion of work, the City plants replacement trees in the boulevard, where space permits, or in other locations throughout the city.