The City of Toronto is inviting residents to learn more about new sidewalk and accessibility upgrades on Panmure Crescent between Bonnechere Crescent and Bonnechere Crescent and on Penetang Crescent between Haileybury Drive and Bonnechere Crescent, proposed to be installed as part of planned road resurfacing work in the the fall 2023.
Panmure Crescent and Penetang Crescent are classified as local streets, which are streets that typically moves a low to moderate amount of motor vehicle traffic.
The proposed sidewalks align with City Council adopted policy which requires sidewalks on one or both sides of local streets to connect existing gaps in neighbourhood sidewalk networks and to provide a safe and accessible place for pedestrians. The goal of the proposed sidewalks is to improve safety and accessibility, particularly in the winter months when roads are icy, pavement width is narrowed by snow, and with daylight hours reduced, the walking conditions are less safe than roadways with sidewalks. Sidewalks would also provide a safe route for children to access Hunter’s Glen Junior Public School and Charles Gordon Senior Public School.
The project area is the north side of Panmure Crescent between Bonnechere Crescent and Bonnechere Crescent and the north side of Penetang Crescent between Haileybury Drive and Bonnechere Crescent.
The primary focus of road resurfacing is to maintain a state of good repair and improve the driving surface. Road resurfacing involves replacing the old asphalt surface with a new asphalt surface and provides an opportunity to improve safety for road users.
The project includes:
A Virtual Public Meeting was held on April 18, 2023. This was an opportunity for area residents to learn about the project, provide feedback and ask questions.
Provision of safe, comfortable and accessible sidewalks on all public streets is a fundamental objective of the Vision Zero 2.0 Road Safety Plan. Sidewalks support safety, accessibility, affordable transportation, physical activity, safe routes to school, aging in place and sustainable growth. These themes are reflected in the City’s Official Plan (2004), Pedestrian Charter (2002), Walking Strategy (2009), Seniors Strategy (2013), Healthy Streets (2014), Road Safety Plan (2016), and Vision Zero 2.0 Road Safety Plan Update (2019), among others. Local roads remain the largest gap in the walking network and generate the highest number of requests for new sidewalk installations.
Nearly one quarter of all local roads in Toronto, or 800 kilometres, are without a sidewalk. Most local roads have residential land uses, and where sidewalks are missing, pedestrians have no alternative but to walk on the roadway or on unpaved road shoulders. Learn more about the City’s Missing Sidewalks program.