Item - 2014.PW30.8
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on April 9, 2014. The Public Works and Infrastructure Committee postponed consideration of this item. Consult the text of the decision for further information on the deferral.
PW30.8 - Confirmation of Levels of Service for Winter Maintenance of Bikeways, Windrow Opening, Sidewalks and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Compliance
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Deferred
- Wards:
- All
Committee Decision
The Public Works and Infrastructure Committee deferred consideration of the item until the May 14, 2014 Public Works and Infrastructure Committee meeting and requested that the General Manager, Transportation Services, submit a further report to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee providing the following additional information:
1. Sidewalk snow clearing standards in other jurisdictions;
2. Mechanical snow clearing equipment available in the market-place and being used in other government jurisdictions or in the private sector to clear narrow-width sidewalks and walkways;
3. Any information related slips and falls claims, settlement costs or pertinent court decisions with respect to winter sidewalk maintenance in Toronto;
4. Existing funds committed to sidewalk snow clearing programs for seniors and disabled residents;
5. Further information related to the AODA requirements and the City's "plan" for winter sidewalk maintenance to meet those requirements, including which are "high-pedestrian volume sidewalks" will receive higher level service in 2015;
6. The feasibility of structuring the tender call to consider the costs for different levels of service;
7. Concept implementation plan and estimated costs for a phased-in, multi-year plan to expand the implementation of sidewalk snow clearing throughout Toronto; and
8. Further steps required to achieve the desired pavement conditions on cycle tracks and priority bike lanes, including best practices from other cities.
Origin
Summary
The purpose of this report is to provide further information on winter maintenance levels of service following the report provided to Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on November 20, 2013, entitled, "Confirmation of Levels of Service for Roadway and Roadside Winter Maintenance Services".
The report proposes the creation of levels of service for winter maintenance on cycling facilities, the addition of specified streets to the mechanical driveway windrow opening and sidewalk clearing programs, and changes to the Snow and Ice Removal By-law that will enhance winter maintenance for people with disabilities in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
Financial Impact
Approval of the recommendations of this report will result in additional Transportation Services' operating costs of approximately $750,000 for winter maintenance beginning in the 2015/16 winter season, which is the commencement of the next term of winter contracts.
The increase in winter maintenance costs for the 2015/16 winter will arise from proposed winter maintenance in bike lanes that would cost approximately $650,000 based on the existing network of cycling facilities, the expansion of the driveway windrow clearing program with an anticipated cost of $50,000 and the expansion of the mechanical sidewalk clearing program that will also cost approximately $50,000.
Additional operating funding for these requirements will be considered as part of the 2015 Budget process.
The Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer has reviewed this report and concurs with the financial impact information.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-67996.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 1 - Cycling Facility Level of Service Table
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68127.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 2 - Planned Priority Winter Bike Lanes
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68128.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 3 - List of Streets to be Added to the Driveway Windrow Opening Program
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68146.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 4 - Map of Streets to be added to the Driveway Windrow Opening Program in Ward 22
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68147.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 5 - Map of Streets to be added to the Driveway Windrow Opening Program in Ward 29
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68148.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 6 - Map of Streets to be added to the Driveway Windrow Opening Program in Ward 31
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68149.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 7 - List of Streets to be Added to the Mechanical Sidewalk Clearing Program
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68150.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 8 - Map of Streets to be added to the Mechanical Sidewalk Clearing Program in Ward 11 and 13
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68152.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 9 - Map of Streets to be added to the Mechanical Sidewalk Clearing Program in Ward 12
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68153.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 10 - Map of Streets to be added to the Sidewalk Clearing Program in Ward 22
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68154.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 11 - Map of Streets to be added to the Sidewalk Clearing Program in Ward 27
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68155.pdf
(March 17, 2014) Appendix 12 - Map of Streets to be added to the Sidewalk Clearing Program in Ward 29
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-68156.pdf
Communications
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/comm/communicationfile-46231.pdf
(April 8, 2014) Letter from Nancy Smith Lea, Director, Toronto Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT) (PW.New.PW30.8.2)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/comm/communicationfile-46594.pdf
(April 8, 2014) Letter from Jared Kolb, Executive Director, Cycle Toronto (PW.New.PW30.8.3)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/comm/communicationfile-46596.pdf
(April 8, 2014) Letter from Michael Black, John Fischer, Judith Kidd, Sean Marshall, Dylan Reid, Walk Toronto (PW.New.PW30.8.4)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/comm/communicationfile-46598.pdf
(April 8, 2014) Letter from Councillor Josh Matlow, Ward 22 - St. Paul's (PW.New.PW30.8.5)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/comm/communicationfile-46593.pdf
(April 9, 2014) Letter from Mark Earley (PW.New.PW30.8.6)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pw/comm/communicationfile-46722.pdf
Motions
That the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee defer the item until the May 14, 2014 Public Works and Infrastructure Committee meeting and request that the General Manager, Transportation Services, submit a further report to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee providing the following additional information:
1. Sidewalk snow clearing standards in other jurisdictions;
2. Mechanical snow clearing equipment available in the market-place and being used in other government jurisdictions or in the private sector to clear narrow-width sidewalks and walkways;
3. Any information related slips and falls claims, settlement costs or pertinent court decisions with respect to winter sidewalk maintenance in Toronto;
4. Existing funds committed to sidewalk snow clearing programs for seniors and disabled residents;
5. Further information related to the AODA requirements and the City's "plan" for winter sidewalk maintenance to meet those requirements, including which are "high-pedestrian volume sidewalks" will receive higher level service in 2015;
6. The feasibility of structuring the tender call to consider the costs for different levels of service;
7. Concept implementation plan and estimated costs for a phased-in, multi-year plan to expand the implementation of sidewalk snow clearing throughout Toronto.
That the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee request the General Manager, Transportation Services, to report to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on options to change the criteria to expand windrow and sidewalk snow clearing so that it is provided more equitably throughout the City of Toronto to support safe and accessible streets and the costs stemming from any change to this criteria.
That the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee request the General Manager, Transportation Services, to report to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on further steps required to achieve the desired pavement conditions on cycle tracks and priority bike lanes, including best practices from other cities.