Item - 2018.EY32.85

Etobicoke York Community Council:

1.  Requested the Director, Transportation Services, Etobicoke York District to undertake a comprehensive study of traffic in the Mimico neighbourhood of Ward 6, roughly bounded by Royal York Road to the west, Cavell Avenue to the north, Louise Street to the east, and Lake Shore Boulevard West to the south, and report back on any appropriate traffic calming measures and any other traffic measures deemed suitable to address vehicle volume, speed, and pedestrian and cyclist safety.

As stated in the introduction to the Traffic Calming Guide for Toronto, “Traffic calming is intended to improve the quality of life for residents on traffic calmed streets, achieve slower speeds for motor vehicles, and increase the safety for non-motorized users of the street.”

Similarly to the phenomenon currently being experienced city-wide, over the last few years the Mimico community in Ward 6 has experienced significant changes to traffic patterns through local streets. Changes include increased traffic volumes, incidences of speeding, disregard for traffic signs and signals, vehicles travelling the wrong way on one-way streets, and using residential streets as shortcuts.

There have been several serious accidents involving vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians in recent years. These incidences of dangerous driving have had a strong negative impact on the quality of life for local residents, as well as their ability to enjoy this vibrant community.

My office has requested 587 traffic studies for Ward 6 since 2015 – many of those in Mimico. As a result of traffic studies, we have instituted speed limit reductions, installed additional signage and made some other changes, but they have not addressed the larger concern around traffic patterns in Mimico as a whole.

I am requesting a comprehensive traffic study for the Mimico neighbourhood of Ward 6, roughly bounded by Royal York Road to the west, Cavell Avenue to the north, Louise Street to the east, and Lake Shore Blvd West to the south, to assess the appropriateness and feasibility of further speed limit reductions, turning restrictions, vertical deflection traffic calming measures (e.g. speed humps, raised intersections, raised pedestrian crossings), Horizontal deflection traffic calming measures (e.g. chicanes, curb extensions, mid-block pinch-points, traffic islands, traffic circles, raised median islands, curb radius reductions, directional closures to narrow existing one way streets), improved pedestrian crossings and navigation throughout affected area (in conjunction with or complementary to traffic calming measures), and any other measures that may be appropriate in addressing traffic speed, volume, and pedestrian safety.