Item - 2019.TE4.77

The Toronto and East York Community Council:

1. Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services, to report back to the May 22, 2019 Toronto and East York Community Council meeting with a report implementing a vision zero pop-up event for one weekend in July or August 2019 in line with what has been proposed by the non-profit organization 8 80 Cities on Danforth Avenue between Woodbine Avenue and Woodmount Avenue, including but not limited to:
 

a. a design allowing for temporary mid-block crossings, bump-outs and other traffic calming measures;

b. permissions for temporary street animation tools such as planters, parklets, lighting, and murals;

c. permissions for lane closures and parking location changes starting after 9:30 a.m. on a Friday and ending by 6:00 p.m. on a Sunday;

d. a recommended date to host the pop-up; and,

e. any temporary traffic, parking, or other by-law amendments required to implement the above.

2.  Requested the General Manager, Economic Development, in conjunction with the General Manager, Transportation Services, to convene a meeting of the Business Improvement Areas on the Danforth in the study area for the upcoming Complete Street Study to review the Vision Zero program and determine if any of the BIA's are interested in running a Vision Zero pilot or education program in their area; and to review the plans for the upcoming the Danforth Avenue Planning and Complete Street Study, in particular the Retail Vibrancy and Economic Development Report.

I am excited to announce that 8 80 Cities, an organization dedicated to improving quality of life and safety in cities around the world, is looking to host a vision zero pop-up in Beaches-East York.

Vision Zero has been a key City priority since the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan was approved by Council in 2016. With one pedestrian being seriously injured or killed every 3 days on Toronto’s roads we have a lot of work to do on road safety.

This pop-up event is a unique and exciting opportunity to move forward the conversation about road safety for all road users. It will be an invitation to residents in my community and from communities all across Toronto to come and see how a complete street looks and feels. It will be an example of all the different ways we can build a safe and happy city through 8 80 Cities’ belief that “if everything we do in our public spaces is great for an 8 year old and an 80 year old, then it will be great for all people.”

This motion asks staff to report back to Council with how we can run a vision zero pop-up on a July or August weekend in 2019. The preliminary design, attached to this letter, proposes to temporarily narrow Danforth Avenue between Woodbine Avenue and Woodmount Avenue to two lanes of traffic (approximately 200 metres) and introducing bump-outs and midblock crossings to enhance safety. By widening the sidewalks, the pop-up will also allow for street-level animation like a performance parklet, pianos for live music, and seating areas.