Item - 2021.IE22.11

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the installation of bicycle lanes, or bicycle lane by-law amendments, on the following sections of roadway, as described in Attachment 2, titled "Designated Bicycle Lanes", to the report (May 10, 2021) from the General Manager, Transportation Services:

a. Winona Drive, from Dundurn Crescent north intersection to Glenhurst Avenue, and Barrie Avenue to St. Clair Avenue West;

b. Woodfield Road, from Eastern Avenue to Lake Shore Boulevard East; and

c. Martin Grove Road, from Rathburn Road to 92 metres north of Burhamthorpe Road.

2. City Council authorize the installation of cycle tracks, or adjustments to cycle track by-laws on the following sections of roadway, as described in Attachment 3, titled "Designated Cycle Tracks", to the report (May 10, 2021) from the General Manager, Transportation Services:

a. Bayview Avenue, from Front Street East to Mill Street;

b. Chesswood Drive, from Sheppard Avenue West to Champagne Drive;

c. George Street South, from The Esplanade to Wilton Street;

d. The Esplanade, from Yonge Street to Berkeley Street; and

e. Mill Street, from Parliament Street to Bayview Avenue.

3. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to continue with the planned delivery of sidewalks on:

a. Windsor Street, west side from Newcastle Street to 50 metres south of Newcastle Street;

b. Inverness Avenue, south side from Islington Avenue to Rothsay Avenue;

c. Tarragona Boulevard, north side from Gunns Road to Park Entrance;

d. Donalda Crescent, west side from existing sidewalk at north end of the park to 70 metres south; and

e. Mildenhall Road, east side from Lawrence Avenue East to Blythwood Road.

4. City Council authorize the installation or adjustments of contra-flow bicycle lanes, or bicycle lane by-law amendments, on the following sections of roadway, as described in Attachment 4, titled "Contra-flow Bicycle Lanes", to the report (May 10, 2021) from the General Manager, Transportation Services:

a. Winona Drive, from Gloucester Grove to Dundurn Crescent north intersection and Dundurn Crescent south intersection to Barrie Avenue; and

b. Woodfield Road, from Fairford Avenue to Eastern Avenue.

5. City Council authorize the amendments to traffic and parking regulations associated with Recommendations 1, 2, and 4 above, as described in Attachment 5, titled "Amendments to Traffic and Parking Regulations", to the report (May 10, 2021) from the General Manager, Transportation Services.

6. City Council authorize the installation of a traffic control signal at the intersection of Chesswood Drive and Champagne Drive.

7. City Council authorize the installation of a traffic control signal at the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Woodfield Road.

8. Subject to approval of and in conjunction with the installation of traffic control signals at Eastern Avenue and Woodfield Road identified in Recommendation 7 above, City Council authorize removal of the pedestrian crossover at Eastern Avenue and Connaught Avenue.

9. City Council authorize the installation of a traffic control signal at the intersection of Queen Street and Woodfield Road.

10. Subject to approval of and in conjunction with the installation of traffic control signals at Queen Street and Woodfield Road, City Council authorize removal of the pedestrian crossover at Queen Street and Woodfield Road.

11. City Council authorize the installation of a traffic control signal at the intersection of Gerrard Street and Woodfield Road.

12. Subject to approval of and in conjunction with the installation of traffic control signals at Gerrard Street and Woodfield Road, City Council authorize removal of the pedestrian crossover at Gerrard Street and Woodfield Road.

13. City Council authorize the reduction of the speed limit from 40 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour on The Esplanade from Yonge Street to Berkeley Street.

14. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to consider various safety barrier options for separating cyclists from vehicles / trucks on cycle tracks in the design for Chesswood Drive, that allows for separators between cycling and road traffic, to discuss these options with the local community and local Councillor prior to implementation of this bicycle lane project.

15. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, to conduct analysis of the Mill Street and The Esplanade cycle track implementation, and after the standard appropriate review period, consult with area stakeholders and the local Councillors on the findings.

16. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the Ward Councillor, to refine the plan to install lane separators on Martin Grove Road, south of Rathburn Road, in the vicinity of the traffic calming islands, and install them on a trial basis for two years to evaluate performance, and permit interim adjustments to address issues or complaints.

17. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, to review the speed limit on Rathburn Road in the vicinity of Martin Grove Road to The East Mall.

18. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, to accelerate planning and consultation work on bikeways near Rathburn Road and Centennial Park Boulevard.

Infrastructure and Environment Committee referred Recommendation 2g back to the General Manager, Transportation Services for further consideration.

Recommendation referred back

2. City Council authorize the installation of cycle tracks, or adjustments to cycle track by-laws on the following section of roadway, as described in Attachment 3 - Designated Cycle Tracks:

g. Rathburn Road (from Martin Grove Road to 100 metres east of The East Mall).

The Cycling Network Plan and the associated Near Term Implementation Program (2019-2021), adopted by Council in July 2019 seeks to build on the existing network of cycling routes to connect gaps in the current network, grow the network into new parts of the city, and renew existing parts of the network to improve safety.

This report is a second quarter update on cycling infrastructure projects that are proposed to be installed in 2021 and 2022 for which design and consultation have been completed. An updated Cycling Network Near Term Implementation Program and additional cycling infrastructure projects proposed for installation in 2022-2023 will be included in upcoming reports.

This report also recommends the installation of sidewalks on local roads not otherwise delegated to the General Manager, Transportation Services as part of the Missing Link Sidewalk program.

This report seeks Council authority to install 9.47 lane kilometres of new cycling infrastructure on the following streets proposed in the Cycling Network Near-Term Implementation Plan (2019-2021):

- Bayview Avenue (cycle tracks, Ward 13)

- Chesswood Drive (cycle tracks, Ward 6)

- The Esplanade (cycle tracks, Ward 10 and 13)

- George Street South (contra-flow cycle track, Ward 10)

- Martin Grove Road (cycle tracks, Ward 2)

- Mill Street (cycle tracks, Wards 10 and 13)

- Winona Drive (bicycle lanes, Ward 9 and 12)

- Woodfield Road (bicycle lanes, Ward 14)
 

This report also seeks Council authority to make improvements to 1.48 lane kilometres of existing cycling infrastructure on the following streets:

- Rathburn Road (bicycle lanes to cycle tracks, Ward 2).
 

By-law amendments required to reduce the speed limit on Yonge Street between Bloor Street and Belsize Drive from 50 kilometres per hour to 40 kilometres per hour to improve safety for the ActiveTO temporary complete street pilot are also included in this report.  

A map of the cycling projects proposed in this report is included as Attachment 1. The changes proposed would improve safety and mobility options by providing improved cycling connections to transit, parks, local schools, businesses, and residences.  Pedestrian improvements have also been included in the projects, wherever feasible, including curb extensions and new sidewalk installations, and motor vehicle lane adjustments.

While there are varying impacts to traffic operations for motor vehicles, these impacts have been reviewed, analyzed and have been determined by Transportation Services to have acceptable impacts in order to improve safety and comfort of all road users.

All of the bikeways included in this report are proposed to be installed in 2021 and 2022, as detailed in the report below.

Provision of safe, comfortable and accessible sidewalks on all public streets is a fundamental objective of the Vision Zero 2.0 Road Safety Plan. Through the Missing Links Sidewalk Installation Program, Transportation Services reviews opportunities to install sidewalks on all roadway classifications through bundling with other state-of-good-repair roadway or utility work, as well as stand-alone delivery.

In July 2019, Council requested that sidewalk proposals not otherwise delegated to the

General Manager, Transportation Services, or those requested by a Member of Council, be reported on an annual basis to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee for recommendation to City Council. This report recommends the installation of sidewalks on the following local roads:

- Windsor Street between Newcastle Street and 50 metres south of Newcastle Street (west side, Ward 3);

- Inverness Avenue between Islington Avenue and Rothsay Avenue (south side, Ward 3);

- Tarragona Boulevard between Gunns Road and Park Entrance (north side, Ward 5);

- Donalda Crescent between existing sidewalk at north end of the park and 70 metres south (west side, Ward 22);

- Mildenhall Road between Lawrence Avenue East and Blythwood Road (east side, Ward 15).