Re-Opening Toronto: A Post-Pandemic Congestion Management Strategy

As Toronto continues to reopen and traffic congestion increases on our streets, the City has established a Congestion Management Action Team to monitor changing traffic patterns. The City's Congestion Management Plan was introduced in 2013, during my tenure as Chair of Public Works and Infrastructure.

Earlier this month, the new Action Team implemented a series of data-driven measures to manage traffic congestion in Toronto, including:

  • Reducing the number of rush hour construction exemptions;

  • Deploying traffic agents to congestion spots;

  • Deploying School Crossing Guards to 765 locations throughout the city;

  • Accelerating maintenance and connection of more than 900 pieces of data collection technology;

  • Activating 17 'Smart Signals'; and

  • Returning to pre-pandemic policies for construction near school zones.

To accommodate rising demand, the TTC has also increased service system-wide, with 25% more subway trains on Lines 1 and 2 during weekday peak hours.

Jaye Robinson