Road Safety Updates in Ward 15
Throughout my tenure as your City Councillor, road safety has been one of my foremost priorities. As former Chair of Public Works and Infrastructure, I spearheaded Toronto's first City-wide Road Safety Plan (RSP) based on the international standard, Vision Zero, which analyzes the structural causes of road safety issues and develops data-driven strategies to address them. Excessive speeds have been identified as one of the leading contributing factors to traffic-related injuries and fatalities – data shows us that slowing down traffic will save lives.
Automated Speed Enforcement
One of the City's key tools to reduce vehicle speeds is the Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program. ASE cameras play an important role in positively changing driver behaviour on our roads by employing photo radar technology to ticket vehicles that are travelling over the speed limit. Since the ASE program became operational in 2021, City Council has continued to expand the program by allocating additional funding to purchase more cameras. While the program started at 50 ASE units in total – two per ward – City Council has since voted to purchase up to 100 new cameras, which will eventually bring the total to 150 city-wide.
Expanding the Traffic Agents Program
This year, the City is expanding the Traffic Agents program by deploying 30 agents to key intersections during the morning and afternoon peak periods. Traffic Agents are Special Constables whose role is to manage traffic at busy intersections, enforcing rules such as speed limits, stop signs, and traffic signals. In addition, Traffic Agents will prevent vehicles from "blocking the box" – stopping in the intersection after the signal has changed – which causes gridlock. When the program was successfully piloted in 2016, Transportation Services observed a 90% reduction in blocked intersections where Traffic Agents were deployed.
Local Intersection Safety Improvements
In order to increase the visibility of pedestrians in signalized crosswalks, Transportation Services have installed Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPIs) at several key intersections in Don Valley West, which provide pedestrians with an advanced walk signal to begin crossing several seconds prior to the green signal. Three new LPIs have been installed in Ward 15 at:
The north-south crossings at Davisville Avenue and Mount Pleasant Avenue;
The east-west crossings at Manor Road and Mount Pleasant Avenue; and
The east-west crossings at Belsize Drive and Mount Pleasant Avenue.
Transportation Services will also be geometrically modifying the following intersections to improve safety:
Bessborough Drive and Craig Crescent: intersection realignment and curb extensions;
Bessborough and Eglinton Avenue East: intersection realignment and curb extensions;
Forman Avenue from Davisville Avenue to Soudan Avenue: curb extensions at all intersections. These also include curb radii reductions, accessibility upgrades and pavement marking upgrades;
Forman Avenue and Belsize Drive: curb extensions and intersection realignment. Part of local road reconstruction;
Rumsey Road at McRae Drive to Sharron Drive: intersection improvements and right turn channel removal; and
Sutherland Drive and Astor Avenue: curb extensions.