[Update Oct 21, 2015: Councillor Grimes’s office responded to Mr Vanderwal via email and invited us to share the response. It is below in the comments section.]
Mimico resident Eric Vanderwal is spear-heading data collection and a PETITION concerning TRAFFIC ISSUES in MIMICO.
At the present time, the scope of the PETITION includes residents on the following streets:
- Albert Ave.
- Burlington St.
- Cavell Ave.
- Stanley Ave.
- Superior Ave.
For more information or to sign the PETITION, please contact Mr. Vanderwal at mimico.traffic.petition@outlook.com
Linked is a copy of a comprehensive Report provided to City Planning Dept. on information collected to-date from residents, along with 14 recommendations for major change/improvements for discussion. The Report provides the background information leading to the proposed changes/ improvements.
- More 4-way stop signs at residential intersections on the affected streets to help slow traffic and provide better pedestrian and vehicular crossing
- Digital “Your Speed” feedback signs in conjunction with 30km/h speed limit signage
- Rumble strips carved into the pavement
- Narrow speed bumps put in place to allow wider fire truck wheels to pass on either side (while being too wide for a car to pass on both sides)
- Increased speed enforcement from Police (there is currently only Police enforcement at one intersection to enforce full stops)
- Longer wait times for cars at traffic light intersections exiting Superior Ave and Burlington St onto Lakeshore Blvd during peak rush hour times to decrease the overall desirability/speed of these residential streets as a short cut to Lakeshore (fewer and shorter light changes here would also be to the benefit of traffic traveling on Lakeshore Blvd.) (Subject to analysis on any impacts of backed up traffic waiting at these lights)
- Increased on-pavement markings (“slow”, “school zone”, and painted on road arrows for one-way streets)
- Improved pedestrian crossings (clear road markings, more 4-way stop signs, crosswalks in the absence of 4-way stop signs)
- Increased city street tree plantings on lawns and boulevards to visually narrow the street, encourage slower traffic speeds through the “edge effect”, and to dampen traffic noise. This would include narrower boulevards in the area that are currently not receiving any tree planting treatment.
- “No Trucks” signage on residential streets
- Redesign on Superior Ave including a central boulevard to encourage slower driving (through “edge effect”) and to encourage traffic making wide turns from Stanley Ave into the oncoming traffic lane on Superior Ave to correctly navigate these intersections
- Redesign on Stanley Ave between Superior Ave and Station Rd to include dedicated contra-flow or two-way bike lane physically separated from traffic lane, promoting slower driving with reduced traffic lane width (through “edge effect”) and preventing potential head on collisions between cyclists and fast moving vehicles, particularly vehicles overtaking slower traffic on this part of Stanley Ave.
- Mid-block/elevated pedestrian crossings (with narrowed road/widened boulevards at crossings)
- Include plans for a new fire station at Parklawn Rd and Lakeshore Blvd in the Christie land development plan to service the Lakeshore area and reduce use of residential streets as a through-fire-route, allowing them to be eligible for traffic calming measures and desired level of safety.
Download the following PDFs for more information:
Response to Mr Vanderwal from Councillor Grimes’ office via email:
Your comment that “petition process was started as a result of what seemed to be a disinterest from Mark Grimes’ office in addressing this issue” is patently untrue and frankly disappointing.
Councillor Grimes has stated publicly, in the media, in his weekly eNews, and in responses to constituent emails and phone calls that safety on our streets is one of his highest priorities.
One of his first actions this council term was to champion lowering speed limits to 30km/hr on residential streets, around schools, parks, community centres, and daycares through a motion to Etobicoke York Community Council. You can view the motion here: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2015.EY4.48
Up until a few months ago there was no option for a 30 km/hr speed limit anywhere in the City. In response to his motion and a wave of concern about speeding across the City, Transportation Services implemented a new 30 km/hr warrant. The process to implement it starts with a petition from residents on the street. Understanding that the petition process may be too onerous for some residents, Councillor Grimes is considering taking further action to reduce speed limits across the ward, but would like feedback from the community first.
Our ward wide print newsletter is currently being printed and will be delivered within the next few weeks which includes a poll question on the back: are you in favour of reducing speed limits to 30km/hr? Councillor Grimes would not unilaterally implement such a change without consulting the community first.
At Toronto City Council, Councillor Grimes also moved a motion directing the City request the Province to double the fines for speeding on residential streets, in school zones, and around playgrounds and daycares. You can view the motion here: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2015.MM3.4.
Councillor Grimes speaks to members of the 22 Division Police at least weekly to report on the issues he hears about from the community, and every single time we get a complaint of speeding, or illegal parking, or stop light running etc. we report it to 22 Division and request increased enforcement. We also ask everyone to report incidences directly to the police as often as they can. The police allocate resources based on need. If it doesn’t get reported the perception is that there is no need.
Every single time Councillor Grimes gets a request from the community to look at putting in a new stop sign or reducing a speed limit etc. we report it to Transportation Services and request that they initiate a traffic study. If the requested change is found to be “warranted” by the Transportation Services traffic study, Councillor Grimes always approves of the change at Etobicoke York Community Council. Hundreds of traffic studies have been carried out in ward 6 over the past few years, and in fact at the last meeting of EYCC several new stop signs and speed limit reductions were approved.
Sometimes through a traffic study the change is found not to be warranted, but Councillor Grimes has overturned the report recommendations and approved the change anyway, because the community need has been so clearly demonstrated.
However, Councillor Grimes also acknowledges that the traffic studies alone are not enough. He feels that street safety should be tackled at the broader neighbourhood level, by every department involved, not simply street by street, issue by issue. That is why, as I mentioned to the MRA just over a week ago, Councillor Grimes will be holding a series Neighbourhood Traffic Meetings in the new year. The meetings will be an opportunity to present the results of recent traffic studies and enforcement efforts, as well as provide the opportunity for the community to ask questions or discuss traffic concerns directly with Transportation Services staff and Toronto Police.
You may have also noticed the hundreds of yellow “SLOW DOWN” lawn signs our office designed and distributed all across ward 6 this past summer. The initiative was spearheaded by Councillor Grimes and has been so popular that we ran out of the signs within days of introducing them, we’ve received requests for signs from all across the Province, and the City has now copied our design and created signs for all 44 Toronto Councillors.
I appreciate the pages long document you submitted to City Planning a short time ago with various traffic concerns and suggestions, and we would like to work together to address those concerns and implement any changes deemed appropriate.
Please feel free to circulate this email to whomever you feel is appropriate.
Kim Edgar
Chief of Staff
To Councillor Mark Grimes
Ward 6, Etobicoke Lakeshore
Phone 416-338-5167
Email kedgar@toronto.ca
Can you make this it’s own post rather than a comment? It’s important to see the Grimes’ response and it feels kind of hidden in the comment section.
There is a link to Grimes’ response at the top of the post. This letter was addressed to Mr Vanderwal, not MRA, so we didn’t feel it was appropriate to post it prominently on the main blog.
Bravo! It’s great to see residents like Mr. Vanderwal voicing their concerns about important local issues. We need more people like him! He would be a nice addition to the MRA Board…