Transportation Impacts of Ontario Line Construction - by Councillor Paula Fletcher, seconded by Councillor Joe Cressy

At its meeting on October 29, 2019, City Council directed the Deputy City Manager, Infrastructure and Development Services to immediately study the impact on road operations of the significant expansion of the rail bridges at Eastern Avenue, Queen Street East, Dundas Street East, Logan Avenue, Carlaw Avenue and Gerrard Street in order to safely service 6 new tracks and railbed, and the required rebuild of the Lakeshore Bridge as part of the Gardiner take down; and that this information be forwarded to Metrolinx to be considered in their amended Transit Project Assessment Process. In their January 27, 2021 report on this matter to IE19.10(Metrolinx Projects - Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, Yonge North Subway Extension and Ontario Line - Temporary Delegation for Long-term Road Closures), City staff noted that: there has been insufficient information available to undertake this detailed analysis at the time of this report Recently Metrolinx have shared information with City Staff regarding their requests to access the rail line through 14 access points. Metrolinx has also indicated their requirement to replace the Dundas Bridge which belongs to the City with their own. In previous motions passed by this Council, the City has added requirement in order for Metrolinx to use the City's Rights of Way prior to the issuing of any permits, must have an approved traffic mitigation plan for construction and to have an approved business interruption mitigation plan. Though some more details have been forthcoming from Metrolinx there has not been any public consultation on any of the above. The City has a very high standard of deep and thorough public consultation. Since road and sidewalk disruptions are expected to start in August of this year, it is critical this be done and done by professionals who are experienced in solving these types of problems in conjunction with the community. Furthermore, given the degree of road, sidewalk and Toronto Transit Commission operational impacts of the Ontario Line construction and the traffic impacts resulting from the Gardiner takedown and rebuild, the City needs to consider whether other construction projects in the area should be prohibited from sidewalk or lane occupation. Based on the Council motion of October 1, 2021 (MM36.48) regarding design excellence for the retaining and noise walls along the 1.7 kilometres of the above ground Ontario Line, Metrolinx is holding a series of public discussions with community members who live along the rail line. The progress of these discussions and the City's expectations should be a matter of public record.

2.City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services: a. to report to the Toronto and East York Community Council meeting of April 21, 2022 with proposals for access routes and traffic mitigation measures for the construction of the Ontario Line, such report to include a list of conditions for any permits needed by Metrolinx for that project in Ward 14; b. to include in the report in Recommendation 2a above proposals for a mechanism to review right-of-way permits for lane or sidewalk occupations from 3rd party applicants in the vicinity of the Ontario Line project in Ward 14; and c. in developing the report in Recommendation 2a above to have the appropriate staff attend a public meeting held by the local Councillor, on the impacts on the City's right-of-way of the construction and assets of the proposed above ground section of the Ontario Line, and City Council direct that until the consultation is complete and reported to City Council, no right-of-way permits be issued for this project in Ward 14. 3. City Council request the City Manager to provide an update report on the recommendations made by Council on October 1, 2021 as part of item MM36.48 to the May 4, 2022 meeting of the Executive Committee. 4. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Executive Director, Transit Expansion, and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to have the appropriate staff attend the public meeting held by the local Councillor noted in Recommendation 2, and ask the City Manager to request Metrolinx to immediately make public the interim Arborist Report for the Ontario Line it has submitted to Parks, Forestry and Recreation.