Infrastructure and Environment Committee
The full agenda, as filed
All 9 items in the clerk’s order. Each carries the city’s own words: the staff recommendation, what the body decided, and its status. Nothing below is written by us.
IE18.1adopted
Yonge Street from south of Sheppard Avenue to north of Finch Avenue is in the heart of North York Centre - one of four dynamic mixed-use Centres in Toronto with plans focused on growth of commercial office and residential uses existing side by side. Improving Centres outside the core is critical to balanced growth and prosperity across the City and it is also key to the affordability of City services since new employment uses have a positive impact on City finances. Centres with a healthy mix of land uses help take pressure off public transit infrastructure and roads as they encourage people to live, work and play within a centralized geography. The North York Centre Service Roads - comprised of Doris Avenue and Beecroft Road - form a ring road around the North York Centre, east and west of Yonge Street were planned and constructed to support traffic capacity, growth, and convenient rear access to residential, retail, and office buildings on Yonge Street. Supported by this broader transportation network, Yonge Street is envisioned as a Complete Street that provides a range of transportation options and safe passage to the many destinations in this vibrant, growing neighbourhood. Despite being second to Downtown in civic importance, scale, and growth, investment in the state of good repair and the quality of the Yonge Street streetscape has not kept pace with the area's transportation network and the scale and density of development. As a transportation asset, Yonge Street is at the end of its lifecycle - with full reconstruction for Yonge Street required within five to eight years. Today, the area has numerous challenges including boulevards that have deteriorated to such a degree that full reconstruction is necessary, sub-standard (narrow) sidewalk widths and few opportunities for safe pedestrian crossings, as well as an overall need to improve safety and health outcomes for people who walk and cycle. Yonge Street, between Sheppard Avenue and Steeles Avenue, has been identified as a priority corridor for safety improvements under the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan. Transportation Services has carried out a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, referred to as "REimagining Yonge" that considers how the street can be improved at the time of reconstruction. The overarching goals of the "REimagining Yonge" project are to: - facilitate efficient movement of people, surface transit, and general traffic through better utilization of North York Centre's road network; - improve safety and reduce the number of people who are killed and seriously injured on the street in keeping with the City's Vision Zero Road Safety Plan; - improve vibrancy of the streetscape in keeping with the economic importance of North York Centre; and - address state-of-good repair along the corridor. "Transform Yonge" is recommended as the preferred alternative as it best supports these goals, as well as the City's broader policy objectives such as the City's Climate Action Strategy - TransformTO. On March 5, 2018 the Board of Health requested the Medical Officer of Health to collaborate with Transportation Services to ensure health benefits are maximized through the REimagining Yonge study. Toronto Public Health's research identify "Transform Yonge" as the preferred alternative which best delivers on the evidence-based design principles that promote health. It has many elements that facilitate physical activity and promote safety, especially for vulnerable road users. Toronto Public Health noted that the "Transform Yonge" alternative provides greater connectivity, a diverse mix of land use and densities that encourage social interaction and invite active living better than other scenarios considered. North York Centre - Transportation Network Integration and Phasing As directed by Council in March 2018, Transportation Services has worked with the Toronto Transit Commission and other transit agencies (York Region Transit and GO Transit), to determine the surface transit operational impacts associated with the "Transform Yonge" alternative. The updated modelling work compared the base future 2031 "Do Nothing" scenario against the 2031 "Transform Yonge" alternative (including transit mitigation measures). Both the "Do Nothing" scenario and "Transform Yonge" alternative include the North York Service Road extension that would link Doris Avenue and Tradewind Avenue south of Sheppard Avenue and east of Yonge Street. The results identified "Transform Yonge" as the preferred alternative to improving surface transit operations in 2031, as it does not hinder the long-term operational performance of surface transit buses along Yonge Street. Prior to proceeding with the "Transform Yonge" alternative, other planned network improvements are recommended to be in place. The Doris Avenue (South Service Road), and Beecroft Road (north to Drewry Avenue) extensions are two integral pieces of transportation network infrastructure required to support growth and development priorities in North York Centre. The North York Centre: Doris Avenue Extension (South Service Road) Environmental Assessment Addendum, is being reported concurrently with this report. It is recommended that in order for the vision of REimagining Yonge to proceed, at least the initial phases of both the Doris Avenue and Beecroft Avenue extensions will need to be in place.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council endorse the recommended design for the reconstruction of Yonge Street from Florence Avenue / Avondale Avenue to the Finch Hydro Corridor as generally shown in Attachment 1 to the report (November 17, 2020) from the General Manager, Transportation Services and refinements shown in Attachment 2 to the report (November 17, 2020) from the General Manager, Transportation Services. 2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to issue a Notice of Study Completion and file the REimagining Yonge Environmental Assessment Study in in the public record for a minimum 30 days, in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Transportation Services recommends that: 1. City Council endorse the recommended design for the reconstruction of Yonge Street from Florence Avenue / Avondale Avenue to the Finch Hydro Corridor as generally shown in Attachment 1 and refinements shown in Attachment 2 to the report (November 17, 2020) from the General Manager, Transportation Services 2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to issue a Notice of Study Completion and file the REimagining Yonge Environmental Assessment Study in in the public record for a minimum 30 days, in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.
IE18.2adopted
North York Centre - Doris Avenue Extension (South Service Road - Environmental Assessment Addendum)
The plan for North York Centre - one of four dynamic mixed-use Centres in Toronto - is focused on growth of commercial office and residential uses existing side by side. Centres with a healthy mix of uses help take pressure off public transit infrastructure and roads, as they encourage people to live, work and play within a centralized geography. The North York Centre Service Roads - comprised of Doris Avenue and Beecroft Road - form a ring road around the North York Centre, east and west of Yonge Street. The Service Roads serve several purposes, including: - connecting North York Centre with a finer grained transportation network in order to better manage traffic flow along Yonge Street and other alternate routes; - providing convenient rear access to residential, retail, and office buildings on Yonge Street; and - forming a boundary for the high-rise development within North York Centre in relation to the adjacent stable residential neighbourhoods. The completion of the southeastern portion of the Service Road that would link Doris Avenue and Tradewind Avenue across Sheppard Avenue and east of Yonge Street was first studied in detail in a 1996 Environmental Assessment, followed by an Environmental Assessment Addendum in 1998. In 2013, the study was reopened to address important changes in the study area, including extensive high-rise development in North York Centre. In the intervening period, various options for connecting Doris Avenue and Tradewind Avenue across Sheppard Avenue have been re-assessed (and presented to both Council and the public) with the objective of improving traffic flow to better accommodate growth in North York Centre and mitigating impacts to private property. As a result of the review that has been undertaken, this Environmental Assessment Addendum recommends a two phased approach as follows: Phase 1 - Interim Condition: - Tradewind Avenue would be extended up to Sheppard Avenue East. - This would result in an offset intersection at Tradewind Avenue / Sheppard Avenue East and Doris Avenue / Sheppard Avenue. - Traffic signal phasing would be coordinated at the offset intersection to optimize traffic flow. - Bonnington Place would be closed off in a cul-de-sac south of Sheppard Avenue East, as proposed in the 1998 Environmental Assessment. - This was identified as Option C in the Environmental Assessment process, and would complete a portion of the future condition intersection, south of Sheppard Avenue. Phase 2 - Future Condition: - Doris Avenue would be realigned approaching Sheppard Avenue East to meet the northern extension of Tradewind Avenue, as described above. - This would result in a single four-legged intersection, with a skew on the north-east quadrant. - The appropriate timing of implementation of this future condition would be subject to property acquisition and completion of detailed design to minimize impacts where possible. - This is a revised version of Option B identified in the Environmental Assessment process. Based on the traffic analysis completed, while ultimately a single intersection would provide the most improvement for traffic flow in the North York Centre, the interim condition would also improve the overall performance of the future network when compared to the Future Do Nothing Scenario, and could be implemented sooner, at less cost, and with less impact to private property. As such, it is recommended that detailed design and property acquisition required for the Interim Condition be initiated following the formal completion of the North York Centre South Service Road Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Addendum. North York Centre - Transportation Network Integration The Doris Avenue extension (South Service Road) is one of two integral pieces of transportation network infrastructure (the other being Beecroft Road extension north to Drewry Avenue) required to support growth and development priorities in North York Centre. The North York Centre: REimagining Yonge Environmental Assessment, is being reported concurrently with this report on the Doris Avenue Extension. It is recommended that in order for the vision of REimagining Yonge to proceed, at least the initial phases of both the Doris Avenue and Beecroft Avenue extensions will need to be in place.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to issue a Notice of Completion and to file the Environmental Study Report Addendum for the North York Centre South Service Road Environmental Assessment Addendum Study in the public record for a minimum 30 days in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Transportation Services recommends that: 1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to issue a Notice of Completion and to file the Environmental Study Report Addendum for the North York Centre South Service Road Environmental Assessment Addendum Study in the public record for a minimum 30 days in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.
IE18.3adopted
This report recommends that City Council authorize staff to enter into a Project Delivery Agreement with Waterfront Toronto for the purpose of reconstructing Lake Shore Boulevard East from the Don River to Carlaw Avenue, in accordance with the approved Environmental Assessment for the Port Lands Flood Protection project and the Council-adopted Gardiner Strategic Rehabilitation Plan. Waterfront Toronto would deliver the project, including the reconstruction of the existing Lake Shore Boulevard East bridge over the Don River, as well as active transportation and public realm components outlined in the Gardiner East EA. The preparation of an operations and maintenance manual for the completed project would also be undertaken by Waterfront Toronto. The Port Lands Flood Protection project will provide permanent flood protection for approximately 290 hectares or 715 acres of land through the creation of a new, naturalized mouth of the Don River and other significant flood protection measures (e.g., river valley, wetlands, natural habitat, sediment management facility and other structures). In addition, the project will deliver the essential municipal services (e.g., roads, bridges, sewers, water supply, etc.) that must be undertaken concurrently with the flood protection works for technical and logistical reasons. Widening the Don River mouth is a key requirement for achieving permanent flood protection in the Lower Don area. As such, the existing Lake Shore Boulevard bridge over the Don River must be lengthened from two bays to four, to accommodate flow discharges during flooding events. Additionally, the Gardiner East EA requires that the Lake Shore Boulevard bridge be widened to at least seven lanes in order to accommodate the expected increase in traffic resulting from the planned removal of the Gardiner's access ramps to Logan Avenue. Furthermore, the existing Lake Shore Boulevard bridge deck and girders are at the end of their service life and need to be replaced and/or extensively refurbished. In June 2020, City Council directed City staff to enter into a Project Delivery Agreement with Waterfront Toronto to undertake detailed design, and to assess the potential advantages of combining relevant aspects of the Port Lands Flood Protection and Gardiner East EAs as a single project. Waterfront Toronto has, accordingly, completed its detailed design and due diligence assignment, and has delivered a cost estimate and a preliminary construction phasing plan. Waterfront Toronto continues to work on a traffic assessment and a traffic mitigation plan, in close consultation with City staff. Based on the results of the design and due diligence work described above, City staff have concluded that a single project approach is the most efficient and practical method for implementing the components of the two EAs that apply to Lake Shore Boulevard East between the Don River and Carlaw Avenue. City staff are recommending that Council authorize staff to enter into a Project Delivery Agreement with Waterfront Toronto for the construction phase of the project. The following is a summary of some of the key advantages of undertaking the work described in this report as a single project: - Potential cost savings through economies of scale and minimization of "throw away" costs, i.e.: eliminate the requirement to provide temporary structural support for the removal of the Gardiner access ramps at Logan Avenue in advance of bridge construction. Waterfront Toronto estimates that these potential savings would be at least $35 million - Reduced construction schedule impacts, with a savings of four years of scheduled construction - Minimization of health and safety risks associated with undertaking heavy bridge work in the significantly confined space under the elevated Gardiner Expressway - A one-time shorter duration disruption to vehicular traffic on Lake Shore Boulevard East, with 25 fewer months of disruption Given the extent of the project scope, significant disruption to vehicular traffic in the area is anticipated. In addition to undertaking the traffic impact assessment noted above, Waterfront Toronto and City staff are in the process of identifying and finalizing mitigation strategies and a new Construction Hub Pilot was proposed for the area as part of the MoveTO Congestion Management Interim Action Plan considered by City Council in October 2020. Details of the proposed mitigation and recommended actions will be subject to public outreach and information sessions in early 2021. In order to ensure permanent flood protection is provided by 2024, construction needs to commence in the third quarter of 2021. Accordingly, a public outreach and information program will be undertaken by Waterfront Toronto in consultation with staff from Transportation Services, Engineering and Construction Services, City Planning and offices of the local area Councillors.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to execute a Project Delivery Agreement with Waterfront Toronto, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Transportation Services, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, for the reconstruction of Lake Shore Boulevard East between the Don River and Carlaw Avenue, including the Lake Shore Boulevard bridge and all required active transportation and public realm components. 2. City Council direct City staff to continue working in consultation with Waterfront Toronto and the staff of the local Councillors' offices to coordinate and implement a public outreach and information program related to traffic mitigation for the duration of the project.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Transportation Services recommends that: 1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to execute a Project Delivery Agreement with Waterfront Toronto, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Transportation Services, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, for the reconstruction of Lake Shore Boulevard East between the Don River and Carlaw Avenue, including the Lake Shore Boulevard bridge and all required active transportation and public realm components. 2. City Council direct City staff to continue working in consultation with Waterfront Toronto and the staff of the local Councillors' offices to coordinate and implement a public outreach and information program related to traffic mitigation for the duration of the project.
IE18.4amended
Update on Council Requested Road Safety Initiatives
The purpose of this report is to respond to a number of requests made by City Council of the General Manager, Transportation Services concerning the following road safety items: - evaluation of city-wide major arterial speed limit reductions; - review of student project idea: Pedestrian Avoidance Warning System (P.A.W.S.); - MOVE update and sharing traffic volume and collision data; - Right Turn on Red Prohibition Strategy, including research on the impact of driver frustration on road safety; - improving road safety of school age children through Automated Speed Enforcement; and - 2020 collision trends to date. In addition to responding to Council's requests, Transportation Services is also recommending the following items as part of the continued implementation of the Vision Zero 2.0 Road Safety Plan: - additional major arterial speed limit changes to support the Speed Management Strategy; - prohibition of right-turn-on-red movements at one location, with an additional 15 locations tentatively identified for future implementation; and - Designation of additional Community Safety Zones at private high schools to support school safety and Automated Speed Enforcement. - Update on Speed Management Strategy Evaluation: Transportation Services staff have assessed the impacts of the city-wide major arterial speed limit reductions that were implemented as part of the Vision Zero 2.0 - Road Safety Plan update approved in July 2019. This report outlines that, while the available data is limited, there is evidence that the speed limit reductions have resulted in some reductions in operating speeds of vehicles compared to similar control segments. The results support a continued pursuance of the Speed Management Strategy. Additional major arterial speed limit changes to support the Speed Management Strategy are recommended in this report. - Review of Student Project Idea: Pedestrian Avoidance Warning System (P.A.W.S.): After review of the idea and looking at the potential benefits and drawbacks, this report does not recommend the development of a pilot, but highlights other ongoing initiatives aimed at addressing vulnerable road user safety at signalized intersections. - MOVE Update and Sharing Traffic Volume and Collision Data: In December 2019, City Council approved a non-competitive contract with Code for Canada to supply a development team that will work over an 18 month period to transition a prototype software, MOVE to an active application used by over 100 city staff in their daily work, while retiring the legacy systems CRASH and FLOW. When fully deployed, MOVE will significantly reduce the data collection bottleneck, reducing service delivery times across a number of key programs including neighbourhood traffic investigations, school crossing guard investigations, corridor safety audits, reviews of road classification, signal coordination studies and road designs. Once developed, the MOVE platform will allow staff to manage volume data from all multi-modal data collection devices in the city and aggregate it to provide a summarized view of current trends. - Right Turn on Red Prohibition Strategy, including Impact of Driver Frustration on Road Safety: Transportation Services staff have considered a blanket city-wide ban on right-turns-on-red (RTOR) and found that there would be a potential safety benefit at some locations, but that at other locations, introducing RTOR prohibitions may result in less safe conditions for people walking and cycling. To that end, staff have developed a strategy to identify intersection locations that would benefit from proactive RTOR prohibitions. Transportation Services staff have performed a literature review and have found no evidence that driver frustration, from practices such as RTOR prohibitions or speed limit reductions, result in increased safety concerns. This report recommends the prohibition of RTOR at 15 locations. - Improving Road Safety of School Age Children through Automated Speed Enforcement: This report outlines the process for determining the allocation of Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras at schools within designated Community Safety Zones. In addition, the report identifies ongoing capacity challenges with having a greater share of ASE cameras at schools that are on major arterial roads. - 2020 Collisions Trends to Date: Transportation Services staff have been closely monitoring the traffic patterns and collision data in 2020 to determine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The overall collision numbers have shown a significant reduction in serious injury and fatality collisions to date. It is suspected that the majority of this decrease is due to the reduced traffic volumes that resulted from the pandemic.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council amend the Community Safety Zones as set out in Attachment 1 to the report (November 17, 2020) from the General Manager, Transportation Services. 2. City Council prohibit southbound right turns on a red signal at all times on Keele Street at York Boulevard / Canarctic Drive. 3. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to also consider, as part of the review and implementation for right-turn on red prohibitions, the implementation of other road safety improvements such as turn signal adjustments, reducing curb radii, and / or protected intersections where feasible and appropriate. 4. City Council refer the following recommendation to the North York Community Council for consideration: That City Council reduce the speed limit from 60 kilometres per hour to 50 kilometres per hour on the following road segments: a. Lawrence Avenue East, between Don Mills Road and Woodcliff Place; and b. York Mills Road, between Bayview Avenue and Don Mills Road.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Transportation Services recommends that: 1. City Council authorize amendments to community safety zones as set out in Attachment 1 to the report(November 17, 2020) from the General Manager, Transportation Services. 2. City Council reduce the speed limit from 60 kilometers per hour to 50 kilometers per hour on the following road segments: a. Lawrence Avenue East, between Don Mills Road and Woodcliff Place; and b. York Mills Road, between Bayview Avenue and Don Mills Road. 3. City Council prohibit southbound right turns on a red signal at all times on Keele Street at York Boulevard / Canarctic Drive.
IE18.5amended
Winter Road Salt Usage and Environmental Impacts
On June 29, 2020, City Council considered item IE12.13, requesting the General Manager, Transportation Services to audit the existing road salt contracts to ensure that road salt is being applied in accordance with the City's Salt Management Plan in advance of issuing the tender for the next road salt contracts and to provide a response on the use of road salt and the environmental impacts.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, before issuing future Request For Proposals or contract extensions for road salt storage or application, on the feasibility of moving towards alternatives to, or further reduction in, salt usage.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Transportation Services recommends that: 1. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee receive this report for information.
IE18.6adopted
Open Data Request - Cycling and Infrastructure Programs - Bike Share Ridership
This report responds to City Council's request to the Toronto Parking Authority Board to direct the President, Toronto Parking Authority to release, on a monthly basis, in a suitable data format, all relevant ridership information for Bike Share Toronto to the Toronto Open Data Portal.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee received the letter (November 3, 2020) from the Board of Directors of Toronto Parking Authority for information.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Board of Directors of Toronto Parking Authority recommends that: 1. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee receive this item for information.
IE18.7adopted
Free Floating Car-Share Pilot - Review
At its virtual meeting held on September 17, 2020, the Toronto Police Services Board was in receipt of a report dated August 26, 2020, from Ryan Teschner, Executive Director & Chief of Staff, regarding a City of Toronto Council Decision with respect to Free Floating Car-Share Pilot - Review. At its meeting, the Board approved the foregoing report and the following recommendations: 1. That the Board refer this report to the Chief of Police for consideration and direct the Chief to liaise with City officials and others, as deemed appropriate. 2. That the Board forward a copy of this report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee received the letter (October 22, 2020) from the Toronto Police Services Board for information.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Toronto Police Services Board recommends that: 1. Infrastructure and Environment Committee receive this item for information.
IE18.8amended
At its virtual meeting held on September 17, 2020, the Toronto Police Services Board (Board) was in receipt of a report dated August 26, 2020, from Ryan Teschner, Executive Director and Chief of Staff, with respect to City of Toronto Council Decision - Metrolinx Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit - Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Management along Eglinton Avenue West between William R. Allen Road and Old Park Road. The Board approved the foregoing report and the following recommendations: 1. Refer this report to the Chief of Police to consider increasing Traffic enforcement in the area east of the Allen Road on Eglinton Avenue West from Glenarden Road/ Westover Hill Road to the Allen Road to deal with the unprecedented traffic safety concerns in the area of the Eglinton Crosstown construction. 2. Forward a copy of this report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that: 1. City Council support the feasibility of placing a Traffic Agent at Allen Road and Eglinton Avenue to support the Toronto Police in its efforts to deal with traffic safety in that area.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Toronto Police Services Board recommends that: 1. Infrastructure and Environment Committee receive this item for information.
IE18.9forwarded without recommendation
Green Lane Landfill Operations, Maintenance and Construction Contract Extension
This report provides an overview of the current Operations, Maintenance and Construction contract at the City's Green Lane Landfill and provides details of benefits to the City and cost savings to support the extension of the contract with CRA Landfill Operations Limited.
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee submits the Item to City Council without recommendation.
Staff recommendation as filed
The General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services recommends that: 1. The Infrastructure and Environment Committee receive this report for information.