City of Toronto staff recommend limiting a popular program that allows residents to walk or bike along a major highway in the far west of Toronto on weekends by closing it to vehicles.
A report by the director general of transportation services, released Wednesday, looked at the closure of Lake Shore Boulevard West as part of ActiveTO, a program launched in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the report, which will be debated in City Hall on Wednesday, Transportation Services staff recommend that the program continue in a limited manner, noting that roadblocks were causing significant traffic delays and interfering with other weekend events. .
In its first year, the program saw up to 36,000 cyclists and thousands of pedestrians access the Lake Shore area, between Windemere Avenue and Stadium Road.
“With most recreational facilities closed due to indoor meeting restrictions and high demand for city parks, there was a significant need for additional outdoor recreational spaces where people he could walk, ride a bike, run or skate while maintaining his social distance, ”the report says.
The mayor hopes to strike a “balance” after the complaints
But as public health measures gradually lifted and traffic volumes began to return to pre-pandemic levels with the return of public events, the report says the closures add pressure to the “road network. available “.
Staff said they have since received hundreds of complaints calling for roads to be reopened to motor vehicles due to traffic disruptions and restricted access caused by the program.
Given concerns about access issues for businesses and attractions, staff suggest an approach that “allows for a limited number of ActiveTO closures,” although it’s unclear how many will occur each year. (Robert Krbavac / CBC)
On Saturday, Toronto Mayor John Tory said he hoped the city council could strike a “balance” on the issue, after Toronto Blue Jays CEO Mark Shapiro asked the council to rule out closures. ‘Active TO at Lake Shore Boulevard West. In an open letter to the city, Shapiro said the closures make it difficult for baseball fans to access the Rogers Center on weekends.
From May 15 to September 26, 2021, the average travel time east on Gardiner Highway from 427 to York Street was 14.5 minutes, with no ActiveTO closures, according to the report. In comparison, the average travel time was 33.6 minutes on days with ActiveTO closures.
Staff must consider other events when deciding on closures
Given concerns about access issues for businesses and attractions, staff suggest an approach that “allows for a limited number of ActiveTO closures,” the report says, though it’s unclear how many will occur each. year.
According to the report, staff will consider other planned weekend events, the construction of side roads, access to local sites and traffic impacts, when selecting closing dates.
In addition, the report recommends that ActiveTO closures continue on Bayview Avenue and Meadoway.
So far this year, ActiveTO roadblocks have taken place on May 23 and 29. The long Victory Day weekend featured 17,000 cyclists and 4,000 pedestrians.
In 2021, cycling advocates and pro-program thugs called on the city to make the program permanent sooner after a 2020 city survey found that more than 90 percent of respondents said they wanted the closure of roads continued during and after the pandemic.