Toronto has launched a new traffic bombing to address a variety of factors affecting the unpleasant blockade in and around the city as major events return this summer.
The “Keep Toronto Moving” traffic campaign was officially launched on Thursday and will run until Thursday, June 30th.
The initiative includes two key components: efforts to enforce crimes that negatively affect traffic flow and the return of the usual parking application at rush hour.
“Traffic is back and that means the rush hour application has to come back to help keep Toronto moving. This is, of course, a decision and an operational decision that the police will make as to how and when to implement the But in this case, I am very pleased that they will resume the implementation of rush hours, “Mayor John Tory told a news conference Friday morning.
Over the next week, dedicated patrols will focus their efforts on improving traffic flow and addressing congestion factors, such as vehicles blocking intersections and traffic signal compliance.
Vehicles trapped blocking intersections could face a $ 125 fine.
“Citywide police officers will also intensify enforcement efforts to address the root causes of our city’s most serious collisions: speeding, aggressive driving and distracted driving. So far this year , 23 people have died in collisions on Toronto roads, including 15 pedestrians, “said traffic services superintendent Scott Baptist.
On Monday, police will resume their usual approach to peak-hour parking control now that traffic has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Baptist said officers had been providing a “significant degree” of discretion in enforcing rush hour restrictions during the pandemic.
“Although we prefer not to issue anyone a $ 150 parking ticket to stop on a rush hour route and we prefer to see voluntary compliance with these rules. Many people now park randomly on private routes. “Rush hour, blocking these lanes for other traffic. And we believe the app will make people follow the rules again, improving the flow of traffic in the city,” he said.
Each year, agents issue an average of 72,000 tickets for rush hour violations.
Starting Monday, July 4, police will also resume the confiscation of parked vehicles on the city’s rush hour routes.
“… The prospect of having your car towed is a very powerful incentive to comply with the law. And I’m not happy about the fact that people have their cars towed, but it has a very healthy effect on their habits when they have to go to one of those pretty remote places and get the car back and pay some money for get it back, ”Tory said.
Tory said traffic levels in the city are between 90 and 95 percent of what they were before the pandemic.
“This is good news in the sense that people are active in the city, events are returning to the city. People move around the city to a much greater extent, but it can’t be done at the expense of security in the first place. And it can’t be done in a way that makes the city strange by its own traffic, ”he said.
With summer events returning to the city after a two-year hiatus, the streets of Toronto are expected to be full and busy this summer, including this weekend with the Pride Parade.
Tory recommends that residents and visitors avoid driving into the city if they can.
“Please walk if you can, ride a bike if you can, take public transportation if you can … Most of the events that happen in most parts of the city are well connected by public transportation.”