Item - 2013.PW23.12

Pedestrian safety is an important issue for all Torontonians, and the City has developed and implemented a wide number of initiatives designed to enhance pedestrian safety across the city. This report provides a review of the methodology used by Global News to identify its '100 most dangerous intersections for pedestrians' and develops a more detailed approach to the identification of those intersections most prone to pedestrian collisions in Toronto. An action plan to improve the safety performance of the 'top 10'  priority intersections was developed to include immediate actions which can be implemented within existing budget and staff resources, as well as mid and long-term approaches which may, dependent on the intersection, require further consultation, approvals by the local Community Council and additional capital funding. A number of the proposed safety improvements will be of benefit to all road users – not just pedestrians.

In addition, Transportation Services staff are now consulting with key stakeholders as to the development of an Integrated Traffic Safety Strategy whose goal is to create an continuous process which consistently reviews safety performance for all road users and works in partnership with other agencies, such as the Toronto Police Services and Public Health to identify problem areas, prioritize projects and interventions, and evaluate their effectiveness once implemented. This integrated approach focused on the safety of all road users and involving other agencies is designed to ensure that the responsibility for safety is placed at the forefront of all decisions surrounding the many competing demands on Toronto's transportation network.