Item - 2019.IE4.3

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 937, Temporary Closing of Highways, to delegate to the General Manager, Transportation Services, despite section 937-4 of Code Chapter 937, from May 16, 2019 to October 31, 2019, the authority to temporarily close to vehicular traffic portions of the northbound and southbound curb lanes on Highway 27, between 200 metres south of Humber College Boulevard and 100 metres north of Finch Avenue West, daily between 9:30am and 3:30pm as required but ending no later than October 31, 2019, for the purposes of the construction of the Finch West LRT project, and exempt the General Manager, Transportation Services, in carrying out this delegated authority from Section 937-5 of Chapter 937, that being the requirement to notify the local Ward Councillor of the pending closure and the requirement to report on the proposed closure if so requested by the local Ward Councillor.

2. City Council close the boulevard spaces within the northwest, northeast, southeast and southwest quadrants of the intersection of Highway 27 and Finch Avenue West, as shown shaded in Attachment 1 to the report (April 9, 2019) from the General Manager, Transportation Services, from May 31, 2019 to August 31, 2023.

3. City Council amend Section 937-3.8 of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 937, Temporary Closing of Highways, to delete the date of March 31, 2020 and replace it with the date of August 31, 2023 such that the General Manager, Transportation Services will be delegated the authority to temporarily close to vehicular and pedestrian traffic highways or portions of highways for a period up to and including 365 consecutive days, until August 31, 2023, with the exception of those highways listed in Section 937-4 of Chapter 937, as required for the purposes of the construction of the Metrolinx Finch West LRT corridor, and to exempt the General Manager, Transportation Services in carrying out this extended delegation from Section 937-5 of Chapter 937, Temporary Closing of Highways, that being the requirement to notify the local Ward Councillor of the pending closure and the requirement to report on the proposed closure if so requested by the local Ward Councillor.

4. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, to ensure that affected Councillors are consulted on proposed lane closures and associated traffic management plans prior to permits being issued that exercise the delegated authority detailed in Recommendation 3, above.

The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for temporary daily short-term curb lane closures on a section of Highway 27 in the vicinity of Finch Avenue West and Humber College Boulevard. The proposed lane closures will be implemented intermittently during the off-peak period and to undertake early works for the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) construction.

The temporary lane closures are being requested from May 2019 to October 2019.

The report further seeks Council authority to close a portion of the boulevard space within the northwest, northeast, southeast and southwest quadrants of the intersection of Highway 27 and Finch Avenue West. These areas of land are required for construction material and equipment laydown purposes during construction of the LRT portal and guideway.

The proposed boulevard closures are being requested for a period of 51 months (May 31, 2019 to August 31, 2023). With the proposed closures in place, all traffic lanes and sidewalks on Highway 27 and Finch Avenue West will be maintained.

Finally, the General Manager's current delegated authority in relation to the Finch West LRT to temporarily close to pedestrian and vehicular traffic highways or portions of highways for a period up to and including 365 consecutive days is valid until March 31, 2020. With the expected project completion date in 2023, extension of the current delegated authority is required until August 31, 2023 to ensure timely approval and implementation of any road closures required for the completion of the project.