Item - 2019.NY7.24

North York Community Council:

1. Directed Transportation Services staff, North York District, to work with the Lawrence Park community to evaluate their traffic concerns and develop a Traffic Management Plan.

The Lawrence Park neighbourhood refers to the area bounded as follows: in the north, by Lawrence Avenue East, from Yonge Street to Bayview Avenue. In the east, by Bayview Avenue, from Lawrence Avenue East to Blythwood Road. In the south, by Blythwood Road, from Bayview Avenue to Blyth Dale Road, Blyth Dale Road, from Blythwood Road to Blyth Hill Road, Blyth Hill Road, from Blyth Dale Road to Blythwood Road, and Blythwood Road, from Blyth Hill Road to the southerly extension of Alexander Muir Road. In the west, by the southerly extension of Alexander Muir Road at Blythwood Road to the eastern terminus of Alexander Muir Road, Alexander Muir Road, from the easterly terminus to Yonge Street, and Yonge Street, from Alexander Muir Road to Lawrence Avenue East.

This neighbourhood is primarily comprised of local and minor arterial roads, and several of its boundaries are major arterial roads. The land use is mainly residential, with several parks and schools.

Partially due to the growing popularity of GPS Navigation Applications like Waze, this neighbourhood has experienced a significant increase in cut-through traffic, with drivers often operating at very high speeds. Residents of St. Leonard's Avenue have reported that the problem is particularly acute on their street, as it is the only thoroughfare that directly connects Mount Pleasant Road to Bayview Avenue.

The main concerns raised by the neighbourhood are cut-through traffic, speed, volume, and infiltration. I have consulted with the Lawrence Park Ratepayers' Association who have asked me to move forward with a Traffic Management Plan that will allow Transportation staff to identify long-term, comprehensive solutions to these issues in consultation with the community.

Within the Traffic Management Plan, staff should consider both traffic control and traffic calming measures including all-way stop locations, turn restrictions, speed humps, and other options that will address vehicle speed, volume, and traffic infiltration issues.

To consult the community, staff should attend public meetings coordinated through the Councillor's office and local residents' associations. If possible, the Traffic Management Plan should be implemented in coordination with the Lawrence Park Environmental Assessment.

When a Traffic Management Plan has been agreed upon, the findings will be reported to North York Community Council for approval.