Item - 2020.IE12.14

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee:

1. Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services to provide an update on the status, and strategy to, proactively use right-turns-on-red prohibitions when reporting back on the effectiveness of speed limit reductions planned for the fourth quarter of 2020.

2. Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services to report on the impact that right turn prohibitions, and other changes to roadways that delay traffic have cumulatively had on travel times and delays in the city.

3. Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services to report on the impact that travel delays and increased congestion and gridlock have on increased stress on drivers, increased aggressive behavior and accidents.

4. Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services to report back on conducting research, as part of Vision Zero, on the causes of aggressive driver behavior.

There has been a growing call in many neighbourhoods across the City for restricting right-turns-on-red (RTOR), as one of many measures we can undertake through Vision Zero to make roads safer.

Motor vehicle RTOR are a common type of collision in Toronto and is responsible for 13% of the city’s pedestrian injuries and/or fatalities. In the majority of these collisions, pedestrians had the right of way. Allowing RTOR compromises the safety of vulnerable road users, including seniors, children, and people with disabilities. 

Prohibiting RTOR is a simple way to reduce collisions between drivers and pedestrians. While the City currently has a warranting system in place to address requests for RTOR prohibitions, there is an opportunity to proactively review the restrictions and how they will apply to selected intersections to make the road safer for all road users.

Staff are scheduled to report back on a strategy on speed limit reductions in fourth quarter of 2020 which would be a good time to include ROTR considerations.