Item - 2021.IE20.13

City Council considered Items IE20.12 and IE20.13 together.

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the installation of bicycle lanes, or bicycle lane by-law amendments, on the following sections of roadway, as described in Attachment 2 to the report (March 9, 2021) from the General Manager, Transportation Services:

a. Gladstone Avenue from Minowan Miikan Lane to Peel Avenue.

2. City Council authorize the installation or adjustments of cycle tracks, or cycle track by-law on the following sections of roadway, as described in Attachment 3 to the report (March 9, 2021) from the General Manager, Transportation Services:

a. Birmingham Street from Dwight Avenue to Kipling Avenue;

b. Brant Street from Richmond Street West to 15 metres south;

c. Crescent Town Road from Dawes Road to Victoria Park Avenue;

d. Cummer Avenue from Pineway Boulevard to Leslie Street;

e. Danforth Avenue from Broadview Avenue to 150 metres west;

f. Davenport Road from Dupont Street to Yonge Street;

g. Dundas Street West from The Kingsway (west intersection) to Wimbleton Road;

h. Harbord Street from Ossington Avenue to Huron Street;

i. Richmond Street West from Augusta Avenue to Brant Street;

j. The Kingsway from Canterbury Crescent (south intersection) to Dundas Street West; and

k. Thorncliffe Park Drive from Overlea Boulevard (west) to Overlea Boulevard (east).

3. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to continue with the planned delivery of sidewalks on Wimbleton Road between Dundas Street and the Humbertown Park driveway approximately 50 metres north of Wimbleton Road.

4. City Council authorize the installation or adjustments of bicycle lanes, or bicycle lane by-law amendments, on the following sections of roadway, as described in Attachment 4 to the report (March 9, 2021) from the General Manager, Transportation Services:

a. Brant Street from Richmond Street to Adelaide Street;

b. Gladstone Avenue from Peel Avenue to Argyle Street; and

c.  Ryding Avenue from 13 metres east of Cobalt Avenue to Cobalt Avenue.

5. City Council authorize the amendments to traffic and parking regulations associated with Recommendations 1, 2, and 4 above and as described in Attachment 5 to the report (March 9, 2021) from the General Manager, Transportation Services.

6. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to include metrics and goals as part of the July 2021 update to the Cycling Network Plan that detail the implementation rate of new cycling infrastructure with targets outlined in City policies such as TransformTO, Vision Zero, or the Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild’s COVID-19: Impacts and opportunities report.

The Cycling Network Plan and the associated Near Term Implementation Plan (2019-2021), adopted by Council in July 2019 seeks to build on the existing network of cycling routes to connect gaps in the current network, grow the network into new parts of the city, and renew existing parts of the network to improve safety.

This report is a first quarter update on the initial group of cycling infrastructure projects that are proposed to be installed in 2021 for which design and consultation have been completed. Additional cycling infrastructure projects proposed for installation in 2021 will be included in upcoming reports.

This report seeks Council authority to install 2.39 lane kilometres of new cycling infrastructure on the following streets proposed in the Cycling Network near Term Implementation Plan (2019-2021):

- Cummer Avenue (cycle tracks, Ward 17)

- Davenport Road (cycle tracks, Ward 11)

- Gladstone Avenue (bike lane and contra-flow bike lane, Ward 9)

- The Kingsway (cycle tracks, Ward 2) and Dundas Street West at The Kingsway (intersection improvement with bi-directional cycle tracks, Ward 2)

This report also seeks Council authority to make improvements to 11.4 lane kilometres of existing cycling infrastructure on the following streets:

- Birmingham Street (bicycle lanes to cycle tracks, Ward 3)

- Brant Street (cycle track and contra-flow bike lane, Ward 10) and Richmond Street (by-law amendments associated with Brant Street contra-flow bike lane, Ward 10)

- Crescent Town Road (bicycle lanes to cycle tracks, Ward 19)

- Danforth Avenue at Royal Drive/Don Valley Parkway on-ramp (bicycle lane to cycle tracks, Ward 14)

- Davenport Road (bicycle lanes to cycle tracks, Ward 11)

Further, this report seeks to make amendments to existing bikeways and their associated traffic and parking by-laws on the following streets:

- Bloor Street West (traffic and parking amendments associated with the Bloor Street West bikeways, Ward 9)

- Harbord Street (cycle track by-law, Ward 11)

- Ryding Avenue (existing contra-flow bike lane by-law to be enacted, Ward 5)

- Shaw Street (existing stop sign by-law to be enacted, Ward 11)

- Thorncliffe Park Drive (traffic and parking amendments associated with the existing bike lanes, Ward 15)

A map of the projects proposed in this report is included as Attachment 1. The changes proposed would improve safety and mobility options by providing improved cycling connections to transit, parks, local schools, event venues, businesses and residences.  Pedestrian improvements have also been included in the projects, wherever feasible, including curb extensions, shortened crossing distances, new sidewalk installations, and travel lane adjustments.

While there are varying impacts to traffic operations for motor vehicles, these impacts have been reviewed, analyzed and have been determined by Transportation Services to have acceptable impacts in order to improve safety and comfort of all road users.

All of the bikeways included in this report are proposed to be installed in 2021.