Item - 2022.NY33.61

North York Community Council:

1. Directed the Director, Planning and Capital Program, Transportation Services to report to the first North York Community Council meeting of the 2022 to 2026 term with an update on the Leaside Neighbourhood Transportation Plan, and for such report to include:

a. an overview of engagement undertaken to-date;

b. future plans for public consultation; and

c. an implementation timeline for the first phase of the plan.

In 2019, I initiated a comprehensive strategy to address vehicle speeds, compliance issues, and traffic infiltration in Leaside – the Leaside Neighbourhood Transportation Plan (NTP). Unfortunately, public consultation for the first phase of the Leaside NTP was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic when many Transportation Services staff were redeployed to support the City's pandemic response programs.

Leaside is a residential neighbourhood located to the east of Bayview Avenue and Eglinton Avenue East, with several parks and more than five schools. Partially due to the growing popularity of GPS Navigation Applications like Waze, this neighbourhood experiences significant traffic infiltration, with drivers often operating at very high speeds. Although traffic issues in Leaside pre-date the LRT, construction of the Eglinton Crosstown has exacerbated these problems.

In February 2022, Transportation Services hosted the first public meeting for the Leaside NTP, which was well-attended by the community. Currently, staff are also establishing an online mapping tool to solicit location-specific feedback from local residents about traffic safety concerns.

While I am pleased that consultation is now underway, many members of the community – including the Leaside Residents' Association – are eager for an update on the status of the Leaside NTP and an overview of next steps.