Item - 2022.TE30.16

The Toronto and East York Community Council:

1. Directed the Director, Planning and Capital Program, Transportation Services to report back annually every January to Toronto and East York Community on approved and required road safety enhancements not yet implemented; and to install where possible all and any outstanding traffic and safety improvements, including the urgent replacement of outdated signage, by no later than the second quarter of 2022.

This comprehensive review of traffic safety in Regent Park was initiated by request from Toronto and East York Community Council in fall 2019. The review was subsequently suspended in spring 2020 due to the reallocation of staff to Covid-19 response programs. However, efforts to understand and improve traffic conditions in Regent Park continued through several separate initiatives that are outlined in this report. The comprehensive review recommenced in 2021 and included a synthesis of improvements to the street undertaken since fall 2019. For the purpose of this review, Regent Park is defined as the area bounded by River Street to the east, Shuter Street to the south, Gerrard Street East to the north and Parliament Street to the west.

Safety improvements were made as a direct result of this study, above and beyond the improvements that were achieved through separate initiatives during the same time period. Traffic safety improvements included: enhancements to signals; signage; planned streetscapes and pavement markings; as well as by-law housekeeping updates (i.e. parking and speed limits). Most notably, an additional set of traffic lights was added to the signals facing southbound traffic on River Street at Gerrard Street, as well as a 'Signals Ahead' warning sign with flashing beacons to provide motorist warning of the signals before they are visible around the River Street curve. It is expected that these changes will mitigate collisions involving southbound vehicles at River Street and Gerrard Street East, which was found to be an area of unresolved safety concern.

This report is provided to ensure all the gathered information is available for the public record and can serve as a benchmark for on-going and planned work in the neighbourhood, whether street design-oriented projects, or broader interdisciplinary planning initiatives. Staff responsible for this report will also serve as the Transportation Services division representatives on an interdivisional team supporting the Neighbourhood Revitalization Plan for the Dundas and Sherbourne area as directed by Council (2021.PH21.2).