Item - 2024.EY10.15

The Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the closure of the south sidewalk on The Queensway, between Taymall Avenue a point 68 metres further east, from February 29, 2024 to December 31, 2024, inclusive, to accommodate construction staging operations.

2. City Council authorize the closure of the east sidewalk, the northbound curbside vehicle traffic lane, and 1.0 metre wide portion of the northbound left-turn vehicle traffic lane on Taymall Avenue, between The Queensway and a point 50 metres south, and provision of a temporary 2.1 metre-wide pedestrian walkway within the closed portion of the northbound vehicle traffic lanes, from February 29, 2024 to December 31, 2024, inclusive, to accommodate construction staging operations.

3. City Council rescind the existing parking prohibition in effect at all times on the south side of The Queensway, between Taymall Avenue and a point 68 metres east.

4. City Council prohibit stopping at all times on the south side of The Queensway, between Taymall Avenue and a point 68 metres east.

5. City Council rescind the existing parking prohibition in effect at all times on both sides of Taymall Avenue, between The Queensway and a point 79 metres south.

6. City Council prohibit stopping at all times on both sides of Taymall Avenue, between The Queensway and a point 79 metres south.

7. City Council authorize the installation of a temporary traffic control signal on The Queensway, and a point 125 metres east of Taymall Avenue, to be in-operation from February 7, 2024 to December 31, 2024, which the issuance of the construction staging permit must be conditional on the traffic control signal being operational.

8. City Council authorize the following conditions of the construction staging permit, which relate to the temporary traffic control signal:

a. A deposit will be required to be submitted to "The Treasurer, City of Toronto", in advance of the permit being issued. The deposit is required to cover costs incurred by the City, in the event the developer does not provide a service that it must, as stipulated in the permit agreement conditions below. Upon completion of the construction project and return to normal operation, the unused portion of the deposit will be returned to the developer.

b. The developer will be responsible for the installation, maintenance and removal of the traffic control signal by one of the electrical contractors pre-approved by the City's Traffic Systems Construction & Maintenance Unit. Maintenance levels specified by the City's Traffic Systems Construction & Maintenance Unit must be followed, to be in accordance with those followed by the City's Electrical Maintenance Contractor for the maintenance of the City's other traffic control signals.

c. The developer must provide to Transportation Services a 7 day/24 hr contact name, phone number and email address, for the City's dispatchers to forward operational malfunction/complaints to. If the City's dispatcher is not able to reach the contact by phone to provide details of a malfunction/complaint, then the City's Electrical Maintenance Contractor will be dispatched to investigate and complete repairs and the City's dispatcher will send an email to document the malfunction call and their inability to reach the contact. The response and repair costs will be deducted from the deposit provided to the City.

9. City Council direct the applicant to sweep the construction site and adjacent sidewalks and roadways daily, or more frequently as needed to be cleared of any construction debris and made safe.

10. City Council direct the applicant to construct and maintain a fully covered, protected and unobstructed walkway for all pedestrians, including for those with mobility devices, for the entire duration of the construction staging area permit to the satisfaction of the City engineer and ensure it is compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

11. City Council direct the applicant to ensure that the existing sidewalks or the proposed pedestrian walkway have proper enhanced lighting to ensure safety and visibility at all times of the day and night.

12. City Council direct the applicant to clearly consult and communicate all construction, parking and road occupancy impacts with local business improvement areas and resident associations in advance of any physical road modifications.

13. City Council direct the applicant to install appropriate signage and request the applicant to install converging mirrors to ensure that pedestrians, cyclists and motorists safety is considered at all times.

14. City Council direct the applicant to provide a sufficient number of traffic control persons as determined by the Work Zone Coordinator and Toronto Police Construction Liaison Officer, on a daily basis to control construction vehicle access and egress to and from the site and maintain a safe environment for the public.

15. City Council direct the applicant to provide a sufficient number of pay-duty Police Officers as determined by the Work Zone Coordinator and Toronto Police Construction Liaison Officer, during large scale concrete pours and large scale material deliveries to control vehicle access and egress to and from the site and maintain a safe environment for the public.

16. City Council direct the applicant to install cane detection within the covered and protected walkway to guide pedestrians who are visually impaired.

17. City Council direct the applicant to post a 24-hour monitored construction hotline number on the hoarding board, which must be prominently placed and legible from 20 metres and on all elevations from the construction site.

18. City Council direct the applicant to provide and install public art, including mural artwork, onto every elevation of the hoarding board with adequate spotlighting for night-time illumination, at their sole cost, to the satisfaction of the Ward Councillor.

19. City Council direct the applicant to cooperate with and provide all necessary assistance to the City Engineers, staff and representatives carrying out operation, maintenance, and construction activities to municipal infrastructure within the vicinity of the construction staging area, and at no cost to the City to remove any staging to accommodate the necessary municipal infrastructure work.

20. City Council direct that The Queensway and Taymall Avenue be returned to its pre-construction traffic and parking regulations when the project is complete.

As the Toronto Transit Commission operates a transit service on The Queensway, City Council approval of this report is required.

Marlin Spring Developments is constructing a ten-storey residential condominium building with retail use on the ground floor at 801 The Queensway. The site is located on the south east corner of The Queensway and Taymall Avenue.

By way of background, at its meeting on October 16, 2023, Etobicoke Community Council deferred Item EY8.10 - The Queensway - Construction Staging Area. The original proposal was to close the eastbound curbside vehicle traffic lane on the Queensway, between Taymall Avenue a point 68 metres further east to accommodate construction staging operations for the development. However, in consultation with Ward Councillor, the proposed closure was not desirable due to potential negative traffic impacts on The Queensway which is classified as a major arterial road. As a result, the developer revised their Traffic Management Plan to avoid traffic lane closures on The Queensway and has shifted construction operations onto Taymall Avenue, which is classified as local roadway. 

Transportation Services is requesting approval to close the south sidewalk on The Queensway for a period of 10 months, from February 29, 2024 to December 31, 2024, to facilitate construction staging operations. Pedestrian movements on the south side of The Queensway, abutting the site will be restricted and pedestrians will be directed to the north sidewalk on The Queensway. 

Additionally, approval is being requested to close the east sidewalk, the northbound curbside vehicle traffic lane, and a portion of the northbound left-turn vehicle traffic lane on Taymall Avenue for a period of 10 months, from February 29, 2024 to December 31, 2024, to facilitate construction staging operations. Pedestrian movements on the east side of Taymall Avenue, abutting the site will be maintained in a 2.1 metre-wide covered and protected walkway.