Staff recommends that the Alternative 6 preliminary design for Bloor Street from Central Parkway East to Etobicoke Creek be endorsed by Council and that staff publish the preliminary design on the project website. The preferred design includes two travel lanes, a continuous two- way left-turn lane, intersection and active transportation improvements, transit improvements and other elements.
Background information: https://pub-mississauga.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=41621
The Cycling Network Plan and the associated Near Term Implementation Plan, adopted by City Council in December 2021 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. Through this report, Transportation Services is seeking authority for a number of bikeway projects that are proposed to be installed in the near term (2022-2024) for which design and consultation have been completed. New bikeways are proposed through the Bloor Street West Complete Street Extension, Bartlett-Havelock-Gladstone Cycling Connections, Cabbagetown Cycling Connections, Sheppard Avenue East Complete Street and Superior Avenue projects.
In our respective wards, Wards 4 (Parkdale-High Park), 9 (Davenport), 11 (University-Rosedale), 12 (Toronto-St. Paul’s), 13 (Toronto Centre) and 14 (Toronto-Danforth), there are sections of arterial roads that are already 40 km/h due to the proximity to schools or because of the 2016 Council approval of the Road Safety Plan to reduce the number of road fatalities and serious injuries. However, there are still arterial roads that are 50 km/h.
With staff support, we are looking to have all arterial roads, except Lake Shore Blvd, in our wards, be reduced to 40 km/h. The intent of this motion is to improve safety and provide consistency.
In January 2020, the province began a five-year pilot project allowing municipalities to regulate the use of electric kick-scooters (Electric kick-style scooters (e-scooters) | ontario.ca).
In 2021, Toronto chose not to partake in the pilot project, largely because of concerns raised by the disability community about e-scooters being ridden and littered on the sidewalk. As a result, e-scooters are not for rent in Toronto, and cannot lawfully be operated in public space. Nevertheless, many individuals own and use them on city streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, etc.
E scooters can offer a valuable micro mobility option that can help Torontonians get around in a congested city, and help Toronto meet its TransformTO climate goals. E-scooters are inexpensive, use very little energy, take less road space than other micro-mobility options, create no pollution at the point of use, can be used without physical effort and in virtually any clothing, and are widely considered fun to use. They can be folded and carried on transit when bikes and other “last mile” options cannot.
However, e-scooters pose serious risks to pedestrians, especially people with disabilities, particularly if they are operated and parked on the sidewalk, and they have often been operated without insurance. The city has no resources available to devote to enforcement of e-scooter compliance. There have also been a significant number of injuries to e-scooter riders, especially when riding without helmets. Toronto’s streetcar tracks and potholes pose a greater risk to e-scooters, with their comparatively small wheels and wheelbases, than they do to bicycles and larger vehicles.
Some e-scooter companies claim that, since 2021, they have developed technology that prevents their e-scooters from operating on the sidewalk, have obtained adequate insurance and have otherwise addressed these concerns. The onus of proof would be on the providers of the e-scooters, under realistic and representative Toronto conditions.
The Toronto Parking Authority is interested in exploring whether to add e-scooters to its very successful Bikeshare program, as some other cities have done. The opportunity to do so under the province’s 5 year pilot will expire in 2025.
The purpose of this report is to provide an update on actions to support the transition to
electric mobility in city operations and the Burlington community.
The
purpose of this report is to seek approval to proceed with single source purchases for
24 months for light and medium duty vehicles (passenger vehicles, ¼ ton pickup trucks,
½ ton pickup trucks, ¾ ton pickup trucks, 1-ton pickup trucks, cargo and minivans) to
facilitate the procurement of vehicles and enable City of Burlington departments to
deliver services.
Richmond Hill