City council January 10th Traffic Calming – Quebec Ave. between Dundas St. W. and Annette St.

Speed limit on Quebec Ave. between Dundas St. W. and Annette St. to be reduced to 30  km/? 

from city STAFF REPORT…

The purpose of this report is to describe the results of an investigation into a request for speed humps on Quebec Avenue. A staff assessment concludes that the criteria for installing speed humps are met on Quebec Avenue, between Dundas Street West and Annette Street.

ISSUE BACKGROUND
In response to a petition submitted to the former Ward 13 Councillor, from residents on
Quebec Avenue, Transportation Services staff investigated the need for traffic calming on
Quebec Avenue, between Dundas Street West and Annette Street. The request for traffic
calming was due to residents concerns with vehicular speeds on this section of
Quebec Avenue. Subsequently, Transportation Services staff attended a public meeting
with the present Ward Councillor and area residents to discuss options, including
installing precast concrete islands. However, the consensus of the meeting was that the
residents still prefer the installation of speed humps.
COMMENTS
Quebec Avenue, between Annette Street and Dundas Street West, is classified as a twoway local road located in the residential community west of Keele Street and south of
Dundas Street West. Sidewalk exists on both sides of the street. The posted speed limit
on Quebec Avenue is 40 km/h. Stop controls are located on Quebec Avenue at Dundas
Street West and at Annette Street.
Parking within the subject area is prohibited on the west side of Quebec Avenue while
parking is allowed for a maximum of one hour between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on the
east side of Quebec Avenue within the subject area. In addition, permit parking is
allowed overnight on the east side.

To address the petition for traffic calming, speed and volume studies were conducted
mid-block on Quebec Avenue between Dundas Street West and Annette Street, during
the week of September 18, 2010.
We applied this data to the City of Toronto Traffic Calming Policy. According to the
policy, the principle criteria for installing speed humps are vehicle speed and volume.
Other environmental factors are considered, such as road width, pedestrian facilities and
grade. The proposal was evaluated under these technical criteria, with the results
summarized in Appendix B. Applying the study data to the Traffic Claming Warrant
shows that Quebec Avenue, between Dundas Street West and Annette Street, satisfies the
criteria for speed humps.Quebec Avenue between Annette Street and Dundas Street West – Traffic Calming
We emphasise that installing speed humps results in slower operating speeds for all
vehicles, including emergency service vehicles, and can result in increased response
times in the event of an emergency.
The City of Toronto Traffic Calming Policy requires that the City Clerk formally survey
residents directly affected by installing speed humps on Quebec Avenue. Under the
policy, we must receive a minimum response rate of 51 per cent, of which at least 60 per
cent of respondents must respond in favour of installing speed humps.
Subject to approval by Community Council of the recommendations outlined above, the
City Clerk will survey residents on Quebec Avenue, between Dundas Street West and
Annette Street. If the survey shows support for installing speed humps, Transportation
Services will schedule installation according to relative need and competing priorities.
No alterations to parking regulations are required. The number of existing on-street
parking spaces is not affected by the installation, with no significant negative impact on
winter services, street cleaning or garbage collection; however, as indicated previously, it
will reduce emergency vehicle speeds on a street designated as a primary response route.
Consultation with emergency services (Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services) is
required to ensure that the design and layout of traffic calming proposals do not
negatively affect their operations. Although we generally advise emergency services of
our intentions, we do not always receive a formal response; however, in the past Toronto
Fire Services has provided the following general statement regarding speed hump
installation.
“…Toronto Fire Service is supportive of initiatives that improve the life safety of
our citizens. Our concern is that the physical calming measures being proposed
may negatively impact emergency response to the area.
The vertical restrictions imposed by speed humps have a much greater affect on
large fire vehicles than smaller passenger vehicles. Response time increases with
every obstacle a fire vehicle encounters en route from the fire station to the
incident. Although the increase at each hump may only be seconds, the
cumulative effect can be a significant amount of time that could result in
increased property damage, unnecessary injury or loss of life.
Speed humps are generally hard on large, heavy vehicles (fire vehicles) and
increase the potential to suffer mechanical damage. This in turn can lead to a
vehicle being placed out of service for considerable periods of time. Aside from
the costs associated with repairs, there is a decrease in the resources available to
respond to other emergency situations.”