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CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Toronto city staff scaling back plan to install dedicated transit lanes on Bathurst Street
Vehicles are seen lined up at the intersection of Bathurst and Dupont streets on May 27. (CTV News Toronto Chopper/photo) Toronto city staff are scaling back their plan to install dedicated bus lanes on Bathurst Street following pushback from several businesses. In a report going to the Executive Committee next week, staff are recommending that priority streetcar lanes be installed on Bathurst Street between south of Bathurst Station and Lake Shore Boulevard West, except for a segment from Nassau to Dundas streets due to construction at Toronto Western Hospital. Staff initially proposed that priority bus lanes be created in the northbound and southbound curb lanes of Bathurst Street from Bloor Street West to Eglinton Avenue West but that is no longer part of the plan. Now, staff say, 'Further consideration of the section between Eglinton Avenue West and Bathurst Station is proposed to be undertaken at a future time.' The changes come amid backlash from retailers along a stretch of Bathurst Street in The Annex, who said they would be negatively affected by the bus lanes, which may result in some businesses closing. The businesses were worried that curb lane access to parking, delivery, service, and renovation vehicles would be removed as a result of the transit lanes. The proposed measures for Bathurst are part of a city council-endorsed surface transit network plan called RapidTO, which aims to guide the study, evaluation, and delivery of several bus and streetcar improvement projects in Toronto. Last year, council directed staff to accelerate RapidTO projects on Dufferin and Bathurst streets for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. On Dufferin Street, staff are recommending that council approve the installation of bus lanes between Bloor Street West and Springhurst Avenue. They are also hitting pause on the creation of bus lanes between Bloor Street and Eglinton Avenue West at this time. The city said construction for the streetcar lanes would begin in the fall and is expected to be finished before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to the report, the implementation of the transit priority on Dufferin and Bathurst is expected to cost $8 million. There will be a total of 352 parking spaces that will be removed on the two streets as a result. With files from Joanna Lavoie
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Toronto city staff scale back proposal for priority transit lanes lane on Dufferin, Bathurst streets
Toronto city staff are curtailing proposed plans for dedicated public transit lanes on Bathurst and Dufferin streets north of Bloor, according to a report to be considered by council's executive committee later this month. The report, which will be discussed on July 16, recommends bus-only lanes be installed on Dufferin Street from King Street W. up to Bloor Street W. Originally, staff had proposed that the lanes extend up to Eglinton Avenue W. It similarly recommends streetcar-only lanes be installed on Bathurst Street from Lake Shore Boulevard W. north to Bathurst station, except for a stretch between Nassau Street and Dundas Street W., where construction is ongoing at the Toronto Western Hospital. Originally, staff had proposed priority bus lanes from Bathurst station to Eglinton Avenue W. At the committee meeting, city staff will suggest that they report back after Toronto hosts six FIFA World Cup games next year. Staff could make recommendations then on whether or not to extend the priority transit lanes on Bathurst and Dufferin from Bloor Street W. to Eglinton Avenue W. WATCH | Reaction mixed over proposed bus lanes on 2 major Toronto streets: City staff have said the priority lanes would help meet the city's needs during the games, with both Bathurst and Dufferin serving as "critical routes to get people to and from the games." Both proposals sparked mixed reaction from residents in the spring, who raised concerns at virtual town halls over the loss of parking spaces and impact on local businesses. Coun. Dianne Saxe, who represents University-Rosedale, said constituents have told her that they would like to see significant improvements in bus service on Bathurst Street north of Bloor Street W. but also they want to preserve local businesses. "There's about, variously 50, 60 well-loved local businesses, a lot of them owned by people who also live in the immediate vicinity. And they have been really frightened about the prospects for their businesses if people can't park anywhere," Saxe said. Saxe said there is a big problem with the northbound bus in the later afternoon but not with the southbound bus. "We don't have a problem with the bus 24/7. We have a huge problem with the bus, the northbound bus, in the afternoons from about two until seven. Those are five very important hours, but they're not 24 hours," Saxe said. Saxe said she will move a motion at a city council committee meeting in September that the city needs to "unblock the bus" when it is stuck. She said one potential solution is to expand the hours that parking is not permitted on the street to match the hours of heavy traffic. Transit riders 'deserve to have priority,' TTCriders says Andrew Pulsifer, executive director of transit advocacy group TTC Riders, said the group is "really disappointed" that the priority transit lanes will not go all the way to Eglinton Avenue W. Bathurst and Dufferin streets both need dedicated bus lanes north of Bloor, he said. "Well, 35,000 people use the Bathurst line every day, 40,000 use the Dufferin line every day and and they deserve to have priority," he said. Pulsifer said the city has an opportunity to fix the problems but they are not acting on that opportunity. Making dedicated transit lanes will make transit more reliable and make the streets less congested, he added. According to the city staff report, the priority lanes would see 75 parking spaces removed along Dufferin Street and 277 parking spaces on Bathurst Street. Installing priority transit lanes would require an estimated $8 million in capital funding, the city staff report says. If approved by the executive committee, the proposal for the lanes would go before city council. If approved by city council, the report suggests construction on both projects would begin this fall with an estimated completion in the spring of 2026.
CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Toronto city staff scale back proposal for priority bus lane on Dufferin, Bathurst streets
Toronto city staff are curtailing proposed plans for dedicated bus lanes along Bathurst and Dufferin streets, according to a report going to council's executive committee later this month. The report, which will be considered on July 16, recommends bus-only lanes be installed on Dufferin Street from King Street W. up to Bloor Street W. — not up to Eglinton Avenue W. as initially proposed. It similarly recommends bus-only lanes be installed on Bathurst Street from Lake Shore Boulevard W. north to Bloor Street, except for the stretch between Nassau Street and Dundas Street W., where construction is ongoing at the Toronto Western Hospital. The Dufferin proposal sparked mixed reaction from residents in the spring, who raised concerns over the loss of parking spaces and congestion during a virtual town hall. WATCH | Reaction mixed over proposed bus lanes on 2 major Toronto streets: 'It's desperately needed': Bathurst and Dufferin could get priority bus lanes 2 months ago Duration 2:19 The city is considering installing priority bus lanes on two major Toronto streets. But as Tyler Cheese explains, some say the decision is being rushed without properly consulting those who will be most affected. At the time, Philip Morse, senior project manager for the city's transportation services, told attendees that "What we saw in the data is that Dufferin is congested, Dufferin is slow and Dufferin needs to be better." According to the city staff report, the priority lanes would see 75 parking spaces removed along Dufferin Street and 277 parking spaces on Bathurst Street. It would require an estimated $8 million in capital funding to make the changes, the city staff report says. If approved by the executive committee, the proposal would go before city council. If approved by city council, the report suggests construction would begin this fall with an estimated completion in the spring of 2026.
