Toronto City Council has approved “REImagining” infrastructure project for Yonge Street between Sheppard Avenue and Finch Avenue; the concept was passed on December 17, 2020.

The idea of removing two lanes of a major thoroughfare running north-south bound that is currently six lanes is a poor concept. The surrounding community should be opposed to the City’s plans.

The proposed project has faced its fair share of setbacks and challenges and the following are key points that we object to in respect to the City Council’s decision. As well, we have provided alternate options.

1. Reducing the current six lanes to four lanes on Yonge Street will create serious traffic congestion that will only become more chaotic with the anticipated population growth of over 200,000 residents for the immediate areas of North York and affecting the areas northward to Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Markham within next ten years.
 
2. The targeted area of Yonge Street between Shepard and Finch, referred to as “Toronto’s North Downtown,” is densely populated with businesses and eateries/restaurants/retail stores that require parking spaces for their customers. The proposed project will reduce approximately 250 street parking spaces accessible on and to Yonge Street. This reduction will have a significant negarive commercial impact on the various business enterprises in the area.
 
3. Yonge Street is a major route within the project area with substantial traffic throughout the day. Reducing the current thoroughfare by having two bicycle lanes on Yonge Street will not only substantially increase traffic congestion but also create potentially serious health and safety concerns for all concerned, including drivers, bicycle-users and pedestrians.
 
4. The existing narrow pedestrian sidewalks are being revamped as new condominium towers and new commercial developments are constructed with setback requirements along the Yonge Street; it is anticipated that all sidewalks in the affected area along the Yonge Street corridor will have wider sidewalks without REimagining.
 
5. From past experience from the bicycle lanes installed on Bloor Street, we have seen the vast increase in traffic congestion as well as increased concerns for the safety of drivers and pedestrians.
 

Alternative Proposal:
An alternative solution would be to construct bicycle lanes on streets running parallel to Yonge Street such as Beecroft Road and Doris Avenue.  Further, these alternative bicycle routes would connect to Hendon Park taking advantage of an approximate 10 kilometer of bicycling pathways just beyond Hendon Avenue and Bishop Avenue; these bicycle pathways already exist.