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| Home> News & Views> Streetcar News> IT 03-10-24 |
St.
Clair residents voice concerns over TTC Official Plan Transportation
Insidetoronto.ca
Tracks for the 512 St. Clair streetcar, which operates between Yonge Street and Gunns Road, need to be reconstructed in 2005 as part of the city's ongoing state of good repair program. This time, the TTC wants to clear congestion on the busy street as it tries to implement the city's 30-year Official Plan, which aims to concentrate population growth along busy avenues and transit corridors such as St. Clair Avenue West. With a daily passenger load of 32,000 riders, the streetcar carries between 45 and 57 per cent of all people travelling on St. Clair; only the 510 Spadina Avenue streetcar carries more passengers per route kilometre. Since travel along St. Clair will increase another 14 per cent in the next seven years, the TTC asked residents how to accomplish the difficult task in its first public consultation meeting on the issue. Like many other St. Clair merchants, Vivacqua said making a right of way lane on St. Clair - one solution the TTC is looking at - would prove disastrous, both for traffic and for the local economy. "My contention is that St. Clair not look or become like Spadina Avenue. What they built on Spadina was a disaster," she said to applause. She said her own experience trying to get to her suppliers at Spadina Avenue and Richmond Street prove how difficult it is for drivers to battle right-of-way transit. Mitch Stambler, manager of service planning for the TTC, said cars driving in the same lane as the streetcar is the number one cause of traffic jams along St. Clair. "Having to fight for space on the road causes our service to deteriorate and it makes it less attractive for customers," he said. "It is the TTC's contention that on St. Clair, or other similar routes where streetcars carry 50 to 80 people should have priority over vehicles carrying one or two people," he added. About $25 million to $30 million will be invested in St. Clair Avenue by 2005, with reconstruction for some intersection tracks beginning next year. RIGHT-OF-WAY According to a city staff report, giving streetcars the right-of-way along St. Clair Avenue would shave six minutes off the 35-minute commute from Yonge Street to Keele Street. For Andrew Jeanes, a resident of St. Clair and Vaughan Road who uses the streetcar daily, time is not the issue. He wants more streetcars operating or increased capacity on the streetcars currently in use. "Don't think of it as saving five minutes off the trip, think of it as one whole other streetcar full of people," he said. "I came here tonight on the streetcar and it was packed elbow to cheek," he said, adding he supports the right-of-way plan. Although she drives most of the time, local resident Gianna Oliva said she supports making the streetcar service faster, but not at the expense of dividing the street in half with a streetcar line. "I think it's a good idea to do it, but I hope they can do it without destroying the look of the street. Keep it as it is, but make it so more people can get around better. Spadina is ridiculous. I haven't travelled along Spadina since they rebuilt it," she said. "There has to be a balance between pedestrians, cars and transit." Local resident Sarah Climenhaga agreed. "I hope this doesn't seem like us residents are pitted against the businesses. I support the right-of-way but I support the local businesses as well," she said, urging the TTC to reach a fair compromise that would satisfy both sides.
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