TOWN
CRIER - FOREST HILL - December 2003
St
Clair Revitalization shifts into second gear
Public
invited to review and debate options during February consultations
Kris
Scheuer
TOWN CRIER
Revitalizing
St. Clair Ave. W. is a juggling act of pleasing drivers, cyclists,
pedestrians and transit users as well as local residents and business
owners. This strip from Yonge St. to Keele St. certainly needs
some help though as it was recently named one of the worst streets
for traffic in all of Ontario.
"Driving north on Avenue Rd. (across St. Clair W.) is like driving
on a rural road over railway tracks," said St. Paul’s Councillor
Michael Walker (Ward 22). "It is a shambles."
If you want input into what will become of this street, the city
plans a second round of public consultation sessions in the new
year. Local councillors and the city’s planning and transit staff
held two heated public meetings on Oct. 16 and 21. The second
week of December they will meet with any group impacted by changes
along St. Clair. Once the city has various options to debate,
it will hold a second round of public sessions in February.
One of the reasons the discussions, thus far, has been so hot
is that one of the options is a streetcar right-of-way. If transit-only
lanes are approved, it would alter the entire strip. This could
mean more parking, or fewer spots, no left hand turns from the
transit lane, or an advanced green for turns, bike lanes or none,
possibly wider sidewalks and more trees, and various other forms
of transforming St. Clair W.
The point is, nothing has been decided yet, said St. Paul’s Councillor
Joe Mihevc (Ward 21). And this is where you come in, if you want
to have your say there is still time.
"People think there is a done deal. It is not a done deal and
if it is I know nothing about it," Mihvec said on Dec. 5. "Nothing
has been decided yet."
"There is a lot of information being mixed with misinformation
out there. My hope is that cooler heads will prevail," he said.
"The staff is looking at each model and each plan and they are
using a big computer at U of T to simulate traffic flows and the
impact that different scenarios will have."
"They are looking at (how) right-of-ways work in 20 different
cities," said Mihevc.
However, Walker added, "I sense a lot of opposition to a streetcar
right-of-way. It will create a lot of (traffic) on the side streets."
Mihevc said that in that area of the city the grid pattern is
more north-south not east-west, so if cars are diverted off St.
Clair W., they are unlikely to move on to east-west side streets
as people fear.
In 2004, the TTC is repairing its aging tracks regardless and
this is why the city is examining what else can take place at
the same time.
"You could just re-do the tracks," said Walker. "You could have
left hand turns with an advanced green (in the streetcar lane).
Or what about using buses?"
"Our goal is revitalization; better TTC and better business and
strong neighbourhood," said Mihevc.
"I don’t know if we should spend all this money for this change
unless we have the public support. There interests come first,"
said Walker. "I don’t think we necessarily need one solution for
all of St. Clair West."
To inquire about the next public meetings, call James Yacoumidis
at 416-392-4331. The city has posted its environmental assessment
at Toronto .
Also visit My St. Clair , which offers tons of
material on the process to date.
