On June 3rd, TCAT will be addressing the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on the following four issues:

1. Motorized Bicycles on Sidewalks. TCAT supports the Toronto Pedestrian Committee's recommendation that no bicycle that includes a motor of any kind be allowed to travel on the sidewalk. For more info, see this recent Toronto Star article.

According to Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone, the proposed Strachan Avenue super-bridge we told you about in a recent TCAT News has been averted. While the details of what the new structure will look like are still not fully worked out, Metrolinx's new proposed plans promises to address the issue of creating a cycling and pedestrian friendly corridor between the Waterfront and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Metrolinx is proposing a super-bridge going over the CN rail lines at Strachan Avenue. Strachan is a critical access point in the City's west end to Exhibition Place and the Martin Goodman Trail. Problems surrounding the proposal identified by a City of Toronto Oct 2008 staff report include closing important cross streets, concentrating all traffic on the King/Strachan intersection and creating an uninviting and undesirable environment for pedestrians and cyclists.

The City of Toronto is undertaking an environmental assessment to present the results of alternative options to improve safety and operations for the Gardiner Expressway at Kipling Ave. and Islington Ave. Highway interchanges are especially challenging for active transportation and require vigilance in order to properly accommodate cyclists and pedestrians safely and comfortably.

Date: Thursday April 23, 2009
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 110 Jutland Rd. (near Islington Ave. and The Queensway)

Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto (City) are jointly
initiating an environmental assessment (EA) and integrated urban design
study to explore the feasibility of removing the elevated Gardiner
Expressway from approximately Jarvis Street to Logan Avenue.

The "Mimico 20/20 Revitalization Charette" event will take place at the
Mimico Adult Centre, 255 Royal York Road, and will be led by a team of
experts assembled under hired consultant Urban Strategies Inc. This
will be a major community event with almost 20 separate sessions on
various city-building themes with formats including round table
discussions, workshops, invited guest speakers, on-going scale
modeling, hands-on design sessions, as well as a Community Open House
(evening of April 8th). A detailed Charette Abstract & Schedule now

As reported previously in TCAT news,
the City recently held a public meeting to present their plans for
improvements to Jarvis Street. TCAT was represented at the meeting and

Metrolinx is currently hosting community open houses about the
expansion of the Georgetown South Rail Corridor between Malton and
Union Station. Thanks to our readers for alerting us to the importance
of this opportunity for ensuring that space for active transportation
is provided for during the planning stages of this expansion. Metrolinx
needs to hear from the community that it's important to do so.

A couple of issues to consider:

The City of Toronto has undertaken a study to create a Master Plan
for the Western Waterfront. The study area covers a 4 km-long stretch
of the Western Waterfront between the Humber River and Marilyn Bell
Park. Recommendations will be made about the type and location of park
facilities that meet a range of community needs, as well as
improvements to the transportation, transit and pedestrian links with
surrounding neighbourhoods.

Last September, TCAT made a deputation to Toronto and East York
Community Council in support of a proposal to study an alternate
crossing for the current at-grade crossing of the rail corridor on
Strachan Avenue. We stressed the fact that any new crossing design
should meet the safety needs of cyclist and pedestrians first, since
this is a major connection to the waterfront.