THE BELTLINE TRAIL PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE WITH NOTES ON THE PARK DRIVE RESERVATION AND THE VALE OF AVOCA ___________________________________________________________________________________ Cycle Toronto Submitted: Jan. 29, 2013 Edition: Second Prepared by: Cycle Toronto Authors: Michael Black, John Taranu, Ken Brown, Burns Wattie Download: http://cycleto.ca/beltline-report Website: cycleto.ca/ward/22 Email: [email protected] 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report has drawn upon the work of hundreds of people over many decades, but we are especially grateful to the following for their input and contributions: Kay Gardner Ontario Trails Council, especially Patrick Connor Matthew Sweig & Victor Ford – Victor Ford Associates Wendy Strickland, Garth Armour & Alex Shevchuk – Parks, Forestry & Recreation Department, City of Toronto MPP Mike Colle Christina Bouchard & Jennifer Hyland – Transportation Services Department, City of Toronto Bianca Wylie – Swerhun Associates Jason Diceman – City of Toronto Dr. Chris Cavacuiti – St Michael’s Hospital Gary Miedema – Heritage Toronto Michael Mesure – Fatal Light Awareness Program Derek Boles – Toronto Railway Historical Association Peter Henry – Toronto Police 53 Division Ulli Rath – Friends of Oriole Park Joe Cooper The helpful librarians at the Deer Park Library, the Toronto Reference Library and the Toronto Archives. We also wish to thank all the petitioners who signed our petition, our endorsers, and the many trail users who attended the public consultation meetings. © 2013 Cycle Toronto 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 8 SCOPE OF BELTLINE PROJECT ..................................................................................................... 11 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................... 12 WHAT IS THE BELTLINE? ......................................................................................................... 12 EARLY HISTORY ....................................................................................................................... 12 Humber Loop .......................................................................................................................... 13 Yonge Street Loop .................................................................................................................. 14 POLITICAL STRIFE .................................................................................................................... 16 Abutting homes and highrises ................................................................................................. 16 Forest Hill ................................................................................................................................ 16 Davisville ................................................................................................................................. 18 Moore Park Ravine .................................................................................................................. 19 Property Values ....................................................................................................................... 20 TRAIL FUNCTION ............................................................................................................................. 20 Unified rail trail ........................................................................................................................ 20 Recreational and utilitarian roles ............................................................................................. 21 Off-road trails given preference over on-street bike lanes ........................................................ 22 Toronto Bike Plan .................................................................................................................... 22 Function of ravine trails ........................................................................................................... 23 CROSSINGS ..................................................................................................................................... 24 HISTORY .................................................................................................................................... 24 19th Century ............................................................................................................................ 24 20th Century ............................................................................................................................ 25 Support in the past for safe crossings ...................................................................................... 25 STATUS QUO ............................................................................................................................ 27 Bias of traffic engineers ........................................................................................................... 27 The distance factor .................................................................................................................. 27 Trail user comments ................................................................................................................ 29 METHODS TO MAKE CROSSINGS SAFER .............................................................................. 29 Synchronized signals .............................................................................................................. 30 Precedents .............................................................................................................................. 30 Hybrid signals .......................................................................................................................... 31 Underpasses and overpasses ................................................................................................. 32 Safety Refuge Islands ............................................................................................................. 32 Curb cuts ................................................................................................................................. 32 Raised crossings ..................................................................................................................... 33 Surfacing markings .................................................................................................................. 34 Signage ................................................................................................................................... 34 Community Safety Zone designation ....................................................................................... 35 SPECIFIC CROSSINGS ............................................................................................................. 35 Mt. Pleasant Rd. ...................................................................................................................... 35 Lascelles Blvd. ........................................................................................................................ 36 Oriole Parkway ........................................................................................................................ 37 Avenue Rd. ............................................................................................................................. 38 Forest Hill Memorial Arena ...................................................................................................... 38 Bathurst ................................................................................................................................... 38 Old Park Road ......................................................................................................................... 39 3 Allen- Newgate Rd. ................................................................................................................. 39 Ronald Avenue ........................................................................................................................ 40 Caledonia Road....................................................................................................................... 40 LIGHTING .......................................................................................................................................... 41 LET THERE BE LIGHT ............................................................................................................... 41 Benefits of lighting ................................................................................................................... 42 Police ...................................................................................................................................... 43 Comparative risk ..................................................................................................................... 44 Trail user comments ................................................................................................................ 47 CURRENT SITUATION .............................................................................................................. 47 Beltline and Yellow Creek Trails .............................................................................................. 47 Merton St. condos ..................................................................................................................