Transforming our Streets: Road Safety

An issue that keeps popping up during my discussions with Ward 4 residents is Road Safety for pedestrians and cyclists - especially the safety of our young children and older adults! Toronto is on pace to see more than 60 pedestrian fatalities in 2018, despite its Vision Zero Plan, https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/990f-2017-Vision-Zero-Road-Safety-Plan_June1.pdf.

My careful examination of the Vision Zero Plan reveals that many of the new/enhanced safety measures are best practices as outlined within the Global Street Design Guide, https://globaldesigningcities.org/publication/global-street-design-guide/. Despite the Vision Zero safety measures, residents are very concerned and describe witnessing unsafe drivers and/or near misses throughout the streets of Parkdale High Park.

As per one Globe and Mail article, there are five safety measures that could be further considered. These include: (1) give pedestrians a head-start, (2) slow down drivers, (3) enforce the law, (4) modify the road, and (5) change the decision-makers. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-five-changes-toronto-could-make-to-improve-street-safety-for-cyclists/

I commit to working collaboratively with the residents of Ward 4 to conduct road safety audits of high-risk locations so that we can implement the appropriate safety measures for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers.

Road safety for our pedestrians and cyclists