One of the City’s goals in the Official Plan is to have the majority of trips be taken by sustainable transportation – transit, walking, rolling, and riding a bicycle. This shift will have incredible benefits to the neighbourhoods, fewer cars, less pollution, quieter streets, a healthier city.
To meet that goal, people need to feel safe choosing these modes. My office receives countless messages regarding dangerous driving- speeding, red light running, failure to yield the right of way to pedestrians and people on bicycles. With every message I ask staff to examine specific streets or intersections, and they provide information and suggestions for potential changes to help calm motorist speeds and improve safety.
One intersection that I am hearing increasing concerns is the intersection of Woodroffe and Anthony. Anthony it a narrow local street with no sidewalks, and a very over-grown ditch system.
I have been asking City Staff for a sidewalk on Anthony due to it being an important route for people walking to school, and an entry point into the community.
I have heard concerns about drivers turning left from Anthony at the stop sign on to Woodroffe Avenue, the concern is that motorists are not properly yielding the right of way to people crossing at the pedestrian crosswalk, which has a light.
As a result of these concerns, staff recommended placing a flexstake to ensure drivers properly stopped at the stop sign, but the post would also slow drivers making their left-hand turn, allowing more reaction time, should they fail to properly check for pedestrians in the crossing.
I heard from residents the flexstake in this location also slowed motorists on Anthony, as the would turn more slowly from Woodroffe, but also their approach to the intersection would be slower.
On the other hand, I heard from residents that the post was causing problems with drivers turning right from Woodroffe Avenue on to Anthony. Due the narrowness of the street, people walking on Anthony were finding motorists were needing to turn closer to the gravel area, where people are walking to access the crossing.
As a result of these concerns, I requested staff remove the post at the stop sign and asked for them to look again at the intersection and the road for a better solution.
Woodroffe and Anthony are both seeing an increase in motorist traffic, and we expect this to continue due to the change in configuration of Byron Avenue. There is a domino effect from the Richmond Road and Byron Avenue revitalization, while changes to those streets are positive, it will inevitably shift traffic patterns, impacting neighbouring streets. As Anthony becomes a crucial entry point into the community, these effects will be felt even more.
Staff are assessing the possibility of a sidewalk on Anthony as part of the upcoming sewer work for Woodroffe Avenue, but they have cautioned that because there is currently no stormwater system on Anthony, creating a standard sidewalk would require adding a sidewalk could require expensive sewer upgrades. Once again, it all comes down to money.
I have made the case that traffic patterns are shifting, and Anthony is seeing an increase in motorists. I have also asked staff to examine the possibility of this becoming a fully signalized intersection. While such a change could assist with left turns out of Anthony, it will not address the need for a sidewalk.
Anthony needs dedicated space for pedestrians, and I will continue to advocate for the much-needed sidewalk on this important school route. The bottom line is that Anthony needs a sidewalk—period. It’s a vital school route, and I will keep pushing for it.
Staff I have consulted with do understand the concerns with this intersection, but our budget fails to provide the necessary funding to fix it in a permanent way. Frankly, I remain frustrated with the lack of funds set aside by the city for projects such as this. We are then left looking for piecemeal solutions through temporary measures.
During the budget discussions I will continue to advocate for increased funding to be dedicated to retrofitting streets with sidewalks. Our communities are growing, and we need to ensure we are responding properly to the needs of these older neighbourhoods, ensuring that families can get to schools and parks safely.
