[getsmart-l] FW: TURN Update on South Kingsway-Queensway Interchange

[Janet May]

>From Marty Collier: 

 

 

Please forward this email to others concerned about sustainable
transportation in Toronto. To be removed from our mailing list, please
respond with "Remove TURN" in the subject line. Thank you!
********************************************************************

Greetings,

The Toronto Urban Renewal Network (TURN) is working for safer cycling,
pedestrian and transit infrastructure at The South Kingsway and Queensway
Interchange (SKQI), a car-oriented area located in the southwest corner of
Ward 13.  Assuming you are interested in this project, we are taking the
liberty of providing you with a very brief synopsis of what has been
happening over the last several months and to ask for your help.

The City of Toronto has allocated almost $1 million to address safety and
access concerns in the 1950s expressway style interchange so that it could
be urbanized and shared by everyone: car drivers, cyclists, pedestrians,
transit users and bladers.  Unfortunately, Councillor and Pedestrian
Committee Co-Chair Bill Saundercook decided to kill the City's original
"Link Road" plan in July 2007.  At this time, the Toronto Urban Renewal
Network (TURN) was established and, with the support of The Toronto
Pedestrian Committee and the Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee, we have
been able to reopen the file. 

After many months, the City is now ready to present a very watered-down
version of the original design.  The report outlining this plan will go to
Etobicoke York Community Council (EYCC) for interim approval on July 7th and
subsequently to City Council for final approval.  TURN has been told that
the new design only incorporates "minor modifications" leaving the
intersection as a hostile and dangerous environment for cyclists and
pedestrians alike.  We find this to be unacceptable.  There will not be
another chance to make interchange changes for a long, long time.  With $1
million in the bank, we must capitalize on the opportunity we have now to
improve this intersection for the transportation needs of the 21st century.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

** You are cordially invited to take part in the "Ride the South Kingsway
Cloverleaf" bike month event on May 27th to raise awareness of the safety
issues at this intersection.  More info can be found at www.TOrenewal.ca
** Attend the important EYCC meeting at the Etobicoke Civic Centre on July
7th. The more citizens we have at this community council session the more we
can influence the process.  Let us know if you can be there and we'll send
you the agenda as soon as it is made public.   Alternatively, you can
call/email Glenda Jagai, Committee Clerk, at 416-394-2516 or
<mailto:etcc at toronto.ca> etcc at toronto.ca to have the agenda sent to you.
** Make a deputation (stand up and speak) at the meeting.  Again, the more
people who speak to the issue the more likely the councillors will listen.
You must call Glenda Jagai if you would like to make a deputation.  If
required, TURN can help you with "talking points" - there are many! 
** Whether you can attend the June 10th meeting or not, consider
writing/emailing your comments to your councilor, EYCC members and the
Mayor.  See below for a sample letter you can use.  Feel free to add
anything you feel is pertinent.  The list of councillors and city staff who
should be "copied" are also provided.
** Get in touch with us and volunteer.  We need your help -- and so do
future generations of Torontonians!!!

Thank you for considering the opportunity to help out in any way you can.
Please email us with any questions, suggestions or concerns.

Regards,

Toronto Urban Renewal Network (TURN)
 <http://www.TOrenewal.ca> www.TOrenewal.ca 

************************************************

Here is sample wording that you can use for an email/letter to City
councillors and staff - simply cut and paste or personalize it!

Subject: South Kingsway-Queensway Interchange

To: mayor_miller at toronto.ca, councillor_nunziata at toronto.ca,
councillor_hall at toronto.ca, councillor_digiorgio at toronto.ca,
councillor_ford at toronto.ca, councillor_grimes at toronto.ca,
councillor_holyday at toronto.ca, councillor_lindsay_luby at toronto.ca,
councillor_mammoliti at toronto.ca, councillor_milczyn at toronto.ca,
councillor_palacio at toronto.ca, councillor_saundercook at toronto.ca,
councillor_heaps at toronto.ca, welsh at toronto.ca, gwright1 at toronto.ca,
jniedra at toronto.ca, dnagler@ toronto.ca, degan at toronto.ca,
ppalmer at toronto.ca, toronto_turn at hotmail.com


Dear Mayor Miller, Councillors and Staff,

I am writing to ask that you support a major re-design and urbanization of
the South Kingsway-Queensway Interchange (SKQI).  In doing so, you will be
supporting a multi-modal street that is safe and accessible for all citizens
living in and around the redeveloping area.  

According to City staff, "the interchange is incompatible with the desired
urban form for the area as promoted in the City of Toronto Official Plan and
Urban Design Guidelines, and favours the movement of motorized vehicles
rather than the safety and access of other users such as cyclists,
pedestrians and TTC passengers."  The SKQI is also incompatible with the
City's Bike Plan, Pedestrian Charter and Climate Change Action Plan.  It
will also be out of sync with the soon-to-be released Pedestrian Strategy,
Western Waterfront Master Plan and Metrolinx's Regional Transportation Plan.

By way of an Environmental Assessment carried out between 2006 and 2007, the
City found that the current SKQI configuration contains 13 safety and access
conflicts that create a dangerous environment, especially for non-motorized
users.  In June 2007, Transportation Services Division (TSD) proposed that a
"Link Road" (the preferred alternative) would address the many safety and
conflict issues.   Although the Toronto Pedestrian Committee supported this
alternative, Councillor and Pedestrian Committee Co-Chair Bill Saundercook
decided to scrap the plans proposed by the City's transportation experts.
Instead, he instructed the TSD to come up with only "minor modifications" so
that the existing highway style ramps and intersection will be, for the most
part, maintained in their current auto-oriented configuration. 

"Minor modifications" will not address the many safety concerns that the
City itself has identified.  They will also not meet the policies set forth
by the City's Official Plan and other City and provincial plans mentioned
above.  Will the City and Councillor Saundercook be held accountable when a
pedestrian, cyclist or motorist is injured or killed due to an unsafe
intersection that could have been improved for everyone through a major
redesign?

I look forward to hearing of your support for the Link Road proposal or, at
least, for a design charrette/planning exercise that will give the community
a new opportunity to bring this 1950's style interchange into the 21st
century.  

Sincerely,

Name
Address, Ward, Phone Number/Email 

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