Tory announces new measures to curb traffic congestion in Toronto

Toronto: As part of his ongoing campaign to curb traffic congestion in the city, Mayor John Tory has announced a new suite of initiatives that he says will “build on the progress” the city has already made.
Speaking to reporters on Monday morning, the mayor outlined six new measures to help address traffic tie-ups in Toronto, including implementing two “quick clear teams” to monitor for cars blocking lanes on the Gardiner Expressway, Don Valley Parkway and other major roadways, and deploying full-time “traffic wardens” at key intersections following the success of a pilot project in 2016.
“The results of the pilot project are in and the pilot project worked. When officers were actively engaged in managing vehicles and pedestrians, we found a minimum of 90 per cent reduction in intersection blockage by vehicles and a seventy per cent reduction in intersection blockage by pedestrians,” Tory said.

The mayor added that upcoming regulatory changes by the provincial government mean the city won’t have to use police officers to monitor intersections under the new program.
“We will be in a position to have under the Highway Traffic Act legally deployed people, who are not police officers but are rather… traffic warden or traffic management officers. They will be deployed to those intersections to make sure on an ongoing, permanent basis we keep things moving and keep people safe,” Tory said.
The traffic wardens and quick clear teams are expected to be in place early next year.
Tory said he also plans to prevent hydro workers and other utility companies from blocking lanes during the day for non-emergency work.
“In the coming days, I will be meeting with the officials of these companies, Toronto Hydro, gas companies, telecom companies, to discuss confining non-emergency work requiring lane closures to off-peak hours of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.,” the mayor said.
“We are going to be sending the message loud and clear; this kind of emergency work cannot take place any longer during the day.”
Other measures outlined in Tory’s plan include sharing city traffic data with Waze, a community- based traffic app, beginning the installation of smart signals next month, and asking for a staff report on increasing fines for “traffic-blocking offences.”
“I am determined to build on the progress we’ve made,” Tory said.
The mayor’s announcement comes as the city kicks off a new week-long traffic blitz.