Scarborough North councillor takes three roads out of Vision Zero plan

Cynthia Lai wants 'comprehensive' safety study of her ward

Toronto.com
Sept. 27, 2019
Mike Adler

Toronto’s Vision Zero 2.0 aims to slow traffic down across Scarborough, lowering limits from 60 to 50 kilometres per hour on two dozen stretches of arterial road.

But speed reductions on three North Scarborough roads are out of the plan, at least for now, because the local councillor, Cynthia Lai, wants it that way.

She says most residents and associations in her ward who heard speeds would be cut on Brimley Road between Sheppard and Steeles avenues, and along both Markham Road and McCowan Road between Milner Avenue and Steeles, didn’t like it.

A Sept. 17 community meeting at Milliken Park Community Centre gave Lai a similar impression. A show of hands revealed most of the audience was opposed, she said last week.

“A lot of people thought reducing speed isn’t solving the problem.”

After pedestrian groups argued the city’s original Vision Zero measures were ineffective, mayor John Tory launched version 2.0, which contained a district plan just for Scarborough.

Scarborough has more kilometres of high-speed arterial road than other parts of the city, and the longest walking distances between protected crossings.

The city says arterials such as McCowan, Markham and Brimley are where 90 per cent of pedestrian deaths occur, and Scarborough alone accounts for 43 per cent of Toronto’s mid-block pedestrian fatalities.

Lai, however, said constituents were telling her the speed reductions would cause “gridlock.” As Vision Zero 2.0 passed Toronto city council in July, Lai’s colleagues narrowly agreed to defer a decision on her three arterials “for further consideration and consultation.”

Lai said the speed reductions weren’t scheduled until 2020, and she wants to hear from more people in her ward about traffic safety, suggesting speed reductions on other streets, traffic-calming and other measures can be considered.

“It’s important that we do a comprehensive plan,” said Lai, who has also requested Vision Zero 2.0 materials be provided in languages other than English.