Expect more traffic staff at Toronto's busiest intersections. Here's where you'll find them

City expanding its traffic agents program from 14 staff to 30 this year

Cbc.ca
April 19, 2023

Bumper-to-bumper traffic that doesn't budge. Pedestrians having to dodge vehicles that run a red light. Incessant honking.

Toronto's traffic congestion may feel like it's reached new heights lately with the weather warming, many workers back at the office and city events ramping up.

The city says it wants to mitigate those frustrations through initiatives that include expanding its traffic agents program.

That means more staff in yellow vests will be posted at the intersections seeing the worst of the congestion, city staff said at a news conference Tuesday.

The program places traffic agents at various spots throughout the city during rush hour periods to manage congestion, make sure there's room for emergency vehicles and that drivers are following the rules of the road. That's especially important ahead of a busy summer and as transit construction will lead to some road closures, said Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie.

This year, a total of 30 agents will be deployed, up from 14 currently.

Here's where you'll find them
Traffic agents will be posted at the following intersections, the city says:

• Front Street West and Bay Street..
• Front Street West and Simcoe Street
• Front Street West and University Avenue/York Street.
• Adelaide Street West and University Avenue.
• Adelaide Street East and Jarvis Street.
• Queen Street West and Bay Street.
• Wellington Street West and Simcoe Street.
• Lower Jarvis Street and Lake Shore Boulevard East.
• York Street and Gardiner Expressway (on-ramp).
• Bloor Street West and Bay Street.
• Bay Street and Richmond Street West.
• Spadina Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard West.
• Yonge Street and Lake Shore Boulevard.
• Bremner Boulevard and York Street.
• Eglinton Avenue West and Allen Road.
• Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue.

The traffic agents program was first piloted in 2016 and resulted in a "90 per cent reduction in blocked intersections and a 70 per cent reduction in blockage of intersections by pedestrians," the city said.

To supplement the program, police officers with special constable designation will be assigned to some intersections during peak traffic periods on a six-month basis as part of a pilot program. Up to 20 officers per day can be used on a "call-back basis," said the city.

No on-duty operation police resources will be used, said Lauren Pogue, the deputy chief of the Toronto Police, at the news conference.

Transit construction to create more traffic
A January report found that Toronto was the third-most congested city in North America and seventh out of the more than 1,000 cities scored. Transit not keeping up with decades of population growth has led residents to opt for car travel, York Centre Coun. James Pasternak told CBC Toronto in January.

Roger Brown, director of traffic management for the city, said at the Tuesday news conference that city is also working on other traffic management initiatives, including with working with TTC to allow advanced signals for transit vehicles to improve efficiency and management around event venue traffic.

McKelvie said last week that priority routes and a traffic signal pilot program were being launched to plan for anticipated delays caused by construction to the Ontario Line, which will close part of Queen Street from Bay Street to Victoria Street for years. Fifteen new stations are being built from this year into 2027.