'Human error' led to typos in some of Toronto's new cycle path signs, city says
Cp24.com
Jan. 4, 2024
Codi Wilson
The City of Toronto says it is working to correct typos found on a couple of new bike path signs installed just last month, including two that misspelled Lake Shore Trail.
One of the signs, which was spotted on Leslie Street, was posted on Facebook and read “Lake Shore Trial.” Another typo was found on a sign along Eastern Avenue, which spelled the popular Toronto bike path “Lake Share Trail.”
A third sign, which was referenced in a story published by the Toronto Star, pointed out the distance from Danforth and Greenwood avenues to “Downton.”
The city said more than 500 cycling wayfinding signs were successfully installed in December and noted that errors are “rare.”
Replacement signs will be installed by the end of the week, according to a statement provided to CP24.
The statement noted that the city oversees thousands of signs across many categories. The city did not divulge how much it would cost to fix the signs but said associated costs are “insignificant.”
“City staff ensure prompt correction when notified of an exceptional instance of a spelling mistake on a City fabricated sign. Furthermore, the associated costs for rectification are insignificant, underscoring the rarity of such errors in the City’s comprehensive signage network,” the statement continued.
“The City apologizes for the oversight that led to the misspelled signs.”
Staff added that the mistake was a result of “human error in the proofreading process.”
“We are actively reviewing and reinforcing our internal protocols to ensure a more robust system is in place to catch such errors before signs are installed.”
Speaking to CP24 on Wednesday morning, former Toronto mayor John Tory questioned how the typos could get through so many layers of approval.
"To let it get through inevitably what would have been 19 levels of approval... You say to yourself, like how does this happen," he asked.
"This more than anything reduces people’s confidence in government."
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