Tory gets tough on traffic: 'You will be towed,' warns new mayor
Mayor John Tory has issued a six-point plan that includes zero tolerance for illegal stopping and lane blocking.

TheStar.ca
Dec. 4, 2014
Tess Kalinowski

Toronto's new mayor has issued a warning to shredding companies and coffee runners: Whether it's your business or your morning cup of joe, if you block traffic on city streets, you will be towed.

A new zero-tolerance policy on lane blockers and illegal stoppers starts Jan. 1. It's one step in a six-point battle plan in newly minted Mayor John Tory's war on congestion.

"When it comes to traffic, there is a new sheriff in town. We can't go on this way. I won't put up with it," said Tory at the city's Traffic Management Centre on Thursday.

Referring to Toronto's congestion crisis, he promised residents will see action, with more police enforcement in the next 30 days and more towing in the New Year.

His plans include stricter enforcement of no-stopping rules on major roads, an aggressive rush-hour towing policy and, in the spring, modified hours for stopping regulations on streetcar routes.

“Traffic is strangling the city and people are simply fed up with it. There are people who will tell me stories every day about the impact it's having on their family life, the ability to go and get their kids from child care, their ability just to get around,” said Tory.

Stressing that he was elected to tackle congestion, the mayor reiterated his campaign pledge to sit on the city's road closure committee for six months to make sure that closures don't coincide as often with major events and subway closures. He also promised to modernize the flow of information to the city, which is still largely done by fax.

“Just as we have done away with the use of quill pens at city hall, we’re going to find ways to say, ‘Let’s get in the 21st century,’” he said.

Other measures include:

• More technology: 40 additional traffic cameras next year and 80 more in 2016. Tory is asking for a report on using red-light cameras to curb bad behaviour such as blocking intersections. He also wants to pilot “smart” traffic signals at 20 locations in 2015.
• Clearing accident scenes off the roads faster.
• Speeding up the re-timing of traffic signals from 250 intersections next year to 350.
• Developing a joint approach to traffic enforcement among police, parking enforcement and Toronto Transportation Services.
• Reducing lane closures related to private development projects with the use of higher fees. A report will be going to the city's public works and infrastructure committee in February to look at reducing construction-related closures.
• Completing public construction projects faster by extending work hours on major roads to 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and offering premiums for projects finished earlier. The Gardiner Expressway will be among the first projects slated for acceleration, said Tory.

Tougher penalties will help clear the roads, he said. That includes commercial vehicles that frequently block lanes long enough to sport a series of parking tickets on their windshields.

“There is no doubt that there are people who are also gaming the system,” said Tory. “That, too, is going to stop. I have requested our officials review ways to recoup the $4 million in lost revenue annually to parking violators with out-of-province licence plates.”