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Toronto can learn from Hoboken and make Avenue Road safe

The death of an 89-year-old pedestrian in 2017 was the last straw for the mayor of Hoboken, N.J. “I felt it wasn’t acceptable.”

Street parking was already scarce in Hoboken, New Jersey, when the death of an elderly pedestrian spurred city leaders to remove even more spaces in a bid to end traffic fatalities.

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NYC street with pedestrians

Making Headway on the Perfect New York Street

Curbed asked a team of volunteer architects and consultants led by WXY to imagine a thoroughly reengineered Third Avenue as a model for the rest of the city. The stretch they came up with seemed like a fantasy then and doesn’t exist now, but a different section of the avenue is getting a makeover, and many of the elements we featured are appearing elsewhere, adding up to creeping yet visible change. It can’t come soon enough: Drivers still slam into pedestrians, bikes, and cars with appalling regularity and horrific consequences. Last year, car crashes killed 267 people, including 132 people who were just walking along.

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Greeley Square, NYC

Seven Projects to Reclaim NYC Space From Cars

New York City is moving forward with plans to expand many of its pandemic-era efforts to make streets more accessible to pedestrians and bikers.

These projects, which tap some of the $375 million in funding earmarked to make the city “cleaner and greener,” include more pedestrian plazas on congested streets, wider sidewalks and expanded public space, such as an area below the Manhattan side of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.

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ARSC members accepting Safe Streets award

The Avenue Road Safety Coalition Honoured for its Community Leadership

The Avenue Road Safety Coalition (ARSC) received recognition this week from the Member of the Provincial Parliament, University-Rosedale, Jessica Bell, for our leadership work to improve road safety.

Over the past seven years, the ARSC has been working together with a multitude of organizations and individuals to advocate for redesigning the six-lane Avenue Road expressway between St Clair and Bloor Street West.

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traffic noise

Bothered by unreasonable noise?

You can do something about it.

The City of Toronto is in the final stages of reviewing and updating the Noise Bylaw and you can voice your opinion in the next few days. Send a letter, or register to make a deputation at City Hall on January 11.

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Proposed Avenue Rd. Interventions

City set to unveil long overdue people-centred plan for Avenue Road

In a significant development last month, the City of Toronto unveiled new designs for Avenue Road at an open house event, signalling progress in addressing the long-standing issues. The designs aim to transform Avenue Road into a more pedestrian-friendly, people-friendly environment, prioritizing safety, comfort and connectivity.

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Toronto City Hall

Mayor Olivia Chow launches 2024 Budget Consultations

From November 1 to 30, 2023, Toronto residents are invited to share their ideas about the City’s 2024 Budget and Toronto’s future in virtual and in-person consultations and through an online survey available on the City’s 2024 Budget webpage.

Mayor Chow and Toronto City Council will use the feedback to help inform decision making at the City and to support discussions with the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada to secure a new deal for Toronto.

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Micromobility - bikes, scooters

City survey on micromobility

The City of Toronto is seeking public feedback on the use of micromobility, e.g. bikes, e-bikes and other small vehicles. The results from this survey will be used to develop a city-wide strategy for micromobility, including what new forms might be allowed in future. The survey will be open until December 13, 2023. Take the survey

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distracted driver holding cell phone while driving

Distracted drivers at Avenue Rd. & Davenport

Toronto police officer stops 3 distracted drivers — all on their cellphones — at the same time

On Monday afternoon, Toronto police officer Kirk Papadopoulos was parked on a curbside near Avenue Road and Davenport Road in his unmarked car when he stopped three distracted drivers within the span of about 30 seconds.

Papadopoulos said he saw a vehicle rolled up beside him and noticed a distracted driver.

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New York City traffic congestion

We’re Taking New York City’s Streets Back — and Then We’re Coming for the Rest of the Country

Over the summer, New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority held meetings to discuss how to organize its congestion pricing toll for drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street…

…The fury around congestion pricing is part of a larger debate that has animated a great deal of big city politics of late: Who owns the streets? The public right of way can occupy as much as one-third of the land in big U.S. cities, and various residents have begun to ask if there might be better things to do with all that territory than moving and storing cars.

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