CITY CLERK. Lesmill Road, Leslie Street to Duncan Mill Road Class Environmental Assessment Study (Don Valley East)

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1 CITY CLERK Clause embodied in Report No. 14 of the, as adopted by the Council of the City of Toronto at its meeting held on November 6, 7 and 8, Lesmill Road, Leslie Street to Duncan Mill Road Class Environmental Assessment Study (Don Valley East) (City Council on November 6, 7 and 8, 2001, adopted this Clause, without amendment.) The recommends the adoption of the Recommendation of the Budget Advisory Committee embodied in the following communication (October 18, 2001) from the City Clerk: Recommendation: The Budget Advisory Committee recommended to the, and Council, the adoption of the recommendations of the Works Committee embodied in the communication (October 17, 2001) from the City Clerk. Background: The Budget Advisory Committee at its meeting held on October 18, 2001, had before it a communication (October 17, 2001) from the City Clerk advising that the Works Committee at its meeting held on October 17, 2001, recommended the adoption of the following recommendations embodied in the report (October 3, 2001) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services respecting the Lesmill Road, Leslie Street to Duncan Mill Road, Class Environmental Assessment Study: (1) the recommendations contained in the Project File for the Lesmill Road Class Environmental Assessment Study, as described in this report, be approved; and (2) authority be granted to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to issue a Notice of Completion for the Lesmill Road Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study in accordance with the requirements set out in the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.

2 2 Recommendation: (Communication dated October 17, 2001, addressed to the Budget Advisory Committee from the City Clerk) The Works Committee at its meeting on October 17, 2001, recommended the adoption of the report dated October 3, 2001, from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services respecting the Lesmill Road, Leslie Street to Duncan Mill Road, Class Environmental Assessment Study. Purpose: (Report dated October 3, 2001, addressed to the Works Committee from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services) To request authority to issue a Notice of Completion for the Lesmill Road Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study, which recommends widening Lesmill Road, between Leslie Street and Duncan Mill Road, from two lanes to three lanes. Financial Implications and Impact Statement: The estimated cost to widen Lesmill Road, from Leslie Street to Duncan Mill Road, is $200,000.00, and can be accommodated within the 2002 Transportation Services Division s Capital Budget. Recommendations: It is recommended that: (1) the recommendations contained in the Project File for the Lesmill Road Class Environmental Assessment Study, as described in this report, be approved; and (2) authority be granted to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to issue a Notice of Completion for the Lesmill Road Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study in accordance with the requirements set out in the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment. Background: Lesmill Road was initially constructed from York Mills Road to just north of Duncan Mill Road to provide access to the Wrentham Estates Business Park. In 1987, the former Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto undertook a Class Environmental Assessment Study to extend Lesmill Road to Leslie Street to improve access to the business park, and increase the levels-of-service of the arterial roads that bound it. Through the 1987 EA process, the preferred design for the

3 3 extension of Lesmill Road to Leslie Street comprised one channelized outbound right-turn lane and two inbound lanes that taper to one lane approximately 70 metres east of Leslie Street. Recent traffic investigations undertaken by Transportation Services Division staff during the morning peak period have revealed operational problems on Lesmill Road, between Leslie Street and Duncan Mill Road, that could not be remedied with operational changes alone. A Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) Study was initiated in early 2001 to review alternatives that could improve existing traffic operations on Lesmill Road during the morning peak period. Comments: Study Process: The Lesmill Road Class Environmental Assessment Study was carried out in accordance with the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) requirements for a Schedule B project. Projects which fall under Schedule B of the Class EA may produce some limited adverse environmental effects, and are required to undergo a screening process in which the public and affected agencies are consulted. A screening process in the Class EA comprises the first two phases of the environmental planning process. These two phases are: (i) (ii) Phase 1 Identification of Problem or Opportunity; and Phase 2 Identification and Evaluation of Alternative Solutions. Phase 1 of the Class EA process consists of identifying and quantifying the problems or opportunities that need to be addressed. These problems/opportunities can either be identified by the municipality through the normal course of transportation programming or through concerns raised by commuters or residents. Examples of problems for road projects include the need for road maintenance, traffic safety concerns and the need for additional traffic capacity. Phase 2 of the Class EA process consists of identifying potential alternative solutions that could be implemented to address the problem/opportunity identified in Phase 1; assessing each of those potential solutions to determine which of them would best address the problem/opportunity, and what impacts they would have on the natural and socio-economic environments; and consulting with the affected agencies and the public to solicit their input prior to finalizing the preferred solution. Public involvement is an integral and on-going part of the study process for a Class EA Study. Schedule B studies require two mandatory points of contacts with affected agencies, members of the public and interest groups. The public consultation process for this Class EA Study is detailed in Appendix A of this report. The Study Area for this project, as shown on Figure 1 attached to this report, is bounded by Highway 401 to the north, Leslie Street to the west, York Mills Road to the south and Don Mills Road to the east. All of the roads within the Study Area are under the jurisdiction of the City of Toronto except for Highway 401, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.

4 4 Identification of Problem/Opportunity: Observations made during field investigations on Lesmill Road during the morning peak period revealed that approximately 1300 vehicles enter Lesmill Road at Leslie Street during a typical weekday morning peak hour. The elimination of one of the two eastbound lanes, just east of Leslie Street, combined with a sharp curve in the road at approximately the same location requires motorists to slow down to merge and negotiate the curve at the same time. Observations revealed this results in delays and queuing on Lesmill Road. In addition, the turning movements at the driveways on Lesmill Road, and the left-turning traffic at Duncan Mill Road further impede the flow of southbound through traffic during the morning peak period. Field observations have also shown that the queuing on Lesmill Road often extends to Leslie Street and prevents southbound motorists on Leslie Street from making a left turn onto Lesmill Road. As a result, the southbound left-turn traffic queue on Leslie Street extends into the adjacent through lane and reduces the southbound through capacity on Leslie Street. Details on the existing physical and traffic operations environments in the Study Area are described in Appendices B and C of this report. Identification and Evaluation of Alternative Solutions: Seven alternative solutions were identified that could potentially address the traffic operational problems currently experienced by motorists on Lesmill Road and the associated impacts on Leslie Street. These alternatives are: Alternative 1 Alternative 2 Alternative 3 Alternative 4 Alternative 5 Alternative 6 Alternative 7 Do Nothing - this alternative is required to be assessed in all Class EA Studies; Widen Lesmill road to provide two southbound lanes and one northbound lane between Leslie Street and Duncan Mill Road; Widen Lesmill Road to provide one southbound lane, one northbound lane, and a continuous centre left-turning lane (CCLTL) between Leslie Street and Duncan Mill Road; Widen Lesmill Road at Duncan Mill Road to provide for a southbound left-turn lane; Widen Lesmill Road to provide two northbound and two southbound lanes between Leslie Street and Lesmill Road; Install traffic control signals on Lesmill Road at Duncan Mill Road; and Install all-way stop controls on Lesmill Road at Duncan Mill Road. Alternatives 6 and 7 are traffic control strategies that do not require EA approval on their own, and could be implemented in conjunction with any of the other five alternative solutions listed above. The assessments of Alternatives 6 and 7, as described below and in Appendix C, hold

5 5 true, regardless of whether they are implemented on their own or in conjunction with the other alternatives. If one of these two alternatives is deemed necessary in the future, it can be installed with approval required only from City of Toronto Council. Each of the seven alternatives was screened by a common set of criteria to determine their benefits and impacts on the environment. The results of the technical analyses was that Alternative 2 was identified as the preferred solution based on its ability to address the identified traffic problems and its limited potential for adverse environmental impacts. The criteria that was used and a detailed evaluation of each of the alternatives are attached to this report as Appendix D. Public and Agency Comments: The identification of Alternative 2 as the technically preferred solution was generally well received by the public and agencies who provided comments on the Study. Twenty-three responses were received from area business owners, employees and commuters. The Canadian National Railway (CNR), the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation (MTCR) also provided comments on this Class EA Study. A description of the comments and concerns that were received from the public and the agencies, and the responses to those concerns, is contained in Appendix E of this report. The Preferred Design: The following design is recommended for Lesmill Road, between Leslie Street and Duncan Mill Road: (i) (ii) (iii) a 4.0 m eastbound/southbound curb lane; a 3.35 m eastbound/southbound median lane; and a 4.0 m westbound/northbound lane. To improve the level-of-service at the intersection of Lesmill Road and Duncan Mill Road, new pavement markings are recommended to be installed on Duncan Mill Road at Lesmill Road to create three lanes as follows: (i) (ii) (iii) a 3.85 m westbound curb lane; a 3.30 m westbound median lane; and a 3.85 m eastbound lane. The existing pavement width of Duncan Mill Road at Lesmill Road is 11.0 metres and can accommodate the proposed pavement marking arrangement without the need for Duncan Mill Road to be widened. Installing pavement markings on Duncan Mill Road as described above is expected to reduce the delays and queuing on this road by allowing westbound motorists on Duncan Mill Road to make a right turn without having to wait for left-turning vehicles to clear the intersection first.

6 6 It is also recommended that the existing partial sidewalk on the west side of Lesmill Road be extended to Duncan Mill Road to improve pedestrian safety. The existing and recommended cross sections for Lesmill Road are illustrated in Figure 2, attached to this report. Impacts and Mitigation: Most of the street trees on the west side of Lesmill Road are not expected to be impacted by the widening of Lesmill Road as a result of their distance from the curb line except for the four trees located at 360 Lesmill Road. These trees are approximately 1.5 metres from the existing curb line and will have to be removed to accommodate the road widening and the extension of the existing sidewalk. Opportunities for relocating the four affected trees will be explored during the detailed design stage of the project. Replacement opportunities, if relocation of the existing trees is not possible, will also be explored. A licensed archaeologist is recommended to be retained during the detailed design stage of the project to undertake the necessary archaeological assessment to determine the presence of an early Iroquoian Village. To mitigate the potential for stormwater quality impacts on the Don River, it is recommended that oil/grit separators be incorporated in the detailed design for the widening of Lesmill Road. To mitigate the potential for sediments to enter the valley and any nearby watercourse during construction, it is recommended that a sediment and erosion control plan be prepared during the detailed design stage and implemented during construction. Next Steps: If the City of Toronto Council endorses the recommendations of this report, a Notice of Completion will be issued indicating that the Project File will be filed on public record for a 30-day review period according to the requirements of the Class EA process. During this period, affected agencies, members of the public or interest groups who have concerns with the proposed project, which cannot be resolved with City staff, may write to the Minister of the Environment to request a Part II Order. If a Part II Order (formerly known as a bump-up) is granted, then the project cannot proceed until an Individual Environmental Assessment is prepared by the proponent and approved by the Minister. If a Part II Order is not granted or no objections have been submitted during the 30-day filing period, the Study is approved under the Environmental Assessment Act and the project may proceed to construction. Conclusions: There are existing southbound traffic operations problems on Lesmill Road, between Leslie Street and Duncan Mill Road, during the morning peak period that cannot be remedied with operational changes alone. These problems not only result in delays and property access constraints on Lesmill Road, but also impact southbound traffic operations and safety on Leslie Street. A Class Environmental Assessment Study was undertaken to review the existing operations and constraints on Lesmill Road, between Leslie Street and Duncan Mill Road, and determine a preferred alternative which could address those operational problems and constraints.

7 7 Seven alternative solutions were developed and evaluated using a common set of criteria to determine their benefits and impacts. Based on the analyses undertaken and the public and agency input received during this Class EA process, it is recommended that Lesmill Road be widened, between Leslie Street and Duncan Mill Road, from two lanes to three lanes to provide an additional southbound lane. This modification, combined with new lane configurations on Duncan Mill Road, will provide sufficient capacity to improve traffic operations and safety on Lesmill Road, Duncan Mill Road and Leslie Street. Contact: John P. Kelly, P. Eng., Manager, Infrastructure Planning, Tel: (416) , Fax: (416) ; jkelly@city.toronto.on.ca Appendix A Public Consultation Process for Lesmill Road Class EA Study Public involvement is an integral and on-going part of the study process for a Class EA Study. Schedule B studies require two mandatory points of contact with affected agencies, members of the public and interest groups. The first point of contact typically occurs after the proponent has developed and evaluated alternative solutions. It is at this stage of the study that the public and review agencies are invited to review the work completed to date and provide comments prior to the proponent finalizing the preferred alternative solution. The second point of mandatory contact is to advise the public and review agencies of the completion of the planning process for the study. A Notice of Completion is issued at this point and completes the screening requirements for Schedule B projects. To ensure that this Study meets the public consultation requirements set out in the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process, a public consultation plan was developed early on in the Study, which outlined methods for which and when to contact the affected agencies and the businesses within the Study Area. Those methods are described in the next few paragraphs of this report. Input was sought from the public and relevant agencies upon the development and preliminary evaluation of the alternative solutions for this Study. A database of potentially interested parties was initially compiled and continuously updated throughout the Study to include those who showed an interest in being kept up-to-date on the progress of the Study. This database included agencies, ministries, resident associations, schools in the area, and a listing of the businesses located on Lesmill Road, between Leslie Street and Duncan Mill Road. There were no Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) identified for this Study Area. To meet the requirements for the first mandatory point of contact as described in the Municipal Class EA process, a flyer was prepared outlining the problem statement, the various alternative solutions that were being considered, and the preferred alternative solution. This flyer was distributed to the businesses and residents within the Study Area by City staff and by a

8 8 distribution company. The information contained on the flyer was also sent to the community/recreation centres in the area for posting and also highlighted in the City s web site. In addition to the flyer delivery in the Study Area, a newspaper advertisement was also placed in the July 1 and 4, 2001 issues of the North York Mirror to notify the community of this Study and to solicit their comments. A letter was also mailed to potentially affected agencies and ministries to notify them of this Study and to solicit their input as well. The different agencies and ministries contacted during this Study are listed below: (1) Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation (2) Ministry of the Environment (3) Ministry of Natural Resources (4) Ministry of Transportation (5) The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (6) Six Nations of the Grand River (7) Native Canadian Centre (8) Hydro One (9) GO Transit (10) Toronto Hydro (11) Rogers Cable System (12) CN Rail (13) Bell Canada (14) Enbridge Consumers Gas (15) Toronto Police Service (16) Toronto Fire Services (17) Toronto Emergency Medical Services Appendix B Physical Characteristics of Roads and Existing Traffic Control Devices within Study Area Existing Road Network: Leslie Street is a north-south major arterial. Between Highway 401 and the CN rail line, it has three northbound lanes and two southbound lanes plus turning lanes at intersections. From the CN rail line to York Mills Road, it has a basic four-lane cross-section with turning lanes where required. Leslie Street has direct access to and from Highway 401. There are sidewalks on both sides of Leslie Street within the Study Area. The right-of-way of Leslie Street within the Study Area is 30 metres. York Mills Road is an east-west major arterial. From Don Mills Road to Lesmill Road, it has a basic six-lane cross section with either right-turning or left-turning lanes at intersections. From Lesmill Road to Leslie Street, it has a six-lane cross section divided by a raised median with

9 9 right-turning and/or left-turning lanes. The westbound curb lane ends as a right-turn lane at Leslie Street. The right-of-way of York Mills Road is 36 metres. Don Mills Road is a north-south major arterial. Between Highway 401 and York Mills Road, it has a basic six-lane cross-section with right-turning and/or left-turning lanes. There are sidewalks on both sides of Don Mills Road within the Study Area. The right-of-way of Don Mills Road is 36 metres. Lesmill Road is a two-lane collector road that provides direct access to the Wrentham Estates Business Park from both Leslie Street and York Mills Road. At Leslie Street, Lesmill Road is widened to provide for two inbound lanes and one channelized right-turn outbound lane. The two inbound lanes merge into one lane approximately 70 metres east of Leslie Street. At approximately that same location, there is a sharp horizontal curve in the road. At York Mills Road, Lesmill Road is widened to a four-lane cross-section to provide two inbound and two outbound lanes (one left-turn lane and one right-turn/through lane). There are numerous driveways that provide direct access for various businesses onto Lesmill Road. There is also a sidewalk along the east side of Lesmill Road, and a partial sidewalk on the west side. The right-of-way of Lesmill Road is 20 metres Duncan Mill Road is a two-lane collector road that provides direct access to the Wrentham Estates Business Park from Don Mills Road. Duncan Mill Road connects Don Mills Road to Lesmill Road. At Don Mills Road, Duncan Mill Road is widened to a five-lane cross section to provide two inbound and three outbound lanes. There are numerous driveways that front onto Duncan Mill Road. There is also a sidewalk on the south side of Duncan Mill Road. The right-of-way of Duncan Mill Road is 20 metres. Valleybrook Drive is a two-lane collector road that connects Lesmill Road to Duncan Mill Road. There is a sidewalk on the west side of the road and numerous driveways front onto it as well. The right-of-way of Valleybrook Drive is 20 metres. Moatfield Drive is a two-lane collector road that provides direct access to the Wrentham Estates Business Park from Don Mills Road. At Don Mills Road, Moatfield Drive is widened to a four-lane cross section to provide for two inbound and two outbound lanes. There is a sidewalk on the south side of the road and four driveways front on to it. The right-of-way of Moatfield Drive is 20 metres. Highway 401 is an east-west multi-lane expressway under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation Ontario. Within the Study Area, access to/from the expressway is via ramps located on Leslie Street. Existing Traffic Control Devices: The intersections of Leslie Street and Lesmill Road, Leslie Street and York Mills Road, and York Mills Road and Lesmill Road are controlled by traffic signals. A southbound flashing advanced green phase is provided at the Leslie Street/Lesmill Road intersection to accommodate the heavy southbound left-turn volumes. It should be noted that the westbound to northbound movement at the Leslie Street/Lesmill Road intersection is controlled by a yield sign.

10 10 The intersections of Lesmill Road and Duncan Mill Road, Lesmill Road and Valleybrook Drive, Duncan Mill Road and Valleybrook Drive, and Valleybrook Drive and Moatfield Drive are controlled by stop signs. All of these intersections are T-intersections and only the drivers on the terminating roads are required to stop. The posted speed limit on Lesmill Road, Duncan Mill Road, Valleybrook Drive, and Moatfield Drive is 50 kph. The posted speed limit on the arterial roads is 60 kph within the Study Area. Appendix C Typical Peak Period Vehicular Volumes and Transit Ridership on Roads within the Study Area Road Two-Way Vehicular Volume a.m. peak hour p.m. peak hour Leslie Street 3,700 4,100 York Mills Road 2,860 2,600 Don Mills Road 2,720 2,700 Lesmill Road 2,160 2,400 Duncan Mill Road 1, Valleybrook Drive Road Peak Directional Volume a.m. peak hour p.m. peak hour Leslie Street 2,430 (northbound) 2,100 (southbound) York Mills Road 1,550 (westbound) 1,790 (eastbound) Don Mills Road 2,330 (southbound) 1,900 (northbound) Lesmill Road 1,300 (southbound) 810 (northbound) Duncan Mill Road 760 (eastbound) 540 (westbound) Valleybrook Drive 380 (northbound) 320 (southbound) Public Transit: The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) runs buses (Route 122) between the York Mills subway station and Fenelon Drive. The buses travel eastbound along York Mills Road, turning left at Lesmill Road and right at Duncan Mill Road, continuing to Graydon Hall Place and terminating at Fenelon Drive. On the return trip, the buses travel westbound on Duncan Mill Road, turn left onto Lesmill Road, then right onto York Mills Road. Headways are 12 minutes in the morning and afternoon peak periods, and 20 minutes during midday. Maximum hour ridership at the Lesmill Road/Duncan Mill Road intersection are as follows: Direction Approximate No. of Riders Northbound on Lesmill Road to eastbound Duncan Mill Road 85(a.m.) 143(p.m.) Westbound on Duncan Mill Road to southbound Lesmill 255(a.m.) 103(p.m.) Road

11 11 Criteria Used to Evaluate Alternative Solutions: Appendix D Evaluation of Alternative Solutions (i) Transportation specific criteria used under this category include: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) level-of-service; operational safety; access/driveways; transit service; and road design. (ii) Natural Environment specific criteria used under this category include: (a) (b) (c) vegetation (street trees and open space); watercourses (Don River East, Vyner Creek); and stormwater management (water quality and quantity). (iii) Socio-Economic Environment specific criteria used under this category include: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) land-use; noise; air quality; pedestrian; and property. (iv) Cost specific criteria used under this category include: - construction cost. Summary of Evaluation of Alternative Solutions: Alternative 1 (Do Nothing) is typically used as a benchmark to compare the other alternatives with to determine whether they address or worsen the problem(s), and what impacts they have on the environment. The Do Nothing alternative would be chosen if the impacts of the other alternatives significantly outweigh their benefits. Alternative 2 is anticipated to address the traffic operations problems identified on Lesmill Road during the morning peak period by providing an additional lane for southbound traffic, and eliminating the need for motorists to merge and negotiate the curve at the same time. Alternative 2 is also expected to minimize delays to southbound traffic resulting from turning movements at the driveways and at the intersection of Lesmill Road and Duncan Mill Road. Alternative 3 is anticipated to only address the delays associated with the turning movements at the driveways and at the intersection of Lesmill Road and Duncan Mill Road. However, it does

12 12 not address the delays associated with the merging of two eastbound/southbound lanes to one. It also does not address delays associated with lane capacity. Alternative 4 is anticipated to only address the delays associated with the turning movements at the Lesmill Road/Duncan Mill Road intersection. It does not address the delays associated with the merging of the two eastbound/southbound lanes or the turning movements at the driveways. Alternative 5 is anticipated to address the traffic problems southbound on Lesmill Road during the morning peak period. The results of the traffic analyses conducted for the existing northbound movement at the intersection of Leslie Street/Lesmill Road show that this movement is currently operating satisfactorily. Adding an additional northbound lane on Lesmill Road would create new operational problems, as described in the next section of this report, and, therefore, is not recommended. Alternative 6 is not expected to address the traffic problems identified on Lesmill Road during the morning peak period. This alternative may in fact worsen the existing level-of-service on Lesmill Road as a result of introducing a stop condition for southbound through traffic on Lesmill Road at Duncan Mill Road. In addition, a traffic control signals warrant analysis revealed that traffic control signals are not warranted at this location at this time. Alternative 7 is not expected to address the traffic problems identified on Lesmill Road during the morning peak period. The results of capacity analyses undertaken has revealed that the level-of-service on Lesmill Road during the morning peak period would deteriorate if all-way stop controls were implemented on Lesmill Road at Duncan Mill Road. A detailed evaluation of the alternative solutions is contained in the following table. 1 Do Nothing Level-of-Service expected intersections at Leslie St./Lesmill Rd. and Lesmill Rd./Duncan Mill Rd. will continue to operate at poor levels during a.m. peak hour. Left-turn queues expected to continue to be extensive on and on Leslie St. at during a.m. peak hour. Operational Safety Southbound vehicles no longer need to merge and negotiate curve (east of Leslie St./ intersection) at the same time. Criteria Transportation Access / Driveway expected vehicles turning in/out of driveways on will still experience delays, cause potential conflicts with on-coming vehicles, and impede flow of through traffic. Risk of rear-end type collisions still exists. Few gaps available for turning into/out of driveways. Transit Service Road Design.

13 13 Level-of-Service Operational Safety Criteria Transportation Access / Driveway Transit Service Road Design Delays expected to continue to be extensive for motorists southbound on Leslie St. and Lesmill Rd 2 Widen to provide 2 southbound lanes Overall LOS expected to improve in the a.m. peak hour as a result of additional capacity provided by second southbound lane. Southbound queue length and delay on Lesmill Rd. expected to decrease as a result of increased capacity provided by additional lane. May minimize rear-end type collisions as a result of southbound through traffic not having to stop for left-turning traffic. Southbound vehicles no longer need to merge and negotiate curve (east of Leslie St./ intersection) at the same time. Moderate improvement expected as a result of southbound through vehicles being able to pass vehicles turning right into driveways. Number of available gaps for turning movements at driveways expected to increase as a result of additional lane. Potential decrease in delays for buses westbound on Duncan Mill Road turning left at Lesmill Road as a result of an increase in the number of gaps provided by an additional lane. Satisfactory. Able to meet all sightlines and other road geometric design standards. Potential decrease in delays for traffic southbound on Leslie Street turning left at Lesmill Road as a result of shortening of queue on Lesmill Rd. 3 Widen to provide 1 southbound lane, 1 northbound lane, and 1 continuous centre left-turning lane Moderate improvement expected in the a.m. peak hour for southbound traffic as a result of 2WLTL accommodating turning traffic. Queue length and delays may decrease as a Turning movement conflicts expected to minimize if CCLTL used properly. May introduce new safety hazards such as vehicles using the centre turning lane as a passing Addresses concerns relating to delays caused by vehicles turning in/out of driveways. CCLTL provides refuge for vehicles turning into/ out of driveways. If used properly, CCLTL may provide Buses westbound on Duncan Mill Road turning left at Lesmill Road will still have to wait for gap Satisfactory. Able to meet sightlines and other geometric design standards.

14 14 Level-of-Service result of southbound through traffic not having to wait behind turning vehicle if CCLTL used properly. Some queuing still expected to exist as a result of southbound through traffic having to merge to avoid the CCLTL. Operational Safety lane. Left-turning vehicles may enter CCLTL too far in advance and impede or risk collision with opposing leftturning traffic. Southbound vehicles no longer need to merge and negotiate curve (east of Leslie St./ intersection) at the same time. Criteria Transportation Access / Driveway refuge for vehicles exiting driveways on Lesmill. Transit Service prior to undertaking movement. Road Design 4 Provide southbound left-turn lane on Lesmill Rd. at Duncan Mill Rd. Moderate improvement expected in the a.m. peak hour as a result of storage provided for left-turning traffic at Duncan Mill Road. Southbound through traffic not impeded by turning traffic at Duncan Mill Rd. May minimize rear-end type collisions as a result of through traffic not having to stop for leftturning traffic at Duncan Mill Rd. Southbound vehicles no longer need to merge and negotiate curve (east of Leslie St./ intersection) at the same time. Does not address issues relating delays caused by vehicles turning in/out of driveways. Buses westbound on Duncan Mill Road turning left at Lesmill Road will still have to wait for gap prior to undertaking movement. Satisfactory. Able to meet sightlines and other geometric design standards. 5 Widen to 4 lanes Overall LOS expected to improve in the a.m. peak hour as a result of increased capacity provided by additional lane in each direction. Queuing and delays expected to decrease as a result of increased May minimize rear-end type collisions as a result of through traffic not having to stop for leftturning traffic. Potential weaving hazard for motorists northbound on Leslie St. wishing to access the Highway 401 east Partially addresses concerns relating delays caused by vehicles turning in/out of driveways. Number of available gaps for turning movements at driveways expected to increase as a result of additional lanes. Potential decrease in delays for buses westbound on Duncan Mill Road turning left at Lesmill Road as a result of an increase in the number of gaps provided by Satisfactory. Able to meet sightlines and other geometric design standards. Major modification to Leslie/Lesmil l intersection required to accommodate

15 15 Level-of-Service capacity provided by the additional lanes. Operational Safety ramp and rightturning traffic on at Leslie Street wishing to change lanes to avoid the Highway 401 east ramp. Double westbound rightturn movement would need to be controlled by traffic signals for safety reasons (i.e, sightline restrictions for motorists westbound in the curb lane of a double right-turn lane configuration). Criteria Transportation Access / Driveway Transit Service an additional lane. Road Design additional westbound lane at intersection. Modification to eastbound ramp to Highway 401 may be required to address weaving concern. 6 Install traffic signals at and Duncan Mill Rd. Preliminary traffic signal control warrant analysis has indicated that signals are not warranted at this location. May increase rear-end type collisions. Does not address issues relating delays caused by vehicles turning in/out of driveways. Buses westbound on Duncan Mill Road turning left at Lesmill may experience a decrease in delays. Satisfactory. Able to meet all sightlines and other road geometric design standards. 7 Install all-way stop controls on Preliminary allway stop control analyses have indicated that all- May increase rear-end type collisions. Does not address issues relating delays caused by vehicles turning in/out of Buses northbound on Lesmill Road turning right on Duncan Mill Road may experience a minor increase in delays. Buses on Duncan Mill Road turning left.

16 16 at Duncan Mill Rd. Level-of-Service way stop control not warranted at this location. Analyses have also indicated that LOS for southbound traffic deteriorates significantly under an all-way stop condition, compared to the current condition. Operational Safety Criteria Transportation Access / Driveway driveways. Transit Service at Lesmill may experience a decrease in delays. Buses northbound on Lesmill Road turning right on Duncan Mill Road may experience a minor increase in delays. Road Design 1 Do Nothing 2 Widen to provide 2 southboun d lanes 3 Widen to provide 1 southbound lane, 1 northbound lane, and 1 continuous centre turning lane 4 Provide southbound left-turn lane on Lesmill Rd. at Duncan Mill Criteria Natural Environment Vegetation / Street Trees Watercourses (Don River East, Vyner Creek) Stormwater Management (water quality, water quantity) No impacts No impacts Minimal impact on trees along Lesmill Rd. Four street trees need to be removed to accommodate the widening. Minimal impact on trees along Lesmill Rd. Four street trees need to be removed to accommodate the widening. Minimal impact No substantial impacts No substantial impacts No substantial impacts Minimal impact widening limited to approximately 365 metres in length and 2.5 metres in width. Minimal impact widening limited to approximately 365 metres in length and 2.5 metres in width. Minimal impact widening can be considered as being local.

17 17 Rd. 5 Widen to 4 lanes 6 Install traffic signals at and Duncan Mill Rd. 7 Install all-way stop controls on at Duncan Mill Rd. Vegetation / Street Trees Impact on open space / park at the north east quadrant of Leslie/Lesmill. Four street trees on the west side of the road will need to be removed to accommodate widening. Criteria Natural Environment Watercourses (Don River East, Vyner Creek) No substantial impacts expected for Don River. May potential require some minor alteration to Vyner Creek. Stormwater Management (water quality, water quantity) Higher impact than other alternatives as a result of adding two travel lanes. No impacts No substantial impacts No impacts No impacts Criteria Socio-economic Environment Land-use Noise Level Air Quality Pedestrian Property 1 Do Nothing 2 Widen to provide 2 southbound lanes 3 Widen Negligible. May decrease as a result of improved level-of-service. Negligible. May decrease as a Negligible. May increase as a result of vehicles not having to wait in queue, minimize start/stop condition. Negligible. May increase Field observations revealed negligible number of pedestrian crossings. Wider road surface for pedestrians to cross. Wider road surface for None. Property required for widening within city right-of-way. None. Property required for

18 18 Criteria Socio-economic Environment Land-use Noise Level Air Quality Pedestrian Property to provide 1 southbound lane, 1 northbound lane, and 1 continuous centre turning lane 4 Provide southbound left-turn lane on Lesmill Rd. at Duncan Mill Rd. 5 Widen to 4 lanes Open space area may be affected as a result of property required for widening. result of improved level-of-service. No change Negligible. as a result of vehicles not having to wait in queue, minimize stop/start condition. Negligible. May increase as a result of minimized stop/start condition. Negligible. May increase as a result of improved LOS. pedestrians to cross. Wider road surface for pedestrians to cross. Wider road surface for pedestrians to cross. widening within city right-ofway. None. Property required for widening within city right-ofway. Property may be required. 6 Install traffic signals at and Duncan Mill Rd. 7 Install all-way stop controls on at Duncan Mill Rd. Noise level may go up as a result of start/stop condition. Noise level may go up as a result of start/stop condition. Air quality may decrease as a result of stopping required by traffic control signals. Air quality may decrease as a result of stopping required by all-way stop controls. Field observations revealed negligible number of pedestrian crossings. Field observations revealed negligible number of pedestrian crossings. No change. No change.

19 19 Alternative 1 Do Nothing 2 Widen to provide 2 southbound lanes 3 Widen to provide 1 southbound lane, 1 northbound lane, and 1 continuous centre turning lane 4 Provide southbound left-turn lane on Lesmill Rd. at Duncan Mill Rd. 5 Widen to 4 lanes 6 Install traffic signals at and Duncan Mill Rd. 7 Install all-way stop controls on at Duncan Mill Rd. Criteria Construction Cost None ± $200, ± $200, < $200, > ±$200, <±$200, <±$1, Do Nothing Not recommended. Does not address the problems. Recommendation 2 Widen Lesmill Rd. to provide 2 southbound lanes 3 Widen Lesmill Rd. to provide 1 southbound lane, 1 northbound lane, and 1 continuous centre turning lane Preferred Alternative, subject to public comments. Not recommended. Although this alternative would improve the existing level-of-service during the a.m. peak hour, the potential for motorists to misuse the 2WLTL, and the potential operational hazards indicated above makes this alternative less attractive than Alternative 2.

20 20 4 Provide southbound left-turn lane on at Duncan Mill Rd. 5 Widen Lesmill Rd. to 4 lanes Not recommended. Recommendation Traffic counts undertaken at this location indicated that approximately half of the 1300 vehicles destined south on Lesmill Road during the a.m. peak hour turned left at Duncan Mill Road. Site investigations revealed that there is a constant southbound left-turn movement at this intersection. Therefore the storage length and taper that would be needed to accommodate the left-turning traffic would be more or less equivalent to the entire length of Lesmill Road, between Leslie Street and Duncan Mill Road. This alternative can be considered a variation of Alternative 2 and implementing Alternative 2 would provide more capacity and would also eliminate the need for southbound motorists to merge at the curve in the road. Not recommended. Widening Lesmill Road to provide for two northbound lanes would require either the two northbound lanes to narrow to one or double right-turn lanes at Leslie Street. Narrowing the two lanes to one would result in the same operation as today and would create more problems by introducing a new merging location. Creating double right-turn lanes would require this movement to be controlled by traffic signals rather than the existing yield control. Traffic analyses have indicated that the level-of-service for northbound traffic would decrease under signal control, compared to the existing yield control. 6 Install traffic signals at and Duncan Mill Rd. 7 Install all-way stop controls on at Duncan Mill Rd. Not recommended. This alternative may worsen the existing level-of-service on Lesmill Road as a result of introducing a stop condition for southbound through traffic on Lesmill Road at Duncan Mill Road. In addition, a traffic control signals warrant analysis revealed that traffic control signals are not warranted at this location at this time. Not recommended. This alternative would deteriorate existing LOS for southbound traffic during the morning peak period and exacerbate the existing problems. Preliminary analyses have indicated that this location does not warrant the installation of all-way stop controls. Appendix E Public and Agency Comments Public Feedback: Twenty-three responses were received from area business owners, employees and commuters. The responses received indicated that the majority agreed that Alternative 2 would best address the problems identified on Lesmill Road during the morning peak period. However, the majority of those who responded also indicated there are traffic operational problems on Lesmill Road during the evening peak period that should also be reviewed and addressed as part of this Class EA Study. The problems during the evening peak period, as indicated by those who responded, relate to delays and queuing northbound on Lesmill Road, delays getting onto Leslie Street from Lesmill Road, and difficulties making turns onto Lesmill Road from Duncan Mill Road. Many

21 21 who provided comments suggested that Alternative 5 (widen Lesmill Road to provide for two northbound and two southbound lanes) be selected as the preferred alternative to solve the traffic problems in the morning and evening peak periods. A field investigation was conducted on Lesmill Road during the evening period to observe traffic operations and confirm the comments made by the public. The observations indicated that although there is a steady volume of traffic northbound on Lesmill Road during the afternoon peak period, the intersections of Leslie Street/Lesmill Road and Lesmill Road/Duncan Mill Road are operating within capacity. Traffic analyses were subsequently carried out, and the results were similar to the observations made during the field investigation. A yield sign currently controls the westbound to northbound movement at the Leslie Street/Lesmill Road intersection. This means that westbound traffic on Lesmill Road can enter Leslie Street whenever there are safe gaps available in northbound traffic on Leslie Street. If Lesmill Road is widened to provide for two northbound lanes and two southbound lanes, the two northbound lanes approaching Leslie Street would either have to be narrowed to one, or the intersection would need to be modified to provide for westbound double right-turn lanes. Narrowing two northbound lanes to one at Leslie Street would result in the same intersection operation as today and would create additional problems by introducing a new merging location. Creating westbound double right-turn lanes at Leslie Street would require the double right-turn movement to be controlled by the traffic signals rather than the yield sign. The green signal for this movement would occur at the same time as the advanced green signal for the southbound-to-eastbound left-turn movement. Due to the restricted visibility of approaching vehicles for motorists in the right lane of the double right-turn lanes, the westbound right-turn movement would be prohibited on a red signal for safety reasons. The traffic analyses that were conducted under a double right-turn lane scenario indicated that the level-of-service for northbound traffic on Lesmill Road would worsen, compared to the existing single right-turn lane that is currently controlled by a yield sign. Agency Comments: Comments were also received from the Canadian National Railway (CNR), the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation (MTCR). The CNR indicated that it had no interest in this Study as it does not impact any of its property. The MNR was concerned with any impacts on the valley system of the Don River, the fish population and habitat, alteration to any watercourse including stream crossing, stormwater management, erosion and sedimentation control during construction, and terrestrial natural heritage features. The alternative solutions that have been developed for Lesmill Road are not expected to have any substantial impacts on the valley system of the Don River, the fish population or its habitat, or any terrestrial natural heritage features. No alterations to a watercourse or stream crossing are proposed as part of this Study. Stormwater run-off is currently collected by the street catchbasins along Lesmill Road and ultimately discharges directly to the Don River via a headwall, located west of Don Mills Road. The additional run-off

22 22 generated as a result of the increased pavement surface is considered minimal in comparison to the run-off currently generated by the entire catchment area. Notwithstanding that, it is recommended that oil/grit separators be incorporated into the detailed design of the widening to improve the quality of the stormwater entering the Don River. As this system will be treating some existing run-off as well as the increased run-off from the proposed widening, there will be an overall net improvement in the run-off quality from Lesmill Road. The TRCA was concerned with construction of any structures within a floodplain or swamp, placement of fill within its regulated area, alteration of any channel or watercourse, prevention of impacts associated with flooding, erosion or slope stability, and stormwater management. There is no construction of any infrastructure within a floodplain or alteration of a channel or watercourse proposed as part of this Study. As indicated above, the additional run-off generated by an increase in pavement surface is considered minimal, and is proposed to be treated by oil/grit separators on Lesmill Road. The MTCR indicated that parts of the Study Area contain evidence of a previous Iroquoian village and that these parts may extend to within close proximity of Lesmill Road. The MTCR also indicated that a cultural heritage resource assessment is required prior to disturbance of any soil within the Study area, and that no construction shall take place in the areas proposed to be impacted prior to the issuance of a letter from MTCR indicating that all cultural heritage resource concerns have met licensing and resource conservation requirements. To address MTCR s concerns and requirements, it is recommended that a licensed archaeologist be retained to carry out the necessary assessment during the detailed design stage of the project. (Copies of Figures 1 and 2 referred to in the foregoing report were forwarded to all Members of Council with the October 25, 2001, agenda of the and copies thereof are also on file in the office of the City Clerk, City Hall.)