As you may be aware, the College Promenade BIA began an extensive streetscaping project over the course of the summer. The project as originally intended would have reconstructed the north and south side sidewalks of College Street from Shaw St to Rusholme Road with custom pavers. In addition the project is to enhance the public realm with a series of parkette spaces and new custom designed bicycle parking racks. The City of Toronto issued a Notice of Termination to the contractor for failing to comply with the contract provisions. The City immediately mobilized subcontractors to make necessary temporary restorations to the north side of College Street and to render the sidewalk safe and passable.  

Myself and Councillor Layton have been working tirelessly throughout the summer with the BIA and City staff in an effort to resolve issues arising from the project. We fully acknowledge and sympathize with all business owners and residents who feel they have been negatively affected by the construction and the challenges of this project. We will be meeting with staff and the BIA board to develop and implement a plan for the remaining work. The City will re-tender the remaining project work and hire a new contractor next year to complete the work on the south side of College Street and address any deficiencies.

A important part of what makes our community unique and vibrant is the great businesses which line our streets. I encourage you to shop local and support our local businesses along College Street.

This summer the College Promenade Business Improvement Area is carrying out extensive streetscape beautification work along College Street from Havelock to Shaw Streets. This work is the result of a joint planning effort between myself, the BIA, City staff, and the local community. These investments by the College Promenade BIA focus on strong collaboration with local artists and designers to create a dynamic landscape showcasing the best of Toronto's creativity.

A series of "Blue Rooms" and parkettes, designed by Stanislav Jurkovic will combine additional shade and custom designed bench seating with dynamic public artwork and lighting, adding new vibrancy and colour to the neighbourhood. Further streetscape improvements include upgraded decorative paving units, new light posts, 58 new tree plantings and new public artwork. 

In addition to these investments, a series of custom bicycle parking racks, designed by local craftsman Scott Eunson will provide a great piece of public artwork and expand bicycle parking for visitors and shop patrons. Expanding the accessibility of our business to new patrons is an important part of my work to improve the commercial vibrancy of shops across Ward 18 and this investment builds on the expansion of 15 Bike Share stations across our community. I look forward to these streetscape investments being completed and thank the community for for all the feedback which made these improvements a reality. While construction is ongoing, local businesses are still open and I encourage you to shop local and help support our local businesses during the construction!

In addition to this streetscaping work, multiple infrastructure renewal projects are taking place along College Street including TTC streetcar track replacement, road upgrades at the College and Lansdowne intersection and watermain and lead pipe replacement work on Lansdowne south of Dundas Street. For more details on these projects, please click here.

The intersection of College Street and Lansdowne Avenue will be fully closed in all directions from Monday, July 25 to August 8 to allow for TTC track replacement work as well as road and sidewalk repairs.

Eastbound traffic can remain on Dundas Street West as far as Dufferin Street, then take Dufferin to College Street and continue eastbound. Westbound traffic on College approaching Lansdowne Avenue will be detoured to Dufferin or Brock Avenue and can go south to Dundas or north to Bloor Street.

Southbound traffic on Lansdowne Avenue approaching College Street will be detoured to Bloor Street. The single lane of northbound traffic on Lansdowne Avenue approaching College Street will be detoured to Dundas Street West.

Queen Street West is an alternative route for eastbound and westbound traffic. Roncesvalles Avenue is an alternative for northbound and southbound traffic.

Signs will be posted to assist cyclists travelling in the area of the construction work. The detailed route options for cyclists, as well as more information about projects taking place on College Street, are available at http://www.toronto.ca/collegest. Cyclists also have the option of dismounting from their bikes and walking around the construction zone instead of detouring on their bike.

Safety barricades will be placed around the intersection outside the work zone to provide a safe barrier between construction work and pedestrians. Pedestrian access to businesses and walkways will be maintained at all times during construction.

Construction hours on this project have been extended in order to reduce the length of time required to complete the work. In addition, traffic signal timing is being adjusted on parallel routes to minimize disruptions to traffic in the area.

TTC route diversion details are available at http://www.ttc.ca/Service_Advisories/Route_diversions/index.jsp.

The City has a web-based map to help residents and visitors make their travel plans, available at http://www.toronto.ca/roadrestrictions. More information about the City's planned capital construction work is available at http://www.toronto.ca/inview.

The City of Toronto will be performing spring maintenance activities on the Gardiner Expressway as well as demolishing the Dowling Avenue bridge over the expressway starting this Friday. A full closure of the expressway is needed to ensure safety for the public and for the workers involved.

This weekend presents an opportunity for City workers to perform maintenance on the expressway as there are few major events occurring in the downtown core. The Mayor's Road Closures Committee meets monthly to select traffic closure dates with the goal of limiting disruption to motorists.

In order to mitigate traffic congestion associated with the expressway closure, the City will make changes to traffic-signal timing to enhance traffic flow on nearby routes.

The Gardiner Expressway will be closed between Carlaw Avenue and Highway 427/Queen Elizabeth Way from 11 p.m. on Friday, May 13 to 5 a.m. on Monday, May 16 for the maintenance work.

Specific activities that will be undertaken during this closure:

• demolition of the Dowling Avenue bridge that spans the Gardiner Expressway
• resurfacing 2.5 lane-kilometres of roadway
• crack sealing and repair of about 8,900 metres of asphalt surfaces
• 800 square metres of bridge deck repair
• in-depth inspection and chipping of 32 bridges west of Dowling Avenue and 24 bridge sections on the elevated portion of the expressway
• flushing of 120 bridge joints
• cleaning and repair of 600 catch basins, and flushing and inspection of culverts
• shoulder re-grading to restore drainage at several locations
• sign maintenance for entire length of roadway
• maintenance of 20 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras
• inspection and repair of seven overhead signs
• repairs on RESCU vehicle detectors
• repair of approximately 500 metres of guiderail, including end treatments and safety systems
• mechanical sweeping operations and debris removal
• inspection, repair and re-lamping of street lights
• pothole repairs, and
• pavement markings.

Motorists can use Lake Shore Boulevard, the Queensway, King Street, Bloor Street and Evans Avenue as alternative routes during the weekend closure.   

The work schedule for the project on Lake Shore Boulevard between York Street and Rees Street has been adjusted so all westbound lanes of traffic can re-open during the full closure of the Gardiner Expressway. The lane reductions currently in effect at that section of Lake Shore Boulevard will go back into effect at 5 a.m. on Monday, May 16.

The City has a web-based map to help residents and visitors make their travel plans, available at http://www.toronto.ca/roadrestrictions.

In addition, the City's T.O. INview map shows planned capital construction work taking place across the city. T.O. Inview can be accessed at http://www.toronto.ca/inview.

This work is part of the City's comprehensive and co-ordinated strategy to rehabilitate and upgrade Toronto's roads, transit and underground infrastructure for current and future needs.

The City of Toronto in 2016 will be coordinating its infrastructure and road improvements works to reduce the impact to residents, businesses and traffic in Toronto. The planned projects in 2016 include $263 million for roads, bridges and expressways, $227 million for sewer and watermain projects, and $71 million for basement flooding protection work. 

Efforts to minimize traffic and congestion include extended work hours (including 24/7 work where feasible), traffic signal timing changes on alternate routes and bundling projects where work can be combined. Through these efforts, the City aims to reduce the length of work and ensure collaboration and efficiency to reduce impacts to residents, businesses and traffic.

Major projects for this year include:

• Completing the west deck replacement of the Gardiner Expressway from Jameson Avenue to Spadina Avenue
• Road resurfacing on Bayview Avenue from just south of Highway 401 to Steeles Avenue
• Road resurfacing on Warden Avenue from Sheppard Avenue to Steeles Avenue
• Road resurfacing on Martin Grove Road, from Vulcan Street (north of Highway 409) to Finch  Avenue
• Watermain replacement and road work on Gerrard Street from Yonge Street to Sherbourne Street
• Road resurfacing on Don Mills Road from Lawrence Avenue to York Mills Road
• TTC track replacement, and road and sidewalk repairs on College Street at Bathurst Street and Lansdowne Avenue
• Watermain replacement, TTC track replacement and road resurfacing on Richmond Street from Church Street to York Street
• Watermain replacement on Queen Street from Bathurst Street to Spadina Avenue
• Trunk sewer replacement on Lake Shore Boulevard from Dwight Avenue to Superior Avenue
• Watermain replacement on Finch Avenue at Highway 27. 

The City has repaired 64,000 potholes this year and residents are asked to report issues to www.toronto.ca/311 to facilitate their timely repair.

To plan their routes and avoid delays, residents are encouraged to visit www.toronto.ca/roadrestrictions for a live map of road restrictions and travel conditions. Residents can also consult www.toronto.ca/inview for further information and maps of construction activities happening across the city. 

The City of Toronto will be resurfacing Dovercourt Rd from Bloor St to Hallam St starting the week of October 26. Please see below for the full construction notice.

The City of Toronto will be resurfacing Lansdowne Ave from Bloor St to Wallace Ave starting the week of Oct 6. Please see below for the full construction notice.

The work to replace the deck on the Gardiner Expressway, from Strachan Avenue to just west of Bathurst Street, resumes August 19.

While this work is taking place, two lanes of traffic in each direction will be open. The work is expected to be completed October 31, 2016.

While this work is taking place, the City is taking steps to minimize disruption to the travelling public, including implementing traffic signal timing changes to enhance traffic flow on nearby routes and working to plan improved co-ordination and response to incidents on the Gardiner Expressway

In addition, the daily closure of the westbound ramp from Jameson Avenue to the Gardiner Expressway will be temporarily suspended during the construction period.   When the construction work is completed, the normal closure on weekdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. will be reinstated in order to enhance driver safety and reduce congestion.

Drivers who use this route should consider options such as carpooling, taking transit, cycling to work, or travelling outside the usual rush hours.

The City has a web-based map to help residents and visitors make their travel plans, available at http://www.toronto.ca/roadrestrictions. Information about the City's planned capital construction work, which also affects roads, is available at http://www.toronto.ca/inview.

As of December 2014 the City contractors have finished most of the parts of this project:

• All road work
• All sidewalk replacement along Bloor Street (some sidewalk will be replaced on side streets as part of streetscaping)
• All Bloor Street tree planting, including guards and watering grates
• Bump-out construction
• Lay-by reconstruction in front of the Bickford Centre

Also, new street furniture (e.g. benches, waste bins, bike post and ring) and signage for Bloor Street is in place, with some pre-existing street furniture being reinstated shortly.

In the Spring 2015, contractors will return to finish up the last of the project tasks:

• Additional Bloorcourt streetscape upgrades at side streets e.g. decorative pavers, bronze markers, seat walls, custom tree pits, decorative signage, swing gates and landscaping at Crawford St, Shaw St, Roxton Rd, Carling Ave, Ossington Ave, Concord Ave, Delaware Ave, Dovercourt Rd, Westmoreland Ave, Rushholme Rd, Salem Ave, Havelock St, Bartlett Ave, and Gladstone Ave.
• Two large planters with new trees at the front of the Bickford Centre driveway
• Address any remaining deficiencies such as minor impacts at store fronts, adjustments to pavers, deficient landscaping features, etc.

The trailer will be removed from Bloor & Christie for the winter and returned for work in the spring.

We thank the community for your continued patience and cooperation.  We all look forward to seeing the final upgrades in place for enjoying next summer.

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[This information, written by Jason Diceman, has been re-posted from http://torontobloor.wordpress.com/2014/12/22/done-for-the-winter-back-in-spring-2015-to-finish-on-side-streets/]

North east sidewalk starting soon. Havelock step to go. New trees in progress.

By this weekend work should be completed on the south sidewalk and base asphalt from Montrose Ave. to Havelock St. Work will then be moving to the remaining north sidewalk at Bartlett Ave. headed east towards Montrose Ave. Expect noise, dust and sidewalk closures as excavation and reconstruction take place. Sorry for the inconvenience.

As part of this project we will be re-grading the Havelock St. and Bloor St. intersection to remove the legacy two-step curb and ramp on the north side.

Get a last look at the two-step curb at the top of Havelock St. – to be replaced with a normal one-step curb and pedestrian curb cut.

Tree planting started on June 9, on the south side. City Forestry Operations is planting 

approximately 10 trees a day. The species are Maple, Elm and Locust. You can learn more about the improved growing conditions for boulevard trees being provided on Bloor in this recent CBC news report.

Concord Avenue south of Bloor is closed this week as the new sidewalk “bump out” is installed. Further planting and streetscape upgrades will be completed there in the fall.

All major road and sidewalk work between Lansdowne Ave. and Havelock St. should be completed by the end of June. The area east of Havelock St. will be completed by the end of July.

Additional streetscape upgrades will be completed in the fall.

Thanks again for your patience and cooperation.