600 locals sign petition protesting road revamp

THE MOORE PARK Ratepayers Association is protesting a project that would close the fifth, reversible lane on Jarvis Street, saying that a thorough traffic study needs to be completed before the $6.35 million project moves forward.

“Our position is that it’s a much bigger issue than just ours,” said Ellen Greenwood, a member of the ratepayers group. “It’s a bigger issue, and it’s an issue that affects the city as a whole.”

The street is heavily used by commuters driving up on Mount Pleasant Road, to get from areas such as Moore Park, Rosedale and neighbourhoods further north to the downtown core.

The lane could be closed because residents of the downtown Jarvis Street neighbourhood would like to replace it with a tree-lined median. They would also like to add bicycle lanes to the street.

Although a traffic study was already completed by the city, the ratepayers argue that it wasn’t thorough enough. A computer modelling study was completed that showed traffic delays would increase by approximately two minutes if the lane were closed, but the ratepayer group would like to see the middle lane physically blocked to analyze the effects of a lane closure.

“If the modelling is correct, then we really don’t have an axe to grind on this,” said Susan Prince, another member of the ratepayers group.

More than 600 drivers signed a petition coordinated by the group in protest of the project, which was scheduled to go to council on May 25.

Article exclusive to STREETS OF TORONTO