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Toronto Star - When the mayor of Canada's largest city sounds an alarm on rail safety, along with councillors from neighbourhoods at particular risk, federal officials would do well to listen. [View copy of the letter]

They would do even better to act before a catastrophe hits some large urban area.

The concerns expressed in a letter to federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt by Toronto Mayor John Tory, and 17 councillors from across the political spectrum, aren't the result of idle anxiety. On the contrary, they're a timely warning about gaps that persist in Canada's revamped rail-safety rules and regulations.

In the wake of the train derailment and subsequent inferno that killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic, Que., it's essential that those gaps be closed.

The open letter to Raitt was initiated by Councillor Josh Matlow and signed by representatives of every ward traversed by a major Canadian Pacific rail line running through the city. As reported by the Star's Jessica McDiarmid, the politicians took a particularly strong stand due to worry that many residents' homes are located extremely close to tracks routinely used to transport dangerous goods.

While expressing appreciation for federal rail safety improvements brought in so far, the councillors who signed the letter are calling for more, including:

A look at using alternate routes to ship dangerous material currently moving through densely populated neighbourhoods.

Accelerated removal of tank cars, used to ship volatile crude oil, that don't meet Ottawa's revamped safety standards.

A review of those standards, especially in light of recent accidents in Northern Ontario involving supposedly better tank cars that did satisfy new federal requirements.

Two fiery derailments have happened near Gogama, Ont., between Timmins and Sault Ste. Marie, in recent weeks - one in February and one in March. The incidents were particularly troubling in that they involved tank cars that were meant to be a significant improvement over the old DOT-111 tankers that failed with such horrific consequences at Lac-Mégantic.

It's only a matter of luck that both these recent accidents occurred in isolated areas instead of in the middle of a city or town. Tougher, more crash-resistant tank cars are desperately needed, and they shouldn't be introduced through some leisurely, years-long regulatory phase-in.

The March 31 letter from Toronto's mayor and councillors also suggested "promoting better communication between the rail industry and communities." But that's not specific enough.

Rail carriers are currently required to tell municipal first-responders about hazardous goods moving through their city or town. Such information is passed along strictly on a confidential basis, so that fire departments and other agencies can be in a better position to draw up disaster-response plans.

But concerned residents living near rail lines also deserve to know, at least after the fact, the nature of what's being transported just outside their door. Unfortunately, Ottawa's reformed rules and regulations, so far, require no such clarity.

Members of the public deserve to be more thoroughly informed on rail safety issues; stronger tank cars need to be brought in more quickly and dangerous shipments should be detoured around dense urban areas. Once such measures are instituted, federal officials will be in a position to say honestly that they have taken every reasonable step to avoid another disaster on the scale of Lac-Mégantic.

[This story was reposted from the Toronto Star on Tuesday, April 7th, 2015]

This week you may have read a Toronto Star article, been alerted to news posted on neighbourhood list-servs or reviewed information on the Junction Triangle website that Metrolinx has announced plans to construct an elevated rail structure through our neighbourhood. I share the concerns of local residents regarding these plans and, although it is still early in the process, I have begun advocating to ensure the best possible outcomes from this project.

The plan, as proposed, is for Metrolinx to ramp up their tracks along the Barrie GO line from just north of Bloor Street and gradually elevate the tracks to more than 8 metres in order to bypass the CN Rail crossing north of Dupont. 

This project will no doubt have major impacts on our area. While another long period of construction will leave us with a permanent visual landmark, there is also huge potential on the ground once the tracks are raised. We may be able knit our neighbourhoods back together with improved street connections, new and enhanced public spaces and world-class public art. Looking at these possibilities is the task of Metrolinx Residents Reference Panel. I will be watching this process closely and guarding against unrealistic expectations. It is critically important that any expectations that Metrolinx raises for community improvements are accompanied by the necessary funding to make them into reality. 

I remain hopeful and open-minded after speaking with Metrolinx staff and having my office represent community interests at the DIGIN meeting on March 11th. At the same time I will be aggressively pursuing Metrolinx to ensure that the promised community benefits are funded and the corridor is electrified.

There will be more public meetings on this topic and I will keep you informed every step of the way. To ensure the most timely updates, please follow me on Twitter or on Facebook.

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/]

It’s that time of the year again – winter!

A Canadian winter can sometimes mean a lot of snow, and the City of Toronto is ready.

Here are a few things that you can expect as we gear up for another winter in Toronto.

Prior to the onset of a storm, Transportation Services will be applying a layer of salt brine to hills and bridges throughout the city.  The application of salt brine is intended to prevent the snow from bonding to the pavement and to make it easier to plow the snow to the side of the road.

As soon as the snow begins, Transportation Services sends out its fleet of salt trucks to the expressways and main roads.  Local roads and laneways are salted soon after this.  When two centimeters of snow has accumulated then plowing will begin on the expressways and, when five centimeters has accumulated, plowing will begin on the main roads. Plowing on the expressways and main roads will continue until the operation is complete.

When the snow stops and if the snow accumulation reaches eight centimeters,  local road plowing will begin.  Plowing on the local roads is usually completed between 14-16 hours after the snow stops falling. During this time, snow service requests will not be taken by 311.  Residents are also asked not to call 311 during the storm to ask when their street will be plowed.  Residents should call 311 to report urgent winter related calls only.

The City will only open driveway windrows wherever it is mechanically possible to do so after eight centimeters of snow has fallen. Typically, driveway windrows are opened between one and two hours of the road being plowed.  The service is meant to only open up a width of about three metres – not the full width of the driveway

The City will clear snow from sidewalks on local roads where it is mechanically possible to do so after eight centimetres (five centimetres in January and February) of snow has fallen.  If the snowfall is less than eight centimeters, it’s your responsibility to clear the snow.  You know what they say, be nice and clear your ice!

In the central core of the city, property owners are required to clear their sidewalks of snow 12 hours after a storm has taken place.   To learn more about sidewalk snow clearing in Toronto and to view a map of the areas where the service is provided, click on toronto.ca/transportation/snow/sidewalks. 

If you need more information about the city's plans for snow clearing, visit toronto.ca/transportation.

Here’s an important tip about shoveling snow.  Please don’t push snow back onto the road.  It’s against the law, hampers snow clearing efforts and is very dangerous for motorists.

Winter, and the snow that comes with it, is a part of what makes us Canadians.  By working together, we can make sure that Toronto continues to be a safe and accessible city in which to live, work and play.

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.

A top priority for me as Councillor has been expanding the West Toronto Railpath – a linear park that runs along the Georgetown Rail Corridor and an incredible community asset. Over the last 3 years, I have been working hard to secure the funding, approvals and support to keep this important project growing. With much of this now secured, in spring 2013 the enviromental assessment for Phase 2 was awarded. This began a phase of public consultation with residents, stakeholders, businesses and community organizations to determine the preferred route for expansion. The design consultant then incorporated this information into their study.

With the additional construction for the new Pearson Air-Rail Link, however, it has been difficult to negotiate the space needed in this corridor to extend the Railpath south of Dundas Street.

In response, I convened a meeting with the CEO of Metrolinx and local Councillors to reinforce the importance of this City project and am pleased to report that solutions were identified that have increased the space available for Railpath.

With the consultant’s designs being finalized, we are again receiving public feedback on Railpath Phase 2. Please watch for upcoming meetings, call my office or visit my website for more information and to be involved in this exciting project. Whether you walk, run or cycle, I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on the path!

Example of old temporary asphalt and planters to be replaced

The Bloor Street West road and sidewalk work will restart on May 5 with two crews working simultaneously at each end of the work area: one finishing off elements from Landowne Avenue going east, and the other starting sidewalk reconstruction on the south side from Montrose Avenue (by Christie Pits Park) going west.  Expect lane reductions, parking restrictions and traffic delays (sorry!).

This year’s work will again include:

• repair existing road base, curb and sidewalks (as required)
• replace existing elevated tree planters with tree pits
• add “bump outs” of widened sidewalk area on some side streets with additional decorative treatments
• grind the existing pavement and resurface the roadway

We expect all the road work to be completed by July 25, 2014.  Additional streetscape upgrades east of Dufferin Street, including  special pavers, seat walls, trees, bike racks and the Bickford Centre driveway, will be completed in early Fall 2014.

Trees to be Removed

You can expect to see the remaining streets trees in planters west of  in the work area to be removed in the next few weeks. While we are sad to see any  trees cut down, we will start planting 159 new healthy elm, maple and locust trees starting in late May.  There will be a total increase of 49 street trees.  The new trees will be planted at sidewalk level with concrete covers and decorative iron tree protections.  The removal of the old planters will provide more sidewalk space and these improved conditions will encourage a long and healthy future for these trees.

Reminders for business owners:

• Please label your curbside waste collection bins with your address.

• Please remove any privately owned items from the sidewalk area. The City will not be responsible for damage to
  any privately owned items installed on City property.

• Expect limited access to street front entrances during sidewalk excavation and concrete installation. Contractors will notify your business prior to starting in front of your entrance.

Again, your co-operation and patience during the construction period is crucial and appreciated.