Let’s avert tragedy, gridlock around PanAm Games

We understand that Rogers Centre will be the destination of the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the  Pan Am Games in 2015. Based on our detailed knowledge and research into traffic and transportation management in the immediate vicinity, we believe the area will be stuck in a multi-week gridlock for motorized traffic that will be detrimental to the Pan Am Games and also present grave health and safety risks to pedestrians and cyclists.

Our particular concern is the road network that stretches from Stadium Road in the west to Yonge Street; and between Front Street to the north and the water’s edge to the south.

Three crucial issues need to be addressed.

First: The absence of an updated traffic and transportation plan by Transportation Services of the City that would take into account the impact of recent developments within this area:

• The Island Airport has been transformed into a busy commercial hub, without a proper prior assessment of its impacts. As a direct result, very dangerous congestion points have emerged at the Stadium Rd. and Bathurst Quay intersections with Lake Shore Boulevard; and at the crossing of Queens Quay and Erin Quay.

• Even before the start of construction on the revitalization of Queens Quay, the City’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWIC) had discussed the extreme congestion at the intersections of York Street and Spadina Avenue with Lake Shore Boulevard and the consequent gridlock. Constant heavy traffic between these hot spots already creates big problems.

• A number of large projects currently or soon under construction will generate additional residential, office commuter and service traffic during the next three years. These include the Aquarium, Delta Toronto Hotel, Ice Towers and office building, Infinity Condominiums, Tridel’s condo tower, Menkes’ condo towers and commercial building and Waterpark’s office building. Queens Quay is in the process of being reduced to two lanes. We estimate traffic will be substantially higher, and more so during events at the Rogers Centre, ACC, Metro Convention Centre and Harbourfront Centre. Already at Maple Leaf Square, residents have waited up to an hour to exit from their garages when events are happening at the ACC.

Second: The projected modification to the long Yonge/Bay down ramp from the Gardiner Expressway is one relatively simple project that will ameliorate traffic problems in the area. An Environmental Assessment (EA) was concluded in 2010, but apparently is awaiting Provincial Government approval.

Your assistance in gaining approval could help complete this work before the Games.

Third: The city is in the process of granting approval for four new high-rise towers in the York/Lake Shore area. Each tower is planned at triple the zoned density. Given that the existing infrastructure is already grossly inadequate, the impact of lane closures due to staging and access to construction sites is of great concern and needs to be discussed by our Traffic and Urban planners. This discussion may need your intermediation.

—Braz Menezes

These issues have already been brought to the attention of both councillors Adam Vaughan and Pam McConnell. We are sure they will welcome your interest and participation at this time.

The Pan Am project is bigger than the sum of all the parts, but not too big to fail. We want it to succeed and show off our city at its best.

We look forward to your response and reassurance.

Thank you.

Braz Menezes, Planning Committee, YQNA