Jennifer Keesmaat supports polarizing Yonge Street redesign

In what could be a wedge issue, Jennifer Keesmaat is throwing her support behind a major redesign of Yonge Street in Willowdale that would shrink the roadway to make space for wider sidewalks and bike lanes.

The mayoral candidate announced Tuesday that, if elected, she would back the staff-recommended Transform Yonge plan which was presented to city council earlier this year, but deferred for further study.

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Keesmaat has been a vocal proponent of the plan even before deciding to challenge Mayor John Tory in the Oct. 22 election. She said the plan would make Yonge Street, between Sheppard and Finch, a "vibrant and unique urban destination," that's safer for those who live in the rapidly growing area.

Tory has supported another version of the plan, which would keep all six lanes of traffic on Yonge Street and move the bike lanes to nearby arterial roads. That redesign would cost an estimated $9 million more than Transform Yonge.

Keesmaat said that's the wrong approach.

"Mayor Tory has again demonstrated a clear lack of vision for how to build 21st-century neighbourhoods that prioritize vibrant main streets and safety for all road users, instead choosing to spend more taxpayer dollars on approaches with less desirable outcomes for people and businesses," Keesmaat said in a news release.

Tory won't eliminate lanes of traffic, his campaign says

Tory's campaign said while the street needs to be replaced and sidewalks improved, the city has to do it sensibly.

"The mayor's plan improves all modes of transportation and transit in the area without negatively impacting any of the other," said Tory's spokesperson,Keerthana Kamalavasan, in an email statement.

"What the mayor won't do is eliminate lanes of traffic on one of the most congested stretches of roadway in the entire city."

Redesigning Yonge Street could also be a major factor in Willowdale's council race. Incumbent Coun. John Filion supports Transform Yonge, but he's up against another former councillor, Norman Gardner, and former taxi industry representativeSam Moini, who are strongly against it.

Speaking to CBC Toronto on Tuesday, Filionstressed the level of consultation and public support for the Transform Yonge model, sayingthe next council needs to create a main street in the neighbourhood rather than a highway that "literally kills people."

Moini said his rival is out of touch. "The constant message I'm getting is we don't want lane closures on Yonge Street," he said. "We don't want more traffic on our residential streets that's going to outflow from people avoiding Yonge."

There are 15 more candidates also vying to represent the new Ward 18. Before the Ontario government slashed the size of Toronto city council, Willowdale was set to be split into two separate wards in the 2018 election.

Willowdalekey demographics:

• Population: 118,801
• Population density: 6,010 per square km
• Homeowners: 30,330
• Renters: 19,630
• Percentage of low-income residents: 27.7 per cent
• Unemployment rate: 8.6 per cent
• Motorists (driver or passenger): 25,625
• Public transit users: 21,780
• Active transportation (walk or bike): 3,335

(Source: Statistics Canada)