Community groups call for narrower, safer Yonge Street in Willowdale

Several groups say shrinking Yonge Street to four lanes in the booming Willowdale area is a "no-brainer," especially when it comes to road safety.

City staff are recommending narrowing Yonge to make room for wider, improved sidewalks, as well as bicycle lanes. That proposal, which has the backing of local Coun. John Filion, goes to the public works and infrastructure committee next week for what's expected to be a hotly contested vote.

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The plan's price tag is about $51.1 million.

Mayor John Tory is opposing the recommendations, pushing for an alternative design that won't reduce the size of the roadway in one of the most congested parts of the city.

"Congested traffic is bad for the environment, it's bad for people's lives, it's bad for the economy, we know that," he said.

Jess Spieker, of the group Friends and Families for Safe Streets, warns leaving the street as-is puts people at risk.

"Pedestrians are still left to cross six lanes of car traffic and that is not safe. We've already seen that. We know that," she said.

Spieker, who is still recovering from a spine injury she suffered after being hit by a car while cycling in 2015, saidit's difficult for people with mobility issues to cross such wide streets.

Meanwhile, Jesse James, a community outreach worker, also noted his concerns for the thousands of high school students in the area, many whowind up dashing across Yonge at lunch hour.

"I try to walk with them," he said, adding he's blocked some from going into the street when they didn't notice an approaching vehicle.

"As a parent, I'm concerned."

Tory says alternate may not cost $20M more

Tory saidhis preferred design choice, one staff identify as a viable alternative, doesn't rule out improving safety features on Yonge.

"I believe we've found an answer which allows us to have bike lanes, to have public realm improvements and not to take out two lanes of Yonge Street, which I think will dislocate a lot of people who are trying to get around," he said.

However that plan, which shunts the bike lanes off to nearby Beecroft Road, is expected to cost some $20 million more.

Tory told reporters he believes that price tag can be "substantially reduced," perhaps to zero, but did not offer any explanation about how that would happen.

Meanwhile, Coun. John Filion, who represents the area and supports the staff plan, says he plans to meet with the mayor to try and change his mind. Filion says whether or not that happens, he'll fight to get the votes he needs to pass the plan at council.

"I'm just kind of astonished myself that I have to scramble for 23 votes to get staff recommendations adopted,"he said.

"I can't remember a similar situation. It's just ridiculous."