Dear Ward 19 resident;

If you live south of Dundas Street West, you have received emails from me about the at-grade crossing at Strachan Avenue, the City of Toronto*s urban-friendly design for the separation of the rails, and MetroLinx and the Province of Ontario*s plan to add a bridge. After a backgrounder on the issue, there is a brief update.

Background:

As you may know, MetroLinx is a new provincial body with a mandate to improve and increase rail transportation including the Georgetown and Pearson Airport lines. Everyone agrees that a change at the level crossing at Strachan Avenue is needed as the sheer volume of trains will make the current crossing both unsafe and impractical. In September 2007, I requested that the City of Toronto*s Transportation, Urban Design, and Planning sections work together to come up with an urban friendly design for a new grade separation at Strachan Avenue.

Through 2008, the City, in consultation with the community, developed a plan that would lower the rail tracks and keep Strachan basically at grade, thus leaving the east-west streets open. (See the City of Toronto

Staff Report: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2008/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-16917.pdf)

There was a community consultation process and the City*s design earned broad community support. Over the past four months, City staff have worked with MetroLinx staff on the design.

A new Environmental Assessment began on April 2, 2009 (now a-6-month long process). Under this Assessment process, at their first Open House on April 9, 2009, MetroLinx suddenly dropped the City's option and instead proposed a design that would add a super-bridge over the rail corridor.

The bridge would start just south of King Street West and end north of the existing bridge on Strachan Avenue. The Strachan Avenue Super Bridge will be 8 metres high and the rail corridor will be lowered by 2.5 metres. Wellington Street and Duoro Street would tunnel under Strachan Avenue and vehicles will no longer be able to turn onto Strachan Avenue.

On the other side, due to the slope of the bridge, East Liberty Street and Ordnance Street will be raised by 2.5 metres to meet the bridge.

See the attached two images developed by the City of Toronto that demonstrate the differences between the City's and MetroLinx's proposals where Strachan Avenue meets Wellington Street and Duoro Street. Not only is the bridge an eyesore, but the design is unfriendly to cyclists, pedestrians, our urban landscape, Historic Fort York and our Waterfront gateway.

Update:

Just today, I learned that the Province of Ontario does not care about what happens on Strachan Avenue. I have been hoping that reason would prevail given the only sensible solution is the City*s design and given that MetroLinx*s plan is so obviously a bad plan. However, MetroLinx and the McGuinty government do not seem to be ready to do the right thing.

I have been shocked by the Province of Ontario and MetroLinx*s disregard for Toronto but I am proud of the tenacity with which our local businesses, residents and community groups have rallied to protect our west downtown community.

If you agree with me that City of Toronto proposal is the ONLY proposal that works for our community, please send or re-send emails to:

jbradley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org, rob.macisaac@metrolinx.com, dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

cc: mayor_miller@toronto.ca, councillor_pantalone@toronto.ca, chowo@parl.gc.ca, rmarchese-co@ndp.on.ca

Thank you,
Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone