Toronto’s First Protected Intersection Serves as a Blueprint for a Safer, Greener Future
Contact: Kate Whitfield, P.Eng., MCIP, RPP, Principal, Alta
Doing something new requires creative vision, determination, and a will to persevere. Alta Canada was the lead consultant on a project with the City of Toronto, proving to have what it takes to design and build Toronto’s first protected intersection. Using bioswales and green gutters to separate the bikeway from traffic and other treatments specific to intersections, the project serves as a model for sustainable design in the region, and in North America.
The project is often referred to as the ‘York University Cycling Connections’ project because the key intersections are found on Murray Ross Parkway between the Finch West Station and the YorkU campus. Construction included a kilometre of separated bikeways and multi-use trails — as well as major improvements to two signalized intersections, Murray Ross Parkway at Evelyn Wiggins Drive and at Keele Street. The project was part of a vision to grow and connect the cycling network between York University, the Finch West Hydro Corridor Trail, and Finch West TTC station. The project included the City’s first bioswale and green gutter, but also the City’s first protected intersection.
The team prioritized green infrastructure and sustainable design from the beginning — referencing the City’s developing Green Infrastructure Standards and Wet Weather Stormwater Plan. The green infrastructure tied into the protected intersection design, which was the starting point for the project to meet the City’s goals for a design approach that centers safety for all vulnerable road users, improves connections for people on bikes at intersections, and reflects TransformTO, Vision Zero, and Complete Streets frameworks.
Green Infrastructure
The project team made green infrastructure and low-impact development features integral to the design early on. While Toronto’s Green Infrastructure Standards were still in development, the team worked together on a green gutter and bioswale, which were used as creative and functional separation treatments between the road and the on-street bidirectional bikeways.
The goal was to retain run-off patterns to existing curb and catch basins while minimizing impermeable surfaces as part of a retrofit roadway re-purposing scenario. The project team selected appropriate plantings for the green infrastructure features and during the design phase, there were extensive discussions on details for bioswale and green gutter inlets and outlets.
Post-implementation, City Staff have been observing and monitoring their functionality. During construction, the overall project team worked together to manage constructability issues given the complexity of materials and their placement in the cross-section of the bioswale. The City is also observing the resiliency of various specified plants over time.
“As with trying anything new, there were several lessons learned,” said Ezra Lipton, Alta Senior Planner. “Most related to drainage, planting, constructability, and maintenance and continue to be identified and incorporated into future practice.”
Accessibility
The project team didn’t stop at innovative green treatments. They prioritized accessibility design as well, paying particular attention to the separation treatments between pedestrian and cycling space and to treatments at complex junctions, such as where a multi-use trail intersects a sidewalk and a bidirectional cycle track.
Safety, Signal Infrastructure, and Phasing
Paired with these accessibility considerations, significant signal phasing modifications are providing safer travel for pedestrians, transit users, and people on bikes. Both intersections were redesigned with the addition of bike signal heads, bicycle detection, and a variety of features to allow intuitive crossings. A fully protected right turn with transit signal priority was implemented to protect pedestrians and people on bikes from turning vehicles, while keeping transit vehicles moving.
2023 Recognition
To top off the year, Alta and the City of Toronto took home the Stan Teply Award for the York University Protected Intersection and Cycling Connections from ITE Canada. Each year, the award recognizes an outstanding project that showcases excellent technical achievement in transportation planning and/or engineering.
We’re Not Resting on our Laurels
Stay tuned to see what team Canada has in store. They plan to build on the success of projects like these to deliver safer, more sustainable, and more equitable transportation solutions throughout the region and country.
