Toronto city councillor Joe Cressy says it's been a pilot project in the works for years and it's time to get it fast-tracked for one of Toronto's most confusing intersections.
"This may be the most challenging and dangerous intersection in the city," Cressy said of Bathurst, Lake Shore and Fleet St. "Between the Gardiner Expressway, growing vertical neighbourhoods and the airport, this is an accident waiting to happen and we're moving to fix it."
Cressy hopes the project will finally get going this summer.
This is the intersection Cllr. Joe Cressy wants to see work sped up at this summer: Bathurst going north-south, with Lake Shore Blvd and Fleet St. running parallel going east-west. #topoli #construction #transit https://t.co/XXK6nzBhhA pic.twitter.com/0s37l40OuK
— NEWSTALK1010 (@NEWSTALK1010) May 22, 2019
Currently drivers going eastbound on Lake Shore can't go north onto Bathurst, instead having to turn left onto Fleet a few blocks earlier, which runs parallel to Lake Shore.
But the thin road also runs parallel to streetcar tracks and includes city buses, which combined with construction and northbound traffic on Bathurst causes tons of congestion.
Several cars were observed Wednesday leaving the east bound Fleet St. lane, by mounting the turb and driving west on the TTC tracks before getting back on the road.
The project is for the block of Fleet from Bathurst to Iannuzzi to be pedestrian-only and allowing drivers to turn left from Lake Shore onto Bathurst.
"Someone perhaps in the planning department was trying to do too much at this intersection," Jacques McGlaughlin said, who has been working in the area for several months.
He said pedestrians have to deal with cars clogging up the area from all directions, while drivers often get confused with which lane to take, especially with Fleet running parallel to Lake Shore.
"It's four roads coming in basically into one time," he said. "I've been in my car as well and just understanding when I can proceed through the intersection is a challenge."
Cressy says by making the block of Fleet pedestrian-only, it'll be simpler for drivers who will be able to go directly on to Bathurst from Lake Shore, instead of the awkward light they currently take a few blocks before.
Meanwhile for pedestrians on Fleet and those getting on and off the streetcars and city buses, it'll be safer.
"It's time we get on with it," Cressy said, adding while there are more comprehensive changes to the entire section, dealing with Fleet St. should happen now.
"We cannot wait any longer," he said.