Submission ID 127917
| Session Title | GD - Urban Design Challenges—Accessibility, Vision Zero and Complete Streets |
|---|---|
| Title | The many iterations of Toronto's protected intersections, lessons learned post implementation |
| Abstract | While protected intersection design elements and approaches have existed in Ontario for over a decade, formal Province-wide guidance began to emerge in the early 2020s. In 2021, the Ontario Traffic Manual (OTM) Book 18: Cycling Facilities was updated to include protected intersection guidance. In 2021 as well, the City of Ottawa released its Protected Intersection Design Guide, followed by the Ontario Traffic Council’s Protected Intersection Guide in 2023. Together, these documents provide a new wealth of guidance for the design and implementation of protected intersections. At the same time, the City of Toronto has been incorporating protected intersection design into its Complete Streets projects for over a decade within its own policy and design context. Over the past few years, many of these projects have progressed from into construction, resulting in a growing number of built examples. These completed intersections have provided valuable learning opportunities for City staff. This is particularly timely as Toronto is in the process of finalizing its own intersection design guideline, informed by lessons learned from early implementations. This presentation will explore several built protected intersections in Toronto across a range of contexts, including downtown locations with high pedestrian volumes, suburban settings with high traffic volumes, arterial–arterial intersections, arterial–local intersections, etc. The presentation will include videos and high-quality photos of these intersections in operation, highlighting key design decisions—particularly in highly constrained environments. At each location, the presentation will compare intended and observed outcomes, leading to an overview of lessons learned. The presentation will also situate Toronto’s approach within a broader municipal context by comparing it with practices in other jurisdictions. Key takeaways will include how Toronto has adapted its design approaches and expectations based on real-world experience, where challenges remain, and a high-level preview of the forthcoming intersection design guideline |
| Author and/or Presenter Information | Nataliya Pekar, City of Toronto |
