Nearly two kilometers of full-depth reconstruction and streetscaping gave new life to the avenue for local residents as well as the mostly independent coffee houses, patios, bakeries, boutiques, and eateries that line the street and draw visitors from surrounding neighbourhoods and well beyond. In addition to replacing the unmapped and crumbling 80-year-old water and sewer services running underneath the street, the road reconstruction embraced public transit by integrating the streetcar route into the fabric of the sidewalk. Instead of concrete islands in the middle of the road, the route uses extensions of the sidewalks—bumpouts—to give passengers fully accessible use of the low-floor street cars without having to cross traffic. This change in the contour of the sidewalks reduced car traffic on the street to two lanes but it improved the street for cyclists, who now have a designated lane identified by painted sharrows that remind drivers to be aware of bicycle traffic. What’s more, the loss of parking on the street—a contentious issue for both residents and business—came to only eight percent, which was even less than anticipated. As a resident and business owner who served as chair of the local BIA’s street beautification committee pointed out, the rejuvenation of the street began as a state-of-good repair project but grew as new opportunities arose out of continuous engagement between stakeholders. Today, Roncesvalles is one of the city’s most vibrant, diverse and successful neighbourhoods and its revitalization serves as a model for other ambitious neighbourhood-renovation projects.
——————–
Key Features
•1.7 km long road, TTC track reconstruction and street-scaping on Roncesvalles Avenue including new sewer and watermains, replacement of streetcar tracks, new sidewalks, removal of two lanes, integrated streetcar platforms, pavement reconstruction.
•Beautification Scope included new trees, wider sidewalks, new public spaces, new street furniture, and improved street-scape standards
This project included full depth road reconstruction and narrowing of Roncesvalles Avenue to provide gateway features, landscaping and providing wider sidewalks by narrowing pavement at select location and corner treatments.
The street was officially converted to two-lanes, which could be widened by absorbing some of the curb-lane parking width to accommodate bicycle sharrows.
The road reconstruction also embraced transit by integrating the streetcar route into the fabric of the sidewalk. Instead of placing concrete islands in the middle of the road, the Toronto Transit Commission or TTC’s transit platforms use the parking lane using “bumpouts”, the platforms extend the sidewalk to the tracks, so that transit riders can get on and off the cars without having to cross traffic. The platforms will also provide a flush surface for passengers boarding and dismounting low floor streetcars.
The project also involved TTC Track Reconstruction and extensive streetscaping through this established retail/commercial area. This necessitated close attention to continuous traffic management and extensive public and community liaison with the local business groups (BIA’s) and multiple stakeholders, all on an aggressive schedule to meet Infrastructure Stimulus Funding time lines.
In addition to the changes to the road, the plan called for replacing and widening the sidewalks (some of which were multilevel and had been a safety hazard for years); creating new public spaces, and planting trees in trenches along the sidewalk rather than in concrete planters.
——————–
The Roncesvalles Avenue Revitalization project from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West through a downtown core in Toronto included revitalization of the street with a sense of identity and build on its function as a local amenity and regional destination, all the while preserving its historic value. The rejuvenation of the street began as a state-of-good repair project but grew as new opportunities for enhancements arose out of continuous engagement between stakeholders. Today, Roncesvalles is one of the city’s most vibrant, diverse, and successful neighbourhoods and its revitalization serves as a model for other ambitious neighbourhood-renovation projects.