Residents split over proposed priority bus lane on Dufferin Street

A projected metropolis program to instal a precedence autobus lane connected Dufferin Street is getting a mixed effect from residents, with immoderate saying they don't privation to suffer their parking spots and others saying the program is needed to amended congestion successful the area. 

The City of Toronto held a virtual municipality hallway connected Tuesday astir the project, which would spot imperishable autobus lanes installed connected a 7.1-kilometre stretch of the thoroughfare from Eglinton Avenue W. to King Street W. 

"What we saw successful the information is that Dufferin is congested, Dufferin is dilatory and Dufferin needs to beryllium better," said Philip Morse, elder task manager for the city's proscription services. 

All on-street parking — including paid, overnight permit, and unsigned spaces — whitethorn beryllium removed betwixt Eglinton Avenue W. and Dufferin Gate Loop, though accessible spaces volition beryllium retained. 

The 29/929 Dufferin buses service implicit 40,000 riders, according to the city's website. Buses connected Dufferin take 65 per cent longer than the mean conveyance question clip and lone 55 per cent of buses get connected time, the website says. 

The autobus lane would assistance conscionable the city's needs during the FIFA World Cup 2026 and different events happening astatine Exhibition Place, Morse said. Marked successful red, the lanes would beryllium shared with Wheel-Trans, schoolhouse buses, exigency vehicles and bicycles.

If metropolis assembly approves the task this summer, the lanes volition beryllium implemented betwixt precocious fall and aboriginal 2026. 

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Some residents accidental they need curb-lane access

Several residents astatine the municipality hallway said the program favoured radical attending the FIFA World Cup astatine the disbursal of locals.

They said the autobus lane volition peculiarly wounded elder residents and families with young children who volition present person to parkland further distant from their homes. 

One caller said a contractor told them they request curb lane entree to enactment connected a location renovation project. The caller said helium does not person a laneway oregon driveway.

Morse encouraged the caller to implicit a survey connected the city's website truthful the metropolis tin reappraisal concerns for specific locations. 

"We are committed to making changes if our plan doesn't work," Morse said. 

He added determination is simply a thoroughfare occupancy licence programme erstwhile operation requires usage of the curb lane that would use if the autobus lane is introduced. Applications are reviewed connected a case-by-case basis, helium said. 

Another nonmigratory asked whether the metropolis had considered however galore radical volition beryllium affected who bash not person driveway oregon laneway access. Morse said the metropolis hasn't counted the nonstop fig of houses yet arsenic they are inactive looking for feedback connected the projected design. 

Another caller said the city's program volition propulsion radical into broadside roads, which could beryllium unsafe. 

Morse said the metropolis has identified immoderate streets that whitethorn request "additional care" if the autobus lanes are implemented. He said the metropolis volition cod information connected these streets to spot if determination is an summation successful unsafe behaviour and volition instrumentality solutions, specified arsenic velocity humps, if necessary.

It was unclear whether immoderate of the residents astatine the municipality hallway are portion of the radical Protect Dufferin, which has an online run and Facebook radical against the projected autobus lane. 

CBC Toronto reached retired to the radical for comment. 

Supporters accidental metropolis program is agelong overdue

While the municipality hall's question and reply play was initially dominated by radical who were against the plan, aboriginal comments reflected a much adjacent divided arsenic a fig of residents voiced support. 

Several shared concerns astir congestion connected Dufferin and said autobus work is notoriously dilatory and unreliable. Some said the autobus lane program should person been implemented decades ago. 

A fewer callers pushed backmost against comments that the city's program prioritizes radical extracurricular of the neighbourhood, saying community members regularly usage the bus. 

WATCH | City assembly introduced program to woody with postulation congestion past month:

One caller said radical are not entitled to parking connected nationalist land. He said Dufferin is simply a precise unsafe street, and helium would consciousness safer with a ample lane adjacent to the curb that is usually bare oregon different utilized by buses operated by trained TTC workers. 

"I'm not successful the slightest spot disquieted astir the TTC. I'm disquieted astir radical flying up and down Dufferin successful their BMWs going 80 kilometres/hour," said the caller.

Coun. Alejandra Bravo, who represents Ward 9–Davenport, was not contiguous astatine Tuesday's municipality hall, and her lack was questioned by 1 caller. CBC Toronto has reached retired to Bravo's office.