Smart traffic signal pilot coming to Sheppard East
Fire Investigation Update
On May 30, a tragic house fire occurred on Haida Court, which is on the west side of Military Trail in Highland Creek. The fire broke out at a single detached house shortly before 2:30 a.m.
Three occupants escaped the fire and were rushed to hospital for treatment. A fourth occupant, an 18-year-old University of Toronto Scarborough Campus student, was later found deceased in the home.
Upon initial investigation, it was alleged that this home was being operated as a student rooming house and that the property owners were negligent in providing proper fire and safety protection to the tenants.
On August 31, the property owners, two Toronto residents, were arrested and charged with nine counts of arson by negligence, criminal negligence causing death, and criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
Five other properties that were also being operated as rooming houses on Haida Court have been investigated. Multi-tenant houses, also known as rooming houses, are not permitted in Scarborough.
Smart Traffic Signal Pilot
The city’s current Smart Traffic Signal Pilot will help us select a new technology to replace our aging signal infrastructure and expand our use of smart signals to fight congestion. In 2016, the city completed an evaluation of seven leading technologies, and procured two of them for pilot deployments.
During the pilot, they will be evaluated for how well they manage traffic, their reliability and their value. The pilot deployments are located on Yonge Street between Yonge Blvd. and Castlefield Ave., and on Sheppard Ave. East between Neilson and Meadowvale Rds.
The activation of the system on Sheppard will take place this fall. Constituents may notice signal operations that are slightly different from what we have now. This is because smart traffic signals adapt to prevailing traffic conditions through the entire day.
The objective of the technology is to reduce the overall delay for travellers, not just at one intersection but across the connected network. Once the pilots are complete, the merits of these technologies will be evaluated with the ultimate goal of installing smart signal technology throughout the city.
Local Updates
Road resurfacing on Lawrence Ave. from Port Union Rd. to west of Meadowvale Rd. begins September 24 with an expected completion date of November 30. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction through the work zones.
Toronto Urban Forestry is hosting a tree planting event in Wanita Park. All are welcome to attend on Oct. 24 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Keep in touch: 416-392-1373, councillor_hart@toronto.ca