With a busy schedule of summer construction and events fast approaching, the city says it is expanding a program which places trained traffic agents at key intersections during the morning and afternoon rush periods.
Traffic agents are special constables empowered to enforce traffic laws, such as speed limits, stop signs, and traffic signals. They can also prevent people from stopping to pick up or drop off passengers along key intersection areas.
The Traffic Agents program was first piloted in 2016 as one way to allow police to focus on other core duties. It was shown to reduce blocked intersections by at least 90 per cent, according to the city.
There are 14 agents being deployed immediately, including 11 new hires and the city plans to have a total of 30 by the end of the year.
The city plans to move the agents to different intersections depending on need. They will be deployed to a number of priority intersections to start, many of them in the downtown core.
Those intersections include Queen Street West and Bay Street, Spadina Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard West, Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue, and others.
“Expanding the city’s Traffic Agents Program is an important step in our efforts to manage traffic congestion in Toronto with common sense solutions,” Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie said. “Increasing the number of traffic agents will help us provide better service to the public and ensure that our streets are safe and accessible for all road users.”
Toronto police will be supporting the traffic agents on a six-month pilot basis in order to help better manage traffic through the busy spring and summer months. Up to 20 special constables and police constables per day will bolster traffic management through overtime pay.
No on-duty resources will be used for the pilot project, Toronto police said.
“This six-month pilot project aligns with the Service’s traffic safety goals and enhances our commitment to Vision Zero as we work to reduce traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on Toronto’s streets,” Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue said.
The Traffic Agents program is part of the city’s congestion management strategy, MoveTO.
The city said it is also working to create “Event Traffic Management Zones” to better manage traffic around major attractions and events, such as sporting venues and the CN Tower.
These are the intersections where the agents will first be deployed:
- Front Street West and Bay Street
- Front Street West and Simcoe Street
- Front Street West and University Avenue/York Street
- Adelaide Street West and University Avenue
- Adelaide Street East and Jarvis Street
- Queen Street West and Bay Street
- Wellington Street West and Simcoe Street
- Lower Jarvis Street and Lake Shore Boulevard East
- York Street and Gardiner Expressway (on-ramp)
- Bloor Street West and Bay Street
- Bay Street and Richmond Street West
- Spadina Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard West
- Yonge Street and Lake Shore Boulevard
- Bremner Boulevard and York Street
- Eglinton Avenue West and Allen Road
- Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue
