Speed limit reductions are likely coming to a number of local roads, public lanes and public alleys in parts of Parkdale-High Park (Ward 4), Davenport (Ward 9) and Beaches-East York (Ward 19) thanks to a new staff report set to go before the Toronto and East York Community Council this week. 

The report recommends area-based speed limit reductions to 30 km/h in the parts of Wards 4, 9 and 19 that were added to the Toronto and East York Community Council area in 2018, effectively completing the reduction of speed limits on all local roads in the Toronto and East York Community Council area to 30 km/h.

"The Vision Zero Road Safety Plan Speed Management Strategy focuses on how higher speeds contribute to higher risk of serious injuries and fatalities, and that setting lower speed limits is a key tool for reducing operating speeds on Toronto's roadways," reads the report.

Tomorrow, the Toronto and East York Community Council will be considering further speed limit reductions to 30 km/hr to continue to improve pedestrian and cycling (and driving) safety.https://t.co/lw9eQDRoVe

— Walk Toronto (@Walk_TO) May 18, 2021

The speed management strategy includes a program for reducing speed limits on local roads, public lanes or public alleys to 30 km/h on a neighbourhood basis instead of individually, meaning the city doesn't have to sign every individual street that will see a speed reduction within that designated area.

Instead, only the entry and exit points to/from the designated area where speed limits change must be posted through signage.

After two community council reports were approved back in 2015, all local roadways in the area with speed limits of 50 km/h and 40 km/h were reduced to 30 km/h. 

"Since the local roadways in the Toronto and East York Community Council area had previously been reduced to 30 km/h prior to the 2018 revision of the boundaries of the area, this report is only recommending the designation of the newly added areas for speed limit reductions to 30 km/h," the report states. 

"This will complete the reduction of speed limits on all local roads in the Toronto and East York Community Council area to 30 km/h."

The city's speed management strategy aims to to mitigate the risk of injuries and fatalities on Toronto's roads by reducing the speed of vehicles, and a study presented by staff at the December 16, 17 and 18 city council meeting showed the positive results of speed limit reductions on nearly 250 km of major arterial roadways across the city

"The study found that there is evidence that the reductions have had a positive impact on reductions in operating speeds of vehicles. It is important to note that speed limit reductions are just one part of the Speed Management Strategy," reads the report.

"The holistic strategy also includes modifications to the design of roadways, automated and manual speed enforcement, proactive deployment of Watch Your Speed Signs, and revised speed limit setting practices as key tools in order to achieve more significant, sustained, and effective speed management."

The report is set to go before the Toronto and East York Community Council on Wednesday, May 19, and city council has delegated final decision-making authority on the matter to the community council.