What's Happening on Queens Quay West? Improvements for Pedestrians and Cyclists and a Planting Pilot!

Following public feedback and our own observations, updates to Queens Quay West will improve interactions between cyclists and pedestrians.
 

POSTED: MAY 16, 2022 | DESIGN, PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES, INFRASTRUCTURE

BY: SHANE SCHOFIELD

As city-builders, we care about delivering neighbourhoods, parks, destinations and infrastructure that make people’s lives better. In 2015 we completed the revitalization of Queens Quay West, transforming it into a complete street by reducing the number of traffic lanes to provide dedicated spaces for cycling, pedestrians, transit and vehicles, and expanding the public realm to provide access to the water’s edge. Since then, we’ve continued to observe how pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles use the space, and developed some new approaches as we work on plans for revitalizing Queens Quay East. 

In March 2022, Waterfront Toronto began making improvements to Queens Quay West between Lower Simcoe and Bay Streets. While parts of the improved Queens Quay West will look slightly different, we are addressing public feedback and piloting some new approaches to the intersections that are being considered for Queens Quay East. These pilots will be monitored over the summer and fall to inform the design of Queens Quay East. 

What Improvements Are Being Made? 

If you’ve noticed the fencing along Queens Quay West, here’s what’s happening:

Intersection improvements are being made at Lower Simcoe Street and Bay Street to provide clearer separation between cycling and pedestrian crossings: 

• On the Martin Goodman Trail, asphalt is being extended through the intersections and the granite pavers previously used at the pedestrian-cyclist mixing zones are being removed. Don’t worry though, the pavers will be saved and re-used elsewhere. 

• Pedestrian crossing signal buttons are being relocated south of the Martin Goodman Trail. 

• Crosswalk markings are being extended to the south edge of the Martin Goodman Trail. 

A planting pilot is being implemented between Lower Simcoe Street and York Street. Here you’ll see new plantings between the south side of the TTC streetcar tracks and the Martin Goodman Trail that will create a protective buffer zone between the streetcar right-of-way and pedestrian traffic. Stormwater captured from the trail and promenade will provide passive irrigation to the plantings and trees to ensure a sustainable landscape.

The Queens Quay West planting pilot, between Lower Simcoe and York Streets, adds more vegetation along the Martin Goodman Trail in addition to the existing street trees.

We are also retrofitting some areas of the granite mosaic pavement on the north side of the public promenade between York Street and Lower Simcoe Street where there has been settlement. In order to resolve this paver settlement issue, we are investigating the cause before putting the granite pavers back in place.

Further east, at the northeast corner of Queens Quay and Bay Street, we are realigning the curb to increase the turning radius. This will prevent buses and large trucks from mounting the curb when turning north onto Bay Street. 
 

Timeline 

This work began in March 2022 and is expected to be completed by June 2022. For details on what to expect during construction, find the March 8 construction notice here. 
 

Have questions about these improvements? Please send us your questions at info@waterfrontoronto.ca.