SECTION 6:  TRANSPORTATION REVIEW

INTRODUCTION

Transportation systems required to successfully support
urbanized areas depend on a hierarchy of roads and public
transit of various orders.  The ability of transportation to
support growth and change of use in North Etobicoke in the
long-term is a focus of this review.  As a background, we have
reviewed the status of the existing system, on-going growth of
the plan and long-range options for public transit, all of
which impact on the growth potential of the area.

Superhighways:

North Etobicoke is served by a set of existing highways and
roadways that have been a major contributor to its growth to
date.  The major highway network can be characterized as a
perimeter system which works exceptionally well in getting
vehicles to the district from other areas within the G.T.A.
The system, however, tends to "leap-frog" the area, due to
limited number of interchanges on Highways 401, 409 and 427,
making it very reliant on the arterial road capacity to keep
it working.  The continued progress of Hwy. 407 to the north,
will place the area on a ladder of superhighways, which will
ensure its continued benefit from the highway system.

Arterial Roads:

North Etobicoke is covered by a grid of high capacity arterial
roads (operated by Metropolitan Toronto).  These provide the
only north-south links and while once providing important
industrial addresses, they now serve as high volume commuter
corridors linking to highways or residential areas.  Much of
the traffic passes through Etobicoke in an east-west
direction.

The trend for arterial roads to service a growing number of
new non-industrial destinations will continue as industry
diminishes.  Rexdale Boulevard retail destinations such as
Woodbine Centre and the automotive strip have grown with the
traffic.  Traffic volume, good exposure and accessability are
critical for retail type uses in urbanized areas.  Development
and intensified use is dependent on arterials to channel heavy
traffic to destinations and keep it out of residential
neighbourhoods.  In all of the three sub-areas, the arterial
roads provide access, boundary definition and are a key factor
in future growth.

Hwy 27 is reverting to Metropolitan Toronto control as an
arterial road and is currently under joint review by the
Province, Metro and Etobicoke.  This provides an important
opportunity for improved access to adjoining lands, as well as
cross-flow traffic in the area south of Belfield Road through
to Dixon Road.  This will create greater development potential
for the Dixon/Martingrove block and can improve the overall
system throughout the Airport Business Park.


Public Transit:

The area is currently served only by TTC bus routes.  The
north-west extremity is only now receiving its first bus
route, which will benefit mostly residential and, to a small
degree, industrial users.  The main shortcoming is the
inability to travel easily and quickly to and from
destinations outside the area or to link with the higher
capacity subway system.

Commuter Rail:

The existing GO station at Islington/Rexdale is recommended
(in the Official Plan) to be relocated to City View Drive.
Any potential relocation of this facility, however, should be
considered by the City in light of the benefit, recognizing
its ability to support intensified use of major sites adjacent
to the rail line.

Summary:

While being well-served by a highly-developed road system, the
area lacks certain fundamental transportation elements, the
absence of which will limit the development options and long-
term growth.  There is no high speed public access to
destinations such as Downtown Toronto and Pearson Airport.


LONG-RANGE ISSUES:

East-West Rapid Transit

Environmental Assessment Studies are being currently conducted
for the Eglinton West Rapid Transit Line.  This system
proposes to link up Mississauga (Gateway), Pearson Airport and
York City Centre to the Spadina Line.  Current alignment
options through Etobicoke include Dixon Road (utilizing
Pearson Airport as a destination) and Eglinton Avenue with a
spur to Pearson.

As the benefits of rapid transit are well-understood, a clear
position of preference by the City of Etobicoke should be
taken to capture the greatest long-term impact.  The addition
of rapid transit to the Dixon Road/Airport Business Park area
clearly provides development support and economic potential
for Etobicoke that cannot be achieved by alternate routes:

1. improved transit access to enhance the existing Airport
   development area (offices, hotels and industry);

2. the opportunity for intensification of existing commercial
   lands with a more balanced modal split (transit vs. car);

3. the ability to stimulate new growth on underutilized lands
   east of Hwy. 27.

If the Eglinton West Rapid Transit routing were to follow
other alignments, none of these commercial 'value-added'
benefits could be derived for the City.

North-South Transit

Options for various forms of improved public transit are
currently under study as part of the Airport Transportation
Program.  The various options will have vastly differing long-
range impacts on the growth and development of this area.
Support for the specific options should be conditional on
satisfaction of the long-range objectives of the Official Plan
and provision of specific benefits to the area.