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Toronto
Fire Services sounds the alarm on safety of St. Clair Right-of-Way
calling it “Without doubt unsafe” For Immediate Release June 17th, 2008 Councillor Palacio and other local City Councillors are calling for urgent action to address community safety concerns relating to the fundamentally flawed St. Clair Avenue West exclusive right-of-way. Senior Toronto Fire Staff, in a letter to Councillor Palacio, have disclosed the results of an extensive 20-page internal review of the St. Clair exclusive right-of-way in which they conclude that “The TTC ROW on St. Clair Avenue West is without doubt unsafe” (Page 10), among other conclusions. These include: “The TTC ROW as constructed on St.Clair Avenue West is not useable by Toronto Fire Services for emergency response” (Page 20), “There is no doubt that there will be delays in emergency vehicle responses on St.Clair Avenue West” (Page 3), “Personal injury to persons at streetcar stops are possible as well as TFS personnel on the apparatus” (Page 5), “More likely, it will cause the fire apparatus to move into the poles supporting the traction power lines damaging the side of the apparatus. In the extreme it will cause the apparatus to drive into one of the poles supporting the traction power lines or indeed hit a streetcar head on” (Page 5) and “There is considerable risk to all if TFS use this TTC ROW as an access route. Adverse climatic conditions will only make the TTC ROW more perilous” (Page 10), among many others. “Public transit must be improved but in a sensible, safe way. This report vindicates those of us who raised serious, valid concerns about the safety of this absurd design for St. Clair right from the very beginning.” Councillor Palacio stated. “Legitimate concerns of this very nature are exactly why the majority of the local community and I could not support this project as proposed.” This is an urgent concern of public safety for the literally tens of thousands of local residents who live in the vicinity of St. Clair Avenue West and who rely on emergency vehicles to be able to move quickly and safely across the street. Councillor Palacio will be moving a motion at an upcoming meeting of Council, calling on Staff to bring forward options for remedying it immediately. For comments: Councillor Cesar Palacio,
416-392-7011 (City Hall) |
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