Ward 29 Councillor Mary Fragedakis said that a petition to install a crosswalk at the intersection of Carlaw and Mortimer avenues does not meet requirements of the city’s Transportation Services department.
Fragedakis said that in order to merit a crosswalk, Transportation Services requires at least 200 pedestrians to be crossing during busy periods, and 130 pedestrians waiting to cross for more than 10 seconds.
Jack Aldred has been a crossing guard at the intersection for 22 years. He created the petition to express his concern for the safety of pedestrians, especially when there’s no one to help people to cross the road.
The intersection is heavily used by students from Centennial College and Chester Elementary School, Aldred said.
“Mothers have complained to me that when I’m not there, they point their hand out and no one stops,” Aldred said.
Aldred said that the intersection used to have a crosswalk, but it was taken down when the city installed a traffic light nearby. He submitted the petition to Fragedakis’ office on February 21 with 203 signatures.
Although it does not meet the requirements, Fragedakis said that she is willing to advocate for a crosswalk since residents have expressed the need for one.
“I have asked Transportation Services to prepare a report for the next Toronto East York Community Council so that the item may be considered and voted on at that time,” she said.
The next East York Community Council meeting is March 22, 2011.