May 23, 2019
By Zoomer Podcast Network
King Street has become more pedestrian friendly, and some would say car averse, and now there is a push to make Yonge Street downtown, easier to get around for pedestrians.
The watermains under downtown Yonge Street need to be replaced, meaning the street has to be dug up. So city planners want to seize the opportunity to redevelop a stretch of the iconic roadway.
According to a new environmental assessment report from the city, some 238-thousand people walk the sidewalks of Yonge between Queen and College streets over 24 hours on an average summer day. Up to 75 percent of people using Yonge are pedestrians and over the last 20 years walking has doubled while driving has decreased by 17 percent.
One of the ideas being considered is wider sidewalks along Yonge. That would involve losing some lanes for driving. Public consultations have also pointed to the need for a better streetscape with more greenery. In fact, six possible alternatives have been introduced including making Yonge downtown “car free”.
Libby speaks with Mark Garner of the Yonge BIA and Councillor Kristyn Wong Tam of Ward 13 – Toronto Centre.
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