Parkside Drive residents say street 'incredibly dangerous'

Nearly three years after the death of a couple on Parkside Drive, some residents say the street remains incredibly dangerous and more needs to be done now to improve safety.

"It's a very fast road. It's a very dangerous road," said Faraz Gholizadeh, a resident and co-chair of Safe Parkside, a community advocacy group. 

"Motorists don't have any consideration for pedestrians, for cyclists."

Gholizadeh and his family have lived on the street, which serves as a gateway to High Park, for a decade. He said he and other residents who are a part of Safe Parkside want significant modifications to be made immediately. 

Specifically, he said they want driving lanes reduced — from four down to two — and widened sidewalks.

In October 2021, an older couple were killed while they were stopped at a red light on the street. A man driving at high speed collided with them, police said at the time.

In response, the city launched an ongoing study of the street, reduced the speed limit from 50 km/h to 40, added speed cameras, new traffic signals and signs telling motorists to reduce speed, as well as curb lane parking at all times, when previously parking was prohibited.

This has led to reduced average speeds, the city states on its website. Though last year, Parkside Drive was still listed as one of Toronto's most ticketed streets for speeding.

As of June 2023, going southbound, speeds have decreased from 62 km/h to 51 km/h. Motorists heading northbound have reduced speeds from 55 km/h to 48 km/h. Those speeds are still above the limit, said Gholizadeh. He says the street's proximity to the highway means cars are entering it at a high speed.

"It's just incredibly dangerous," he said. "I don't see any safety on this street."

A city spokesperson told CBC Toronto via email that more improvements are planned for the street under its Cycling Network Plan, which was adopted by council at the end of June.

It's proposed that two-way cycle tracks be implemented on the street, along with raised bike and bus platforms that would be implemented between 2025 and 2027.

The city also held a community consultation with Parkside Drive residents in fall 2023, and the spokesperson said a summary of those discussions will be posted on the city's website in the "coming weeks."

The spokesperson said more improvements, including those in the short-term, could come out of the final report on the three-year street study that will be published in the fall.