Toronto to target 'abandoned' construction lane closures and the traffic headaches they cause

A North Toronto city councillor wants the city to tackle one of the things that frustrates drivers most in this city  — traffic jams caused by closed lanes where no construction work is actually happening.

Coun. James Pasternak's motion, which was approved at this week's council meeting, calls on staff to tackle road construction projects that close lanes almost indefinitely.

"We are seeing more and more neglected and unattended road construction sites city-wide," Pasternak's motion reads. 

"My office has received complaints from numerous constituents expressing concerns over seemingly vacant work sites, sometimes displaying scattered tools, machines, and construction materials."

Pasternak's motion comes at a time when traffic is returning to pre-pandemic levels in a city that has long had to contend with roads choked by construction. He calls on staff to review all road projects, with a special eye to what he calls "abandoned construction sites" and ensure that crews are living up to the schedules they've presented to the city.

"We need enforcement," Pasternak told CBC Toronto.

"We should also have our field ambassadors go out and meet with the subcontractor and tell them that it's unacceptable and that there could be consequences in the future, such as fines or losing contracts." 

One of the groups Pasternak heard from is the Downsview-Roding Community Group, headed by Mark Tenaglia, who lives near Wilson Avenue between Keele and Jane Streets.

Traffic jams there are an all-day, everyday affair, Tenaglia says, because two of the road's four lanes have been closed for maintenance for about a month, work that rarely seems to be happening.

"We're absolutely fed up with this," said Tenaglia. "You can imagine people coming home from work, being stuck on this two-kilometre stretch of road for half an hour or even longer."

As well as the hassle for drivers, Tenaglia and Pasternak both say roads that are impassable because they're overloaded with traffic can hinder emergency vehicles. Tenaglia points to an entrance to a paramedic station on Wilson that is routinely blocked by stalled traffic.

"It's dangerous," Tenaglia said. "Imagine you have emergency services trying to get through this stretch of road that has all this construction."

Tenaglia also worries about frustrated drivers abandoning Wilson, and instead speeding through nearby residential streets.

He says Wilson is not the only street in the area that seems to have been closed for little reason.