City council has voted in favour of purchasing about $11 million in equipment that will help synchronize traffic signals and reduce gridlock throughout Toronto.
The plan will see more than 1,000 traffic signals retimed and coordinated over the next three years, beginning with 270 signals along Kingston Road, Weston Road, Keele Street, Parkside Drive and Lawrence Avenue this year.
"For years our staff has been trying to manage an increasingly difficult situation with fewer and fewer resources," Mayor Rob Ford told reporters following the vote. "Today we are moving aggressively to correct that situation and combat traffic congestion once and for all in this city."
According to Ford, city officials completed signal retiming studies at 10 of the city’s most congested intersections in 2012 and found that the change could reduce traffic-related delays by 14 to 33 per cent, depending on the area.
That improvement in commute times would in turn reduce fuel consumption and the creation of greenhouse gases, Ford added.
"With some smart planning and a relatively small - and I emphasize the word small - capital investment, traffic light coordination can have a dramatic impact on congestion,” Ford said. “This is exactly where taxpayers want their money spent."
Plenty on agenda at city hall
Today's council meeting is the first since controversy erupted nearly four weeks ago over an alleged video that reportedly shows Ford smoking from a glass pipe.
Other items on the agenda include a recent report from the city’s ombudsman that criticized the city’s treatment of seniors and a report on the economic impact of the 100th Grey Cup.
A motion from Coun. Michelle Berardinetti to create a so called 'angel cradle' - a designated spot to safely and anonymously drop off an unwanted baby, is also on the agenda, but isn’t likely to be discussed until tomorrow.
