Residents aggravated after Parkside Drive rate video camera reduced– once more

For the 2nd time this month, a rate enforcement video camera implied to capture vehicle drivers taking a trip as well quick on Parkside Drive has actually been reduced on the high website traffic road in Toronto’s west end that’s been the topic of safety and security problems for several years.

Faraz Gholizadeh, a neighborhood citizen and co-chair of area campaigning for team Safe Parkside, stated he saw the rate enforcement video camera had actually been reduced Saturday early morning. Gholizadeh stated he observed employees re-installing it a day previously, after it had actually been ruined a couple of weeks earlier.

“Obviously someone’s very upset and offended by the presence of the speed camera, which is kind of confusing because it’s there for safety purposes,” he stated.

“Unfortunately, it’s not really doing what it’s intended to do because the street is still very dangerous. But to cut it down is definitely not the answer.”

A representative for the City of Toronto validated that this the 2nd time this month that the video camera has actually been reduced. The city’s supplier is presently evaluating the damages to the rate video camera and will certainly create a prepare for repair work, the representative stated.

Parkside citizens have lengthy grumbled that the road is unbelievably harmful because of the rush hour and vehicle drivers taking a trip as well quick. Last year, the road covered the checklist for the most speeding tickets gathered in the city.

The road works as a significant north-south arterial roadway, with around 21,000 cars and 1,000 transportation individuals taking a trip on it daily, according to a recent city staff report.

VIEW|Residents voice safety and security problems over Parkside Drive:

The very same record stated there have actually been virtually 1,500 crashes on Parkside Drive in the previous years, causing 5 significant injuries and 3 fatalities.

Gholizadeh stated the road has significant safety and security problems. “If the city doesn’t act soon, more people are going to get injured, more people are going to die.”

Faraz Gholizadeh has actually been supporting for safety and security enhancements to Parkside Drive for several years. (David Hill/ CBC)

Luke Kus lives nearby from the rate video camera and has actually stayed in the location for near two decades. He states he’s observed numerous memorials for individuals that have actually been eliminated in crashes on the road throughout the years.

“There’s definitely a lot of the potential for accidents,” he stated.

Kus stated it’s “shameful” that the video camera has actually been ruined once more provided just how harmful the roadway can be, particularly for pedestrians.

In October 2021, an older couple were killed while they were quit at a traffic signal on the road and guy driving at broadband rammed them.

This triggered the city to release a recurring research study of the road, decrease the rate limitation from 50 km/h to 40, include rate video cameras and brand-new website traffic signals and indicators informing vehicle drivers to decrease their rate.

Earlier this month, Toronto common council elected to recommend a strategy to at brand-new bike lanes to Parkside Drive as component of a bigger strategy to make the road much safer. The strategy additionally consists of including junction safety and security enhancements at Lake Shore Boulevard W. and Bloor Street W., brand-new and upgraded bus quits, and marked transforming lanes at crossways.

Gholizadeh stated he’s confident regarding the precaution in the brand-new strategy yet slammed for how long the city has actually required to develop them.

“You don’t need three years to study it. You just need to open your eyes, take one look and be like, this is unacceptable.”

VIEW|City recommended redesign to Parkside Drive: