The South Kingsway-Queensway Interchange is located in the southeast corner of Ward 13. Built in the mid-1950s, this infrastructure is sandwiched between the former Town of Swansea to the north, the Humber River to the west, railway tracks, Gardiner Expressway, Lakeshore Road and Western Beaches to the south and a former industrial site to the southeast. The latter site is presently being redeveloped as residential (three condominium towers consisting of approximately 78 stories and approximately 200 townhouses). When the development is completed approximately 2,000 new inhabitants will reside in Swansea.

In light of this new land use, the City of Toronto’s Transportation Services Division (TSD) began studying the SKQI in 2005 with a plan to urbanize it using almost $1 million in funds available from a broader $10 million re-construction of The Queensway (which now includes bike lanes between Windermere and Sunnyside). As part of an $80,000 Class B Environmental Assessment (EA), the City identified safety and access concerns of the current configuration with respect to pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists. The City has acknowledged that the current configuration of the interchange favours the movement of motor vehicles over the safety and access of other users.

View the City's map indicating locations of concern

For cyclists, the City’s report stated that:

• The approved eastbound Bicycle lane on Queensway crosses 3 uncontrolled ramps
• The approved westbound bicycle lane on Queensway crosses three uncontrolled ramps and requires a lane change
• Collision data suggests ramp weave conditions account for recurring collisions and present a safety issue for cyclists
• North-south pedestrian and cyclists must cross numerous uncontrolled ramps

For pedestrians, the City’s report stated that:

• Transit platforms are not universally accessible and there exist too many uncontrolled crossings when accessing the transit platform;
• North/south pedestrians must cross numerous uncontrolled ramps;
• The walkway on the east side of South Kingsway is not continuous to new residential development to the south, pedestrians traveling from the east to the west side of South Kingsway must cross at an uncontrolled location; and
• The current pedestrian route for crossing the Queensway is inconvenient and there exists potential security concerns traveling under the Queensway structure.

To eliminate many of these safety issues, TSD proposed that a “Link Road” (the preferred alternative) should be built.

View the recommended alternative map

Unfortunately, as a result of lobbying coordinated by the Swansea Ratepayers Association , the EA was declared “dead” in July 2007 by the local councillor, Bill Saundercook. Consequently, instead of implementing the Link Road, TSD was directed to only look at minor modifications of one ramp terminus prior to repaving the existing highway style ramps and leaving the intersection in its current 1950’s style configuration.

However, with the help of the Toronto Pedestrian Committee (TPC), TURN was able to bring the SKQI to the attention of the Planning and Growth Management Committee in September 2007. The TPC requested that TSD and Urban Development Services (UDS) report on how to make urban design changes that facilitate human scale and transit movement access. In April 2008, TURN submitted similar motions to the Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee (TCAC) and also requested that a charette be coordinated by the City so a superior design that satisfied all citizens and city policies could be put in place.

On June 23rd, TURN received the city's latest EA report which offered a number of band-aid solutions.  In a bureaucratic twist, the report has been combined with the urban design report requested by Planning and Growth Management last October. The Etobicoke York Community Council will debate this report on July 7th (2:00pm) and a separate bike lane report will go to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on September 8th.  See the Important Dates section of our Get Involved page. The Links page also provides much more information to help you help the City be a better place for everyone.

View the city's latest report to EYCC

View the map of minimal "enhancements"

The bottom line is that, with all ramps left in place, the intersection will remain dangerous to cyclists and pedestrians at all other conflict points outlined in the City’s study. Join us to stop this from happening!