{"id":836682,"date":"2026-07-30T20:51:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T20:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/836682\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T20:51:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T20:51:10","slug":"toronto-council-approves-scramble-intersection-at-yonge-and-eglinton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/836682\/","title":{"rendered":"Toronto council approves scramble intersection at Yonge and Eglinton"},"content":{"rendered":"

Toronto City Council has voted to install a \u201cscramble intersection\u201d at Yonge and Eglinton streets<\/p>\n

The motion, introduced by Councillor Josh Matlow, also called for one to be installed just further north at Yonge Street and Roehampton Avenue\/Orchard View Boulevard. However, council has requested they further evaluate before implementing it at the second intersection.<\/p>\n

\u201cYonge and Eglinton has become one of the busiest intersections in the city and I want to make it safer and more manageable,\u201d said Matlow<\/p>\n

A scramble intersection, also known as a Pedestrian Priority Phase, means that at certain intervals, the traffic lights will stop all vehicles in every direction. That allows pedestrians to safetly cross in any direction, including diagonally.<\/p>\n

According to the city, an average of about 4,500 pedestrians cross Yonge and Eglinton every hour. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Lee Scott is part of a community group called Walk Toronto who have been advocating for a scramble intersection since last year. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so we get pushed off and then we\u2019re waiting for the directional change to go with the cars. There\u2019s often cars that are kind of pushing ahead of their green lights. And so they actually go even into pedestrians who are walking on their walk signal,\u201d said Scott.<\/p>\n

The intersection is set to be installed in 2027.<\/p>\n

But there are some concerns with\u00a0the proposal.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can cause increase in delays for drivers because it adds an additional light cycle that\u2019s for pedestrians only. And so it really depends on how it\u2019s implemented and how all the other lights around it are timed and synchronized,\u201d said Matti Siemiatycki, Professor of Geography and Planning at University of Toronto.<\/p>\n

As a part of the motion, council directed Transportation Services to undertake coordinated signal timing optimization for the Yonge Street corridor to minimize impacts on traffic operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat city staff have advised me is that we can coordinate the signals at Yonge and Eglinton so that cars are going to get through, pedestrians are going to get through, but in a way that makes it work for everyone a little better,\u201d said Matlow.<\/p>\n

Siemiatycki said another consideration will have to be those with visual impairments or other disabilities and how they can safety navigate this space.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about understanding\u00a0this is now a really busy pedestrian environment in a place that now has probably among the best\u00a0transit connection in all of Canada,\u201d said Siemiatycki.\u00a0It\u2019s become a true midtown for the city. And I think ensuring that pedestrians are recognized and\u00a0given priority in this space can just ensure that it thrives even further.\u201d<\/p>\n

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