Toronto is about to make one part of our non-stop construction easier on residents

Construction season may be nearing its end in Toronto as sub-zero temperatures become the norm, but as any resident knows, many projects in the city are year-round affairs.

While work on all sorts of new private buildings and public infrastructure pushes on through the colder months, maneuvering around worksites can get even more treacherous than usual — which is already pretty darn bad, as anyone who had to traverse Adelaide Street last year or Yonge and Eglinton in the last few will tell you.

But, the City is finally set to implement some new measures to make it easier and, more importantly, safer for people to navigate around construction, whether it be a condo in-progress or road upgrades blocking their way.

A new motion adopted by the city's Infrastructure and Environment Committee this week will require developers to spiff up the often messy public realm around their properties and ensure that there are "safe, accessible and clearly-marked" passages for pedestrians.

The City will also mandate signage to inform residents of construction zone numbers so they can call 311 to report and issues or violations, including the haphazard rerouting of foot traffic into unsafe or uneven areas (e.g. onto the road), unclear markings for where pedestrians should go or a lack of pedestrian detours whatsoever.

All of these things will also be listed in a set of "clear expectations for what will, and will not be acceptable for projects in Toronto" that follow requirements to accommodate pedestrian and cyclist traffic around work sites, including those with accessibility devices.