Plan to unclog Toronto's most cursed intersection has been shot down

Midtown residents have already had to contend with almost a decade and a half of transit construction and related disruptions at Yonge and Eglinton, quite possibly Toronto's most cursed intersection.

The transportation tragedy that is the Eglinton Crosstown LRT kept Yonge and Eglinton riddled with traffic until 2024, when work at the intersection finally concluded and opened the door for some real improvements to be introduced.

Local councillor Josh Matlow had hoped to finally improve the much-complained-about corner with the introduction of a council motion last fall, seeking to add a pedestrian scramble to the intersection.

The motion titled "Providing Safety and Convenience for Midtown Residents: Moving Forward with a Pedestrian Scramble at Yonge and Eglinton" seemed like a no-brainer for an intersection that has developed a reputation as cramped and chaotic.

However, a new report filed in response to last year's motion pours cold water all over the idea.

The letter from the General Manager of Transportation Services, titled "Feasibility of Pedestrian Priority Phase at Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue," concludes that, while the intersection meets all the criteria for a pedestrian scramble crossing, it still does not make sense to introduce one.

The investigation admitted that "a Pedestrian Priority Phase at this location is warranted, as the intersection observed over 5,000 pedestrians per hour in November 2024, making this one of the busiest pedestrian intersections in the City based on the past five years of data collection."

But despite being one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in town, the report states that "Although the intersection exceeds the first numerical warrant criteria of more than 3,000 pedestrians crossing per hour, a further analysis found that implementing a Pedestrian Priority Phase at this location would not result in significant benefits to pedestrians when compared to the existing operation."

Remarkably, the study argues that introducing a pedestrian scramble crossing would actually increase delays rather than improve pedestrian flow, citing the need to increase signal time for other road users.

In addition, the report argues that existing restrictions on turning vehicles "already eliminate pedestrian-vehicle conflicts, meaning a Pedestrian Priority Phase would not provide any additional safety benefits."

Based on these findings, the General Manager of Transportation Services has recommended to City Council that the City should not implement a scramble crossing at Yonge and Eglinton, and should "maintain the existing signal operation even after the Eglinton Crosstown is in operation."