Question 1

Aren't there already crossings on this stretch?

Accepted Answer

The nearest protected crossings are a traffic signal at Dundas & Greenwood (about 280 metres west of Dagmar) and a Pedestrian Crossover at Dundas & Alton (about 169 metres east). For households mid-block between those, the round trip to a protected crossing can exceed 500 metres — long enough that many people will cross unprotected instead. The corridor has had 32 pedestrian KSI events within 1 km in 20 years. The crossings that exist clearly haven't been enough.

Question 2

Hasn't this corridor been studied before?

Accepted Answer

A 2001 City staff report on traffic speed control on Dundas East from Broadview to Kingston Road documented 60 pedestrian and cyclist collisions and a pedestrian fatality on this stretch. Staff at the time recommended against reducing the speed limit. Since then, the road environment, demographics, transit patterns, and the City's own policy tools have all changed. Toronto adopted Vision Zero in 2016. The City introduced Level 2 PXOs and Intersection Pedestrian Signals as new tools in 2025 — both designed for exactly the kind of arterial-road location that wasn't well-served by existing crossing types in 2001. A re-review is warranted on changed conditions alone.

Question 3

Is Dundas East too busy for a PXO?

Accepted Answer

Possibly. Under current City policy, basic PXOs are not used where the road carries more than 35,000 vehicles per day or has more than four lanes of two-way traffic. We do not yet have a confirmed AADT figure for Dundas East at Dagmar. If it exceeds the PXO threshold, the appropriate tool is an Intersection Pedestrian Signal, not no crossing at all. We are asking for whichever tool the City's warrant study determines is correct.

Question 4

Is this anti-car?

Accepted Answer

No. We are asking for a single pedestrian crossing on a corridor that already has signals, lanes, parking, and dedicated through-traffic infrastructure. A crossing adds a few seconds of delay during pedestrian activation, and it reduces the chance a driver hits a person. Drivers benefit too: a clear, signalled crossing point is much safer than unpredictable mid-block crossings.

Question 5

Can the City afford this right now?

Accepted Answer

Crossings of this type are funded through Toronto Transportation Services' annual capital budget for pedestrian infrastructure. Costs vary by site and we will not speculate on a precise number without a warrant study. The City's own Vision Zero plan identifies corridors like this as priorities for safety investment.

Question 6

Has anyone actually been hit at Dagmar specifically?

Accepted Answer

Our analysis uses a 1 km radius around the intersection, which is standard for this type of safety assessment. We document 69 KSI events within that radius — including 32 pedestrians — to establish that this is an objectively dangerous corridor. We do not track incident-level location data at finer granularity, nor do we share details that could identify victims. The point is not to document a specific tragedy but to demonstrate a pattern of risk that a crossing would address.

Question 7

Why not a full traffic signal?

Accepted Answer

Full traffic signals are typically warranted where two arterial roads meet. Dagmar is a residential side street that doesn't carry enough vehicle volume to justify signal-level infrastructure. A PXO or IPS directly addresses the pedestrian crossing problem without adding complexity for through traffic on Dundas. It's the right-sized solution for this location.

Question 8

How long does this process usually take?

Accepted Answer

From initial 311 request to installed crossing can vary widely depending on how quickly the City schedules and completes the warrant study, whether the site meets the warrant threshold, and budget cycles and construction queues. Consistent community requests can help move a location up the priority list. That's why we encourage everyone to file their own 311 request.

Question 9

I don't live on this corridor — why should I care?

Accepted Answer

Pedestrian safety is a city-wide issue. If you walk, cycle, take transit, or have children or elderly parents who do, you benefit from safer streets everywhere — not just in your own neighbourhood. Supporting campaigns like this one also sets precedent. Success here shows other communities that evidence-based advocacy works, and makes it easier for them to secure safety improvements in their own areas.

Question 10

How can other neighbourhoods do the same thing?

Accepted Answer

We've tried to document our approach in a way that's replicable:

1. Identify a specific location with demonstrated safety concerns
2. Compile data from Toronto Open Data Portal (KSI collisions, traffic counts, etc.)
3. File 311 requests — lots of them, from many individuals
4. Build coalition support from established advocacy organizations
5. Present evidence to Community Council
6. Maintain consistent, factual, non-partisan messaging

If you're starting a similar campaign and want to compare notes, reach out. We're happy to share what we've learned.

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