Iron plate on sidewalk hole is too much of a good thing
You can’t be too careful when it comes to pedestrian safety, but precautions can sometimes be laid on a bit thicker than is necessary.
It’s the snowiest winter in four years, which has kept the city’s road and sidewalk snow plows busy and put the shovels — and backs — of homeowners to the test.
Let’s be honest here. Everybody has had just about enough snow and would appreciate a long stretch of above-freezing temperatures to melt it and ease us into a spring that can’t get here too soon. But for now, it’s safe to say we are in for more cold and snow, which brings us to an iron plate that presents a challenge to people and snow plow operators.
Barbara Lew emailed to say that the iron plate, which has a smooth surface, is covering a hole in the sidewalk on the east side of Avenue Rd., just south of Brookdale Ave.
“Now I know and you probably also know that metal is slippery when it is below freezing outside,” said Lew, adding the plate first appeared several weeks ago, to cover a hole dug by a utility contractor.
“I have been able to skirt it on the narrow piece of sidewalk between the plate and a pole, but now it is covered with (a snow bank) and difficult to use. People pushing strollers or grocery carriers can’t get away from the slippery metal plate.”
We went there Tuesday, when last weekend’s snow had been scraped away, and saw that the surface of the plate is as smooth as a baby’s bottom. When covered with snow it would indeed be slippery and hard to see.
A sidewalk plow operator working at night likely wouldn’t see it if it was hidden under a few inches of snow. The edges of the plate, which are about an inch higher than the sidewalk, could stop it dead and damage the blade. Iron plates are great for utility cuts in the road, where it must support the weight of passing vehi- cles, but it seems like too much of a good thing, when the hole could be covered by something that would provide better traction.
Stats: Andre Filippetti, who’s in charge of right-of-way management in that area, emailed to say he sent a staffer to check it out. The plate was put in placed by Aecon, he said, which has been asked to either replace it or take steps to improve the footing for pedestrians. What’s broken in your neighbourhood? Wherever you are in Greater Toronto, we want to know. Send an email to jlakey@thestar.ca. Report problems and follow us on Twitter @TOStarFixer.