A left turn to nowhere

Why bother to create a left-turn lane from busy Sheppard Ave. E. on to sleepy Leona Dr. when it leads to a dead end?

It’s a question that pops into the heads of many drivers who mistakenly make the turn from Sheppard Ave. E. before figuring out they have to turn around again and go back the way they came.

We reported Tuesday on signs that warn pedestrians on Kenneth Ave. to watch out for vehicles going in and out of a parking garage in an office tower at the corner of Kenneth and Sheppard Ave. E.

Phyllis Broder sent us a chiding note for failing to investigate a complaint she previously reported to us, about the left turn at Sheppard and Leona, which is right across the street from Kenneth.

“The left-hand turn leads to a street blockage on Leona preventing any through traffic,” said Broder.

“When drivers (in the left turn lane) see that there is no passage through Leona, they quickly revert back to Sheppard, an accident waiting to happen during rush hour.”

So we went back and found that Leona is barricaded about 50 metres south of Sheppard, with only three houses and a small office building with underground parking on the abbreviated street.

We were there for about half an hour during the afternoon rush and counted 14 vehicles that mistakenly turned onto Leona, coming from both directions on Sheppard.

While there are two dead-end signs mounted to poles at the corner, neither is positioned in a way that makes them easily visible to drivers, who obviously believe they can get somewhere else by turning onto Leona.

We watched as two drivers in the left-turn lane figured out they were on a path to nowhere, then gunned it straight ahead and tried to bull their way into westbound traffic on Sheppard.

While it would be difficult to make the left turn without a dedicated turn lane, it is legitimately used by so few drivers that it seems to be little more than a cruel and unnecessary trick. Status: We’ve asked Allen Pinkerton, in charge of traffic signs and markings for the City of Toronto, to determine if the deceptive aspect of the turn lane results in more dangerous driving manoeuvres and conditions than if it wasn’t there. We’ve also asked if the dead-end signs can be repositioned so they are easier to see for drivers on Sheppard Ave. E. What’s broken in your neighbourhood? Wherever you are in Greater Toronto, we want to know. To contact us, go to thestar.com/yourtoronto/the_fixer or call us at 416-869-4823 email jlakey@thestar.ca. To read our blog, go to thestar.com/news/the_fixer. Report problems and follow us on Twitter @TOStarFixer.