Drivers blindsided by buried basin
A collapsed storm drain at the side of the road is bad enough, but its danger is multiplied when drivers can’t see it.
The city’s quick fix for it, and 101 other problems that require a visual cue, is to put a pylon or a much larger traffic barrel on top of it and hope it stays there until a permanent repair is done. But those responsible for plunking them down surely know by now that pylons have a mind of their own and a bad habit of vacating their position and wandering off.
That’s what happened to the traffic barrel that was placed atop a sunken catch basin on the east side of Birchmount Rd., near Bonniewood Rd., about a block south of Eglinton Ave.
A reader who asked not to be named told us the catch basin collapsed last winter and was reported to the city, which responded by putting a piece of plywood over it, held in place by a traffic barrel.
The pylon soon disappeared but was replaced by a larger traffic barrel, he said, which has for weeks been lying on the sidewalk, about 10 metres from where it’s supposed to be.
We went there and found that the piece of plywood covering the catch basin is soggy and rotten, and no longer provides any protection for vehicles passing over.
As for the traffic barrel? Missing in action. Status: We asked Toronto Water, which is responsible for storm drains, if it could fix it. But a Wednesday note from transportation services said that they’ll fix it. Update: Our Sept. 7 column was about an odd hump built into the middle of a recently rebuilt sidewalk and curb at Dovercourt Rd. and Shanly St. All four corners of the intersection were reconstructed, but only the northwest corner has the hump. The office of city councillor Ana Bailao provided an explanation to Scott Fairweather, who told us about it, saying the “raised curb” is intended to provide a “tactile barrier” for the visually impaired. We didn’t think it added up, and neither did Fairweather Another note from Bailao’s office said Bailao checked it out herself and decided “the city staff explanation . . . did not make any sense.” Further questions from Bailao prompted the city to take another look, the note said, adding that the northwest corner will now have the hump removed. 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, call us at 416-869-4823 or email jlakey@thestar.ca. Report problems and follow us on Twitter @TOStarFixer.