Construction signs left behind weeks after work was completed
Signs warning of construction ahead on Kingston Rd. are still in place long after the work was finished, putting the squeeze on curb-lane traffic.
One of our pet peeves — and we have lots — is the haphazard way that construction contractors often leave job sites after they’ve completed the work.
For some, cleaning up after themselves seems a stretch too far. Pylons, collapsed fencing and temporary road signs that no longer reflect the situation are too often left behind when the workers decamp.
So it is no surprise that readers notice the same things that we do, and draw the same conclusions about the sloppy habits of some contractors.
Faizel Bhabha copied us an email he sent on June 5 to a construction contractor — and later the city — about road signs and pylons that were left on Kingston Rd. after a job wrapped up.
“Approximately five weeks ago your company did some sidewalk work here on Kingston Rd.,” said his note to the contractor.
“Your crew left about 18 pylons. They are an eyesore and a hindrance to pedestrians until someone moved them out of the way.
“But the real issue is the two signs left on the road,” in the westbound curb lane, west of Main St., he said, adding he saw a truck “clip” one of the signs, and that “I watch cyclists have to enter live traffic to go around them.
“Three weeks ago I called and spoke to a woman who assured me that these signs and pylons would be removed. Nothing has been done. Please remove your property and stop putting people at risk.”
He subsequently sent a note to city officials, saying “I have tried politely to get this company to show some respect and courtesy to the citizens of Toronto. Seems they don’t care.”
We went there Tuesday and found two signs in the westbound curb lane, but did not see any evidence that one had been clipped. The number of pylons had decreased to five, piled next to the sidewalk. Status: We sent a note to Tom Kalogiannis, the area manager of road operations, asking if he could arrange for the signs and pylons to disappear. We got an email less than a day later, saying they are now gone. What's broken in your neighbourhood? Wherever you are in Greater Toronto, we want to know. Email jlakey@thestar.ca or follow @TOStarFixer on Twitter