Sidewalk turned obstacle course
A deep trench that crosses and runs beside a sidewalk on Kingston Road forces pedestrians to stay on their toes by vaulting across it.
Anyone who reads this column knows I am no fan of utility contractors that dig up our roads and sidewalks and then fail their responsibility to the public by not properly filling their excavations.
With so much of the wiring that keeps us connected buried underground — as well as natural gas, water and sewer pipes — there’s a lot more digging going on than 20 years ago. And it’ll only increase as time goes on.
The city has defined utility cut standards that are routinely ignored because there are no consequences.
Toronto’s ability to enforce standards is severely limited due to an inadequate inspection capacity, relative to the scale of the problem.
Contractors know they can get away with slapdash filling of utility cuts, and only in rare instances will they be held to account.
That’s a reasonable explanation for a large, L- shaped trench that cuts across and runs next to a busy sidewalk, creating a hazard for pedestrians.
“On my most recent walk in the neighbourhood I noticed a large rectangle cave- in of an asphalt repair to the sidewalk at the northeast corner of Brimley Road and Kingston Road,” Robert Rouse said in an email.
“There was work done here that required ( utility) cuts. Two patches were done after work was completed. One patch is OK, but the second patch has completely sunk and the drop is almost a foot.
“Someone could get seriously hurt here, especially at night. Whoever did this patch did not put enough fill in or tamp it down. I reported to Toronto 311, but this needs urgent attention.”
I went there and found a trench running across and next to the sidewalk, which had asphalt in it that had settled well below the sidewalk, which pedestrians had to hop across.
Status: A note from Jeff Catlin, a senior transportation services official, sent me a note saying “the gap in the sidewalk is the result of a utility cut related to new traffic safety equipment being installed. The asphalt was restored appropriately and to grade but has since contracted and sunk below grade level. City staff and the contractor both confirmed that the asphalt was level with the sidewalk at the time the work was completed. Staff have since been in touch with the contractor who is returning tonight to make appropriate repairs to ensure the sidewalk is safe and passable again.”
What’s broken in your neighbourhood?