Toronto’s most cursed intersection could be getting even more changes

After well over a decade of construction, and finally, some relief for road users, even more changes could be coming to the almost constantly obstructed Yonge and Eglinton intersection in midtown Toronto.

Locals have endured headaches associated with the Eglinton Crosstown LRT’s problematic construction, including seemingly neverending road work and closures, before the majority of work concluded at the intersection in 2024.

But local councillor Josh Matlow has proposed yet another change for the intersection, with an upcoming motion that will go before City Council next week seeking to add a pedestrian scramble to the bustling junction of two major streets and transit lines.

Matlow, seconded by fellow midtown councillor Mike Colle, have tabled a motion titled “Providing Safety and Convenience for Midtown Residents: Moving Forward with a Pedestrian Scramble at Yonge and Eglinton.”

As the title suggests, the motion recommends that the City look into the feasibility of installing a pedestrian scramble at the Yonge and Eglinton intersection once the Eglinton Crosstown LRT finally enters service.

If the motion is accepted, City Council would request that the General Manager of Transportation Services submit a report to the City’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee by the second quarter of 2025 looking into the all-way crossing.

The motion explains that the high-rise neighbourhood surrounding the intersection has grown to become “one of the most densely populated areas of Toronto.”

Citing a count taken on May 24, 2024, it says that over 40,300 pedestrians used the intersection in a single day, which is the highest one-day total of any intersection in the city in the last four years.

This data places Yonge and Eglinton — several kilometres north of the downtown core and far from higher-profile corners like Yonge and Dundas, where a scramble crossing has been in place for over 15 years — among the busiest intersections in Toronto.

According to the motion going to council on November 13, “During peak periods, there are often queues at corners leading to residents waiting more than one traffic light phase just to cross the street.”

It is only expected that more people will be drawn to this intersection once the Crosstown enters service — whenever that may be.

Matlow tells blogTO that it is indeed “one of the busiest intersections in our city,” noting that “after many years of Metrolinx construction, I want to make sure that it’s restored to support the masses of people who cross it every day.”

“At the upcoming City Council meeting, I’m asking to finally create a pedestrian scramble to make it work in a safe and functional way for everyone,” he says.

Implementation of a scramble crossing at this intersection would not begin until after the line becomes operational, meaning that it’s not possible to put a timeline on this project.

Still, the motion argues that “now is the right time to start the process to install a pedestrian scramble to provide safety and convenience for pedestrians at this intersection.”