Mayoral candidate Jennifer Keesmaat has unveiled a plan to reduce the speed limit on residential streets and redesign the city’s 100 most dangerous intersections as part of an effort to bring an end to pedestrian deaths that she says are entirely preventable.

The former city planner made the announcement at a news conference at the intersection of Jarvis Street and Maitland Place on Friday morning.

She said that if elected she would work to reduce the speed limit on all residential roads to 30 km/h and revamp dangerous intersections and school zones with design elements like a narrowed vehicular right of way at crosswalks, pedestrian islands and pedestrian bump outs to reduce crossing distances.

Those changes would be made in the first two years of her term, Keesmaat said.

“This is a choice. This is something we can do. We can prevent death in our city, we can do it by design,” she said. “For too long we have had a reactive approach. We need a proactive approach.”

So far this year there have been 27 pedestrians or cyclists who have died on Toronto streets. In 2017, there were 36 and in 2016 there was record 43.

Keesmaat said that the city has existing “complete street guidelines” for the safe design of streets that haven’t been consistently followed; something that she said was “frustrating” during her time at city hall but will mean that staff won’t have to “reinvent the wheel” if she is elected.

She conceded that her plan will likely increase the cost of the Transportation Services budget by about 3 per cent but said that is a “small price to pay” for saving lives.

The 2018 transportation services budget was $409 million, so a three per cent increased would require an additional $12.27 in annual funding. Keesmaat did not say where that money will come from.

“It is important to remember that these are preventable deaths,” Keesmaat said. “We know that we can prevent these deaths through design and not doing that today is highly problematic.”

Lower speed limits already in place downtown

It should be noted that the speed limits on residential roads in the city’s downtown core and East York has been 30 km/h since a unanimous vote by community council in 2015 but speed limits elsewhere in the city vary and are set by community councils.

In advocating for a lower speed limit on residential streets city-wide, Keesmaat cited a study suggesting that nine out of 10 pedestrians hit by a vehicle travelling 30 km/h survive compared to six out of 10 pedestrians hit by a vehicle travelling 40 km/h.

She also said that the current “patchwork” of regulations is confusing for drivers.

“We need to convey clearly the message that all residential streets will be safe streets,” she said.

During her press conference Keesmaat did criticize John Tory for being slow to act on improving road safety but in a statement provided to CP24 his campaign touted his accomplishments on that file.

The statement pointed out that Tory “championed” the Vision Zero plan when it was first launched in 2016 and has pushed for the introduction of school safety zones and senior safety zones across the city, as well as photo radar in school zones.

"The Mayor is committed to doing everything possible as quickly as possible to make our streets safer. The goal is and always has been zero deaths or injuries on our streets,”: the statement says.

The municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 22.