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▶ Off-Road Trails

Off-road trails are unique, often hidden, recreational paths that provide connections to other local trails, parks, bike routes, neighbourhoods or points of interest.  Increasingly, Hydro One power transmission corridors are providing the open green space and linear routes needed to build these trails, which may be used by both pedestrians and cyclists.  When an off-road trail is not named, it is known simply as ORT #x.  When the ORT is significant it is named (see dropdown menu as named off-road trails are added).


Off-Road Trail #11

[Posted: March 23, 2022; *Updated* May 11, 2022]

TRAIL OPEN!  After an extra year of public consultations and delays, ORT #11 is finally open, albeit with incomplete road crossings.  ORT #11 is a 3.8-km asphalt trail from Audubon Blvd southerly to Dundas Street East in the Hydro One corridor east of Dixie Road.

⚠️ Seven (7) of the road crossings are unmarked and curb cuts are not always provided.  At Bloor Street there is a barrier to crossing (image, left).  Apparently no safe, accessible road crossing is planned, pending completion of the Bloor Street Integrated Project (2024/25).

⚠️ At Dundas Street the trail dead-ends at the sidewalk.  Must we wait for connecting Multi-Use Trails (MUTs) as part of the Dundas Connects Master Plan?

⚠️ The only marked and signalized crossing is at Burnhamthorpe Road.  The City had pre-installed a crossride during road works, but there is no advanced signage to indicate to drivers that people on foot or bicycles may be crossing.

▶ Road work is needed now to complete ORT #11 as a safe, seamless trail for all users.

IMAGE: Shows ORT #11 looking south at the Bloor Street barrier to crossing (also included in the photo tour below).

FAQ: See the City's project webpage for Off Road Trail 11 which includes the trail alignment aerial map (4-slide PDF).

MCN! PHOTO TOUR (March 2022): Take a quick look at the newly-installed condition of ORT #11 (10-slides):



*UPDATE* (May 2022): Views just south of the Bough Beeches Blvd crossing of ORT #11: (L) looking away (south), and (R) looking back (north), at the uncontrolled road crossing where the speed is posted at 50 km/hr.  Small stop signs are intended for trail users, but that is the only control.

⚠️ The most vulnerable road users have to fend for themselves to cross the high-speed road while drivers in cars receive no warning or hinderance.  Painted lines and signage would at least notify drivers of the exact trail crossing location.  The Vision Zero approach would not wait for proven high-usage numbers or until there is an injury or fatality in order to prove such markings are "warranted".  Images by Leonard Verwey.