Latest news with #Downtown
CTV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Torontonians ‘mad as hell', Bradford says, pushing to temporarily reopen King Street amid traffic gridlock
Toronto city councillor Brad Bradford has laid out a plan to help relieve gridlock by reopening a portion of King Street. Natalie Johnson reports. Toronto city councillor Brad Bradford says the city must act on what he calls a 'common-sense' solution to worsening downtown gridlock: reopen a key stretch of King Street to vehicles until major construction wraps later this summer. Standing near the closed King and Church streets on Thursday, Bradford said downtown congestion has surged since the intersection was shut earlier this month to replace a 142-year-old watermain. With no streetcars currently using King Street between Spadina Avenue and Church Street, Bradford says he plans to introduce a motion at next week's council meeting to temporarily allow cars back onto the corridor. It's a move he says is already backed by businesses and residents in the area. 'What I'm hearing from Torontonians is that they are mad as hell with the congestion in the downtown core,' Bradford told reporters. 'They want the city to take it seriously. They want the mayor to step up and do something. If she's not prepared to do that, I will.' Construction closures bringing traffic to a crawl In addition to replacing the watermain, the work along the King-Church includes rebuilding TTC streetcar tracks. Watermain construction at King and Church intersection causing traffic, commute chaos Watermain construction at King and Church intersection causing traffic, commute chaos However, Bradford argues that no streetcars have been running through the corridor, with several routes instead using Richmond and Adelaide streets. 'These streets are already under pressure from the Ontario Line construction, lane closures and everyday commuting,' Bradford said. 'Now there are four busy streetcar lines moving more than street 30 streetcars per hour that have been diverted onto Richmond and Adelaide.' Bradford emphasized that due to this overflow, it makes little sense to restrict King Street when streetcars don't use it. Rethinking a traffic strategy Bradford's motion, seconded by Coun. Stephen Holyday, also calls on the city's Deputy City Manager of Infrastructure Services to develop better strategies for managing congestion ahead of major downtown infrastructure work — something he explains is even more urgent because the city's planned 'congestion czar' has yet to be appointed. That czar role was approved by council in April, part of Mayor Olivia Chow's wider congestion strategy. But a report on what the role will entail isn't due until July 10. In a response sent to CTV News Toronto, Chow's office released a statement suggesting they have sped up construction in the area by 'one full month' and that 'Bradford has not yet shared his motion with our office.' Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow speaks to reporters on Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press) Instead, Chow plans to bring her own motion forward at council next week in collaboration with Coun. Chris Moise and Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik. Chow's office says this motion aims to 'ease congestion' by working with the TTC, transportation services and the Financial District BIA to 'manage temporary loading zones in specific areas.' 'This has been considered at city council repeatedly,' the email reads. 'We are always open to exploring new solutions to speed up traffic.' Meanwhile, another staff report suggested that Toronto's 5,600-kilometre road network has not expanded in decades, despite massive growth in construction activity and traffic volume. Last summer, up to 24 per cent of city roads were closed at one time, more than doubling travel times. The report also highlighted the city plans to have 67 traffic agents in place by summer — but enforcement alone may not be enough, Bradford suggests. 'This is about using common sense and looking for creative solutions to our problems,' Bradford said. 'We should be making better use of all the corridors that are available at our disposal when we can, particularly one that is significantly underutilized right now.' A 'segregated' east end feeling left out, Bradford says While the King–Church intersection isn't in Bradford's Beaches–East York ward, he says the consequences of downtown congestion are city-wide — particularly for residents east of Yonge Street. 'Respectfully, a lot of people from the east end of the city feel entirely cut off from the downtown core,' Bradford said. 'When they took that ramp down on the Gardiner, they segregated the east end of Toronto and made it very difficult and painful to get into the core, and we're still dealing with the impacts of that.' Gardiner Expressway Westbound traffic is seen on the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press) 'I'm standing up for everybody east of Yonge that's having a hard time getting into the core, and folks from out in Etobicoke, North York, trying to get downtown.' Developers and business leaders have also lined up behind the motion, warning that gridlock is hurting the city's economic engine. 'Fixing Toronto's mobility crisis requires action, not just talk,' said Jon Love, executive chair of KingSett Capital. 'There's no reason for King Street to be reserved for streetcar priority when there are no streetcars running on it.' Leona Savoie, co-chair of NAIOP Greater Toronto's government relations committee, called the motion 'a common-sense solution to alleviate congestion and get Toronto moving again.' A bid for mayor? Notably, Bradford was asked several times during Thursday's news conference about whether he was trying to lay the groundwork for a future mayoral run, to which he said: 'I have not made any decision on that... As a member of the 25 councillors and 26 including the mayor, it is becoming on all of us to stand up and fight on the issues that are important for people that are trying to call the city home.'
CBS News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Mayor Bass lifts curfew in downtown Los Angeles after "successful crime prevention and suppression efforts"
A week after Mayor Karen Bass implemented a curfew in parts of downtown Los Angeles following days of protests against immigration actions, it has been lifted. In a statement, Bass said after "successful crime prevention and suppression efforts," the curfew would be lifted effective Tuesday night. On June 10, Bass instituted the curfew with support from local enforcement and other leaders after protests against immigration operations turned violent, resulting in businesses being looted and the destruction of public property. The initial curfew was set from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and covered about one square mile of the downtown area from the 5 Freeway, the 110 Freeway, and the 10 Freeway and ended where the 5 Freeway and the 110 Freeway merge. "I am lifting the curfew effective today, and as we continue quickly adapting to chaos coming from Washington, and I will be prepared to reissue a curfew if needed," Bass said. "My priority will continue to be ensuring safety, stability and support in the Downtown neighborhoods." On Monday night, Bass announced the curfew would be reduced and went into effect at 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. "The curfew has been an effective tool in helping us maintain public safety in the Downtown Los Angeles area and deter those looking to exploit peaceful protests for criminal activity. The LAPD will maintain a strong presence in the area and continue to monitor conditions closely to protect lives, uphold the right to lawful assembly, and safeguard property," said LAPD Chief of Police Jim McDonnell. Bass has previously said she believes a reason for tensions intensifying across the L.A. area is because of President Trump's decision to deploy National Guard and U.S. Marine troops to the city. "When you start deploying federalized troops on the heels of these raids, it is a drastic and chaotic escalation and completely unnecessary," Bass said. Mr. Trump has posted on his Truth Social platform defending his decision, claiming it saved the city from burning to the ground.
Fox News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Car drives through anti-ICE protesters as Chicago joins nationwide anti-ICE unrest amid Trump crackdown
A car drove through a crowd of demonstrators Tuesday night as hundreds of anti-ICE protesters gathered in Downtown Chicago. The protests in Chicago come as Los Angeles has faced days of unrest. Protests in LA started on June 7, with rioters burning cars, throwing objects and fireworks at police, smashing the windows of the LAPD's headquarters and looting stores. Tuesday's footage from FOX 32 Chicago shows what appeared to be a woman driving through the Chicago demonstrators walking with signs and biking on Wabash and Monroe. A police officer attempted to hit the window of the moving vehicle in an apparent attempt to get the driver to stop, but it kept moving, FOX 32 reported. It is unclear if anyone was injured during the incident. The Chicago Police Department told Fox News Digital on Tuesday evening that they were waiting to hear from responding officers when asked if the car's driver would face charges for driving through protesters. While most Chicago protesters were peaceful on Tuesday, some demonstrators clashed and vandalized police vehicles, and public transportation was temporarily suspended downtown, FOX 32 reported. Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez noted on X that multiple police cars had been vandalized. "I guess we haven't learned," he wrote in one Tuesday evening post. "I'm so sick of anarchy apologists and their 'It's not violent, just property damage bro' bull----," he said in another. An earlier protest Tuesday was part of a campaign called "From LA to Chicago: ICE Out!" according to FOX 32. "I just think it's not right what's going on right now … people are being snatched off the street, so you just gotta do something about it," Benjamin Rose, one of the protesters, told the outlet. Demonstrations have been popping up across the country, from Asheville, North Carolina, to Chicago to Los Angeles, where unrest broke out over the weekend following a raid. The Department of Homeland Security said ICE raids in LA over the weekend resulted in "hundreds of illegal aliens [being] arrested by ICE officers and agents," including "many with a criminal history and criminal convictions." DHS listed more information about 19 suspects that ICE Los Angeles arrested on June 7 who are accused of crimes ranging from robbery to second-degree murder to rape. "America's brave ICE officers are removing the worst of the worst from LA's streets, while LA's leaders are working tirelessly against them," DHS said in a Sunday statement as riots continued through the weekend.
CairoScene
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Ferragamo's Soft Bag Lands in Cairo
Ferragamo's Soft Bag Lands in Cairo Now available in Cairo, Ferragamo's Soft Bag brings curved volume, crafted leather, and design fluency to Egypt's fashion set. Ferragamo's Soft Bag - fresh off its global Spring/Summer 2025 campaign, 'The Birth of a Crush' - has arrived in Egypt, available at Ferragamo First Mall, the Downtown Katameya Mall flagship, and online via Sculpted from semi-glossy nappa leather and velvety suede, the Soft Bag balances curve, volume, and control. Pleated sides add depth. A single metal piercing detail draws the eye, reinforcing the form without interrupting the flow. Reimagined by Creative Director Maximilian Davis from an archival silhouette, the bag carries the imprint of Ferragamo's legacy through a thoroughly modern lens. Designed in three sizes, it adapts fluidly, complete with foldaway double handles and a detachable shoulder strap. Color options speak to seasonal confidence: black, brick, and concrete. Each shade works as a quiet signature, designed to move easily through long days, soft evenings, and everything in between. The materials do the storytelling. Every texture - whether smooth, matte, or velvet-finished - reflects the house's commitment to Italian craftsmanship at its most intimate and precise. Alongside the Soft Bag, Cairo boutiques are carrying the brand's signature pieces, from Gancini loafers and Hug bags to reversible belts, silk scarves, and fine accessories. The arrival of the Soft Bag also expands Ferragamo's footprint in Egypt. With dedicated spaces at First Mall and the Downtown Katameya Mall flagship, as well as access through the brand's newest designs now sit directly within reach of Cairo's most discerning fashion audience.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Massive 4-alarm fire burns through Downtown Stockton
( — The Stockton Fire Department is currently battling massive flames that were ignited in the Downtown area Saturday morning. Around 9:30 a.m., firefighters responded to a 4-alarm fire near Main Street and Weber Avenue. It is unclear what started the fire. As of 1 p.m., the flames are still burning. 'Please avoid the area of 417 East Main. Stockton Firefighters are on the scene of a 4-alarm structure fire,' Stockton Fire said on social media. 'At one point, there was a working fire in the basement. Crews are protecting exposures and will be on scene for an extended amount of time.' Additional information will be provided as it becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
