And the 10 most traffic-addled streets in Toronto are...

Sheppard Avenue commuters now have the dubious honour of spending hours on one of the most congested streets in one of the most gridlocked cities in the world. Toronto’s public works department released a list of its top 10 traffic trouble spots, and it leans heavily towards the north end—in fact, only two of the stretches on it were downtown (York Street from Front to the Gardiner Expressway, and Lakeshore Boulevard from York to Bathurst). Sheppard appears on the list five times, and the intersection of Sheppard and Bayview Avenue is officially the city’s worst place to be a driver. It’s interesting to note that none of the problem areas on the list have a streetcar line, which doesn’t bode well for Rob Ford’s characterization of streetcars (and LRTs) as traffic-snarling forces of destruction.

The Top 10 spots for congestion in the city:

1. Bayview Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East intersection

2. Yonge Street from Highway 401 to Sheppard Avenue

3. York Street from Front Street to the Gardiner Expressway

4. Sheppard Avenue West and Allen Road

5. Leslie Street from Highway 401 to Sheppard Avenue East

6. Lakeshore Boulevard from York Street to Bathurst Street

7. Kennedy Road from Highway 401 to Sheppard Avenue East

8. Markham Road from Highway 401 to Progress Avenue

9. Dufferin Street and Finch Avenue West intersection

10. Black Creek Drive and Lawrence Avenue West intersection

• Toronto’s 10 worst streets for traffic gridlock [Toronto Star]