Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Toronto

Toronto Neighbors Calm Street Using Only Leaves and Chalk

You’ve heard of the sneckdown — when traffic after a snowstorm creates patterns that reveal how much space can be claimed for pedestrians. Now a group of neighbors in Toronto has made “nature’s traffic calming” a multi-season activity.

Dave Meslin wanted to demonstrate how a local intersection could be transformed into a safer, more neighborhood-friendly space. He and some of his neighbors went to work with some leaves and chalk, Meslin wrote on Facebook:

Using only chalk and leaves (and maintaining all existing road widths at 28 feet) we revealed a surplus surface area of 2,000 square feet which could be transformed into a parkette, new sidewalks, and much shorter/safer crossings.

The “leafy neckdown” is the talk of Toronto, reports BlogTO. Meslin told the blog’s Lauren O’Neil that prior to the group’s intervention, drivers never seemed to understand where to stop, even though the intersection has three stop signs. But the chalk lines seem to have clarified what drivers are supposed to do, and it feels a lot safer.

Meslin says he’d like to see the street permanently transformed, with the excess pavement turned into grass.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Civic Panel Dings Adams For Cutting Bike and Bus Lanes Out of Fifth Av. Redesign

Mayor Adams's scaled down redesign of Fifth Avenue isn't a "real solution" to safety issued on the packed retail corridor.

July 14, 2025

Monday’s Headlines: E-Bike Regulations Edition

Monday is a big day for the future of e-bikes in the Big Apple. Plus more news.

July 14, 2025

‘Preventable’: Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Two on Third Av. Corridor Eric Adams Refuses to Make Safer

A motorist struck and killed two men on a strip where Mayor Adams recently shelved a safety redesign amid a backlash from local business interests.

July 11, 2025

Why No BRT For NYC? Two New Reports Tackle Why Your Bus Service Sucks

Years of bus priority projects barely made a dent in speeds because Big Apple leaders won't install real bus rapid transit, two recent reports argue.

July 11, 2025

Citi Bike Riders Are Pissed About Eric Adams’s 15 MPH Speed Limit

Citi Bike's new 15 mph max speed limit is a bad deal for riders and a potential threat to safety, riders said.

July 11, 2025
See all posts