Mayor John Tory says he wants the organizers of some charity runs and other events to consider moving to different parts of the city or changing their dates to minimize road closures that leave residents tangled in traffic.

“They all want to have their events downtown. Everybody gets that. But the fact is, it is creating nightmarish problems sometimes. I think we could have a win-win for the city to move some of these events to other parts of the city well served by transit and not subject to the same congestion pressures,” Tory told reporters at the Toronto Traffic Management Centre on Don Mills Rd.

There is a month next spring where there are three weekend runs scheduled down Yonge St., he said Friday, following a meeting of a new Road Closure Co-ordination Working Group.

It may be too late to change the situation in 2015, but Tory said he's committed to better planning for 2016 and he's willing to take the heat from groups that don't co-operate.

He also said he's prepared to look at creating incentives for groups who are willing to consider alternate venues and dates. But it's possible that the city will just have to stand firm in refusing some applications.

Alan Brookes, who organizes the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon wouldn't speculate on the implications of Tory's remarks. He said, the 2015 run will be his 30th working with the city on permits for athletic events.

“Together, we’ve built the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon into a top-level international race that attracts more than 25,000 runners from over 60 countries, generates more than $30 million for the local economy – creating the equivalent of 100+ full-time, year-round jobs – and raises $4 million a year for Toronto’s charities,” he said in an email to the Toronto Star.

Before he was elected, former mayor Rob Ford triggered fierce objections among event organizers when he suggested some runs should be held in parks rather than on city streets. After he became mayor, Ford backed away from that position.

Tory said he wants better co-ordination among event organizers, city transportation staff, police and the TTC to ensure that there are enough roads open to keep the city moving.

“It is time in a big city like this that the public was placed first,” said Tory.

He said the traffic working committee is looking at:

More advance communication of road closures, more signage and even more people directing traffic on the streets.

More publicity for an app that lets motorists plan their routes around road closures.

A Construction Collaboration Agreement to better co-ordinate utilities and telecoms so the same stretches of road aren't repeatedly ripped up.

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Shifting road work to times that are more convenient for the public.

Talking to Pan Am Games organizers about how the city can continue to move in the summer when road space will be limited.

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