In November 1947, the Toronto City Planning Board presented a plan to the City of Toronto Civic Work Committee for two new arterial roads: one along the lakeshore running east-west and another running north–south to the west of downtown. The lakeshore route was at first abandoned, while the north–south route was approved. The Spadina Road project would be a new road from Front Street at the south, to St. Clair Avenue to the north, along the route of the existing Spadina Avenue and Spadina Road. The "jog" at Bloor Street connecting the two existing roads would be straightened, the existing Spadina Road widened, and a new cut of the Davenport Road escarpment would be made, taking the road to St. Clair Avenue. The proposal was added to the January 1, 1948, municipal election, where it was approved narrowly by the voters by a vote of 34,261 to 32,078. While the proposal was adopted, the narrow approval led councillors of the time to hold off on approval of construction.