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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-10-153 - Perth Road Traffic Calming Update REPORT REPORT TO: Development & Technical Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: August 23, 2010 SUBMITTED BY: John McBride, Director of Transportation Planning PREPARED BY: Jeramie Lewis, Traffic Technologist (519-741-2665) WARD(S) INVOLVED: Forest - Rockway DATE OF REPORT: August 3, 2010 REPORT NO.: DTS-10-153 SUBJECT: PERTH ROAD TRAFFIC CALMING REVIEW RECOMMENDATION: That the scope of the Traffic Calming Review for Perth Road include, the neighbourhood road network of Glen Road, South Drive, Pleasant Avenue and Belmont Avenue East. BACKGROUND: The existing City of Kitchener traffic calming policy and annual traffic calming budget was adopted by Council in August 2004 (DTS 04-125). The traffic calming policy outlines a number of evaluation criteria that provide a fair and consistent review of streets and communities while defining and prioritizing the individual streets and/or communities that are most in need of traffic calming, from a traffic safety perspective. The annual budget allows for Transportation Planning to implement a limited number of traffic calming measures on these streets. REPORT: In June 2009 a report to Council (DTS 09-076 - TRAFFIC CALMING PRIORITY LIST - 2009/2010) recommended the following streets for a formal traffic calming review: Country Hill Drive, and Perth Road. In order to better define the existing conditions on Perth Road an origin and destination study was conducted in September 2009. At that time the study indicated that 70 percent of the traffic using Perth Road was “cut-thru” traffic. During this time period Transportation Planning was responding to residential requests for an All-way stop to be installed at the intersections of Perth Road at South Drive and Perth Road at Pleasant Avenue. All-way stop warrants were conducted for both intersections and the results indicated that both were warranted. The installation of the All-way stop controls took place in late October 2009. In order to measure the ï ó ï impact of the All-way stop controls at these intersections a second origin and destination study was conducted in June 2010, the second study yielded the same results as the first, 70 percent of the traffic using Perth Road is “cut-thru” traffic. With “ traffic volume and more importantly “cut –thru” traffic using this neighbourhood, any traffic calming measures used to deter the traffic from using Perth Road will be diverted to the neighbouring streets such as Glen Road and South Drive. The adjacent streets to Perth Road have all been included on the Traffic Calming Priority list, through requests by neighbouring residents. Below is the list of streets adjacent to Perth Road: 1. Pleasant Avenue: Ranked: 2 - Minor Collector Road - Priority List with 35 points 2. Belmont Avenue East: Ranked: 5 – Local Road - Priority List with 39 points South Drive: 3. Ranked: 7 – Local Road - Priority List with 36 points 4. Glen Road: Ranked: 26 – Local Road - Priority List with 25 points Given that these streets are all within the immediate neighbourhood surrounding Perth Road and all directly impact traffic patterns within the neighbourhood and contribute to a significant amount of through traffic on Perth Road, Transportation Planning feels that the traffic calming review of Perth Road should be expanded to include the above noted streets as well. Furthermore, with a individual study of Perth Road the above noted streets may move to a higher rank on the traffic calming priority list, due to any diverted traffic from Perth Road. Both Pleasant Avenue and Glen Road are scheduled for reconstruction in a few years. A review of the neighbourhood would ensure that we don’t simply relocate the problem to another local roadway. Accordingly, Transportation Planning feels that the overall traffic concerns and patterns within the neighbourhood can be addressed accordingly. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: No additional cost to expand study. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jeff Willmer, Interim General Manager Development and Technical Services Department Attachments ï ó î ï ó í