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Home My WebLink AboutINS-11-067 - Traffic Calming - Pioneer Dr-Bechtel Dr1 Staff Re ort p Krr~.~-~~,i~iER ~nfrastru~ture Servrces Department www.kitthenerta REPORT T0: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: September 26, 2011 SUBMITTED BY: John McBride, Director of Transportation Planning PREPARED BY: Dave Seller, Traffic Technologist (741-2369) WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 4 DATE OF REPORT: September 20, 2011 REPORT NO.: INS-11-067 SUBJECT: TRAFFIC CALMING -PIONEER DRIVE/BECHTEL DRIVE RECOMMENDATION: That five (5) speed humps, two (2) speed cushions and two (2) raised crosswalks be installed on Pioneer Drive/Bechtel Drive between Doon Village Road and Doon Village Road. BACKGROUND: Traffic volume and speeding are significant safety related issues frequently raised by residents of affected neighbourhoods in the City of Kitchener. In response to these issues, Kitchener City Council adopted a Traffic Calming Policy in 2004 and established an annual budget to address traffic management issues in residential neighbourhoods. 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. Transportation Planning has received requests from residents of the Pioneer DrivelBechtel Drive Community on numerous occasions in the past to review the existing traffic conditions on Pioneer DrivelBechtel Drive. According to the concerns indicated by residents along Pioneer DrivelBechtel Drive, speeding and pedestrian safety were the most frequent concerns. In response to these requests, the City of Kitchener has reviewed the existing traffic conditions on Pioneer DrivelBechtel Drive and in April 2008, a traffic calming review was initiated with the intent to reduce vehicle speeds, deter non residential traffic from the area and reduce the incidence of collisions, thereby increasing safety for all users within the right of way. REPORT: Pioneer DrivelBechtel Drive between Doon Village Road and Doon Village Road is designated as a minor collector roadway. The function of a typical minor collector roadway is to collect and distribute traffic between local streets and other collector roadways. Minor collector roadways 8-1 1 KITCx~i~~R Staff Report ~nfrastrurture Services Department ~w.k~~~~~r~erca are not generally intended to carry through traffic. The roadway has a posted speed limit of 50 km/h, as outlined within the City of Kitchener Uniform Traffic Control By-law 2007-138. In April 2008 our study team held its first public meeting to discuss traffic issues and concerns on Pioneer DrivelBechtel Drive and possible approaches to developing solutions. Vehicle speeds and pedestrian safety were identified as the main concerns. The existing traffic conditions as discussed in the first meeting are as follows: Three Year Collision Analysis (2005-2007 The following is a summary of the three (3) year collision history for Pioneer Drive/Bechtel Drive between Doon Village Road and Doon Village Road. Initial Impact Type Year Turning Movement Lost Control Rear end SMV other Angle Total 2007 1 3 4 2006 1 1 3 5 2005 1 3 1 3 2 10 Total 2 4 2 9 2 19 Traffic Volumes & Speed Studies The following table outlines the traffic volumes and vehicle speeds that have been collected along Pioneer DrivelBechtel Drive between Doon Village Road and Doon Village Road. Location Count AADT AADT 85th Percentile Date Combined Speed (km/h) south of Perin Place October Northbound -1,676 3 685 58 2005 Southbound - 2,009 , between Nathaniel Crescent & June Northbound -1,508 108 3 57 Nathaniel Crescent 2007 Southbound -1,600 , between Sabrina Crescent & May Eastbound -1,111 2 222 56 Anvil Street 2007 Westbound -1,111 Note: Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) Pioneer DrivelBechtel Drive is designated as a minor collector roadway. The expected AADT for a typical minor collector roadway within the City of Kitchener is 2,000 to 8,000 vehicleslper day, therefore the traffic volumes along this stretch of roadway are within the expected range for a minor collector roadway. The 85th percentile speed is similar to other minor collector roadways with similar characteristics. 8-2 1 Staff Re ort p Krr~.~-~~,i~iER ~nfrastru~ture Servrces Department www.kitthenerta Based on the analysis of existing traffic, public input and the City of Kitchener's Traffic Calming Policy, five (5) potential alternatives, comprised of a number of measures of varying degree, were considered, including "do nothing" (the "do nothing" alternative is required as part of any formal traffic calming review). These alternatives were then evaluated by the project team based on a number of social, natural and economic criteria to develop a preferred option. The following is a list of the alternatives considered: • Alternative 1: A series of seven (7) speed humps and two (2) raised crosswalks -speed humps are vertical deflections in the roadway that force vehicles to slow down to negotiate the humps and raised crosswalks are vertical deflections in the roadway, along with a narrowed roadway, that forces vehicles to slow down when negotiating the crosswalk, • Alternative 2: Two (2) speed humps, two (2) raised crosswalks and one (1) road narrowing. Roadway narrowing force vehicles to slow down when negotiating the reduced effective roadway width, • Alternative 3: A series of nine (9) speed humps, • Alternative 4: A series of five (5) speed humps, one (1) raised crosswalk and bicycle lanes -Bicycle lanes provide a designated section of roadway typically 1.2 - 1.5 metres wide which effectively narrows the travel lanes of the roadway which cause the driver to slow down and be aware of the cyclists use of the roadway, • Alternative 5: Do nothing. A second public meeting was held in February 2010 to present the alternatives that were developed based on resident input and the traffic issues at hand, the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative and to present the preferred alternative as determined by the project team. Attendees were asked to provide any comments before a recommended plan was developed. The preferred alternative is to install a series of seven (7) speed humps and two (2) raised crosswalks. Speed humps are vertical deflections in the roadway that force vehicles to slow down to negotiate the humps. Raised crosswalks are vertical deflections in the roadway, along with a narrowed roadway, that forces vehicles to slow down when negotiating the crosswalk and provide a shortened crossing distance for pedestrians. The two raised crosswalks are strategically located at an existing known pedestrian school crossing and trail crossing. In April 2010, Transportation Planning mailed a survey to all residents/property owners that abut Pioneer Drive/Bechtel Drive, as well as to any other parties that had indicated interest in the study, outlining the recommended plan of installing seven (7) speed humps and two (2) raised crosswalks. The intent of the survey was to determine if there is sufficient support for the implementation of the recommended measures. As per the City of Kitchener Traffic Calming policy, a minimum of 50% of directly affected residents/property owners must respond to the survey and 60% of the 8-3 1 KITCx~i~~R Staff Report ~nfrastrurture Services Department ~w.k~~~~~r~erca respondents must support the recommended plan, in order for any further consideration of the plan. There were a total of 161 properties surveyed within the boundaries of the study area. The results of the survey are as follows: Traffic Calming Survey Summary In favour of the recommended plan 70 81 Opposed to the recommended plan 16 19% Total Responses 86 100% Response Rate 53% Therefore, the Pioneer DrivelBechtel Drive traffic calming study has met the minimum required community support as outlined in the City of Kitchener Traffic Calming policy. As part of the traffic calming study the recommended traffic calming plan of installing a series of seven (7) speed humps and two (2) raised crosswalks was distributed to all affected agencies for their comments/concerns. Responses were received from Waterloo Regional Police Services and Region of Waterloo Transportation Services. The following is a summary of their comments: Waterloo Regional Police Services - No concerns. • Region of Waterloo Transportation Services - No concerns. City of Kitchener Fire Department -speed humps can increase response times. In order to address Fire's concerns, the Fire Department has indicated that the Pioneer Drive portion of this review serves as a main emergency response route. As a result, they do not support the provision of vertical deflections (i.e. speed humps) on this section of roadway. "The addition of vertical deflection devices increases response times for emergency services from 10 to 30 seconds per device. Add to that increase in traffic congestion we are seeing response times increase over the last 10 years and we haven't moved the stations. This may have financial implications into the future as we look at our response capabilities. Vertical deflections will only compound the issue." The Fire Department recognizes the safety issues for the school children and the value of safety in and around schools and will support the one (1) raised crosswalk by the school. It is also noted that the one (1) raised crosswalk will have an impact on Fire's response times. Transportation Planning has incorporated a revision into the preferred alternative, that being the provision of speed cushions. Speed cushions are installed in a series across the width of the roadway with gaps being left between them and the edge of the roadway. Speed cushions are designed to force passenger cars to decrease their speed as they traverse the cushions with one or both wheels. However, the wider axles of emergency vehicles such a fire truck allows 8-4 1 Staff Re ort p Krr~.~-~~,i~iER ~nfrastru~ture Servrces Department www.kitthenerta them to straddle the cushions without slowing down or increasing response times to the emergency vehicle. Transportation Planning is proposing that two (2) speed cushions be installed on the north section of Pioneer Drive/Bechtel Drive between Doon Village Drive and Black Walnut Drive as this is the primary response route for fire trucks. Should Council endorse the Recommended Plan of five (5) speed humps, two (2) speed cushions and two (2) raised crosswalks, all proposed traffic calming measures are expected to be installed on Pioneer Drive/Bechtel Drive in the fall 2011. COMMUNICATIONS: This project has had extensive public involvement and communication. It has included two public information centres, a comment form and a survey, as well as the use of web-based communication through the City's website. CONCLUSION: The recommended plan of five (5) speed humps, two (2) speed cushions and two (2) raised crosswalks, provides the best technical solution to problems indicated through the traffic calming study. Transportation Planning feels that the recommendations improve general traffic conditions, as well as improved pedestrian safety, for users of Pioneer Drive/Bechtel Drive and provide emergency vehicles with a flat transition through the speed cushions and potentially decreasing their response time. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The cost to install five (5) speed humps, two (2) speed cushions and two (2) raised crosswalks is approximately $65,000. This cost will be taken from the existing traffic calming budget. DS Attach. • Preferred Traffic Calming Option • Appendix A -Speed Hump ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department 8-5 1 KrTC:~~ivER Staff Report ~nfrastrurture Services Department ~w.ki~~~~ner.~~r Proposed Traffic Calming Measures Pioneer DrivelBechtel Drive Alternative #6 (Preferred) -Install 5 speed humps, 2 speed cushions and 2 raised crosswalks 8-6 1 Staff Re ort p Krr~.~-~~,i~iER ~nfrastru~ture Servrces Department www.kitthenerta Appendix A -Speed Cushion 2.00 3.00 2.00 .30 I _ 2.85 _ 11.20 11.5. 11.2 Dl~n 1/in~~i Prnfi Ia 1/iaw Note: - drawings NTS -dimensions in metres 2.00 3.00 2.00 2.85 .30 8-7