HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-13-025 - Williamsburg Rd Traffic Calming
REPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
April 8, 2013
SUBMITTED BY: Ken Carmichael, Interim Director of Transportation Services
PREPARED BY:
Barry Cronkite, Transportation Planning Project Manager
(519-741-2200 ext. 7738)
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
Ward 6
DATE OF REPORT:
March 8, 2013
REPORT NO.:
INS-13-025
SUBJECT:
WILLIAMSBURG ROAD TRAFFIC CALMING
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That a series of four (4) speed humps be installed on Williamsburg Road.
BACKGROUND:
The existing City of Kitchener traffic calming policy was adopted by Council in August 2004
(DTS 04-125). This 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 that are most in need of traffic calming, from a traffic safety perspective.
In May 2011, Council approved INS Report 11-013 – “Traffic Calming Priority - 2011”, which
recommended that a traffic calming study be conducted for Williamsburg Road (subject to the
Approval of the Transportation Planning Project Manager position, which was subsequently
approved in June 2011, and filled in October 2011).
Transportation Services has received requests from residents of Williamsburg Road on
numerous occasions in the past to review the existing traffic conditions. According to the
concerns indicated, traffic is using Williamsburg Road as a short-cut, and that this traffic is
speeding, creating concerns regarding traffic and pedestrian safety.
In response to these requests, the City of Kitchener has reviewed the existing traffic conditions on
Williamsburg Road and initiated a formal Traffic Calming Review. Undertaking a traffic calming
review for a project of this scale and nature is considered good municipal planning and allows the
City and stakeholders to understand all of the impacts, constraints and opportunities associated
with any traffic calming measures.
REPORT
Williamsburg Road runs from Ottawa Street to Westmount Road and is designated as a local
roadway. The function of Williamsburg Road is to generally serve only the abutting properties
and is not intended to carry through traffic. Williamsburg Road provides direct access to the 50
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homes and two townhouse/condo developments, as well as seventh day Adventist Church. The
posted speed limit is 40 km/h as outlined within the City of Kitchener Uniform Traffic Control By-
law 2007-138.
On February 23, 2012 our study team held its first public meeting to discuss traffic issues and
concerns on Williamsburg Road and possible approaches to developing solutions. Traffic speed
and volumes were identified as the main concerns. The existing traffic conditions as discussed
in the first meeting are as follows:
Automated Volume & Speed Studies
From May 27 – June 3, 2011, volume and speed studies were conducted on Williamsburg Road
at two separate locations. The following data was recorded:
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Location AADT 85 Percentile
Eastbound890 veh/day 52.7 km/hr
Williamsburg Rd between
Wilkins Dr and Pinedale Dr
Westbound 820 veh/day 51.7 km/hr
Eastbound1012 veh/day 58.0 Km/hr
Williamsburg Rd at the hydro
corridor
Westbound 973 veh/day 58.1 km/hr
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Note:
The 85 percentile speed is the speed at which 85% of vehicles are traveling at or under.
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85 percentile speeds along Williamsburg Road vary throughout the corridor, but are
consistently 12-18 km above the posted speed limit, and higher than what should reasonably be
anticipated along a local roadway.
Origin/Destination Study
An origin/destination study was conducted for Williamsburg Road between Ottawa Street and
Westmount Road on November 1, 2011. The study consisted of traffic personnel manually
recording license plate numbers on Williamsburg Road at the intersections of Ottawa Street and
Westmount Road, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
The study confirms that there is not a significant cut through concern on Williamsburg Road as
8% (55/703) of all traffic on Williamsburg Road is cut-through traffic.
Collision Analysis (2010-2012)
A three (3) year collision history was reviewed along Williamsburg Road between Ottawa Street
and Westmount Road with a total of ten (10) reported collisions. The following is a summary of
the collision history:
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Initial Impact Type
YearTotal
RearTurning
Approaching SideswipeSMV Angle
EndMovement
2011 0 0 1 0 0 2 3
2010 0 1 0 1 0 1 3
2012 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 1 1 1 0 3 6
The collision history for Williamsburg Road shows a variety of collision types have occurred in
this area over the previous three years. However, the number of collisions that occurred are not
unexpected for a roadway of this nature, and there is no clear preventable collision trend, as
they occurred under a variety of driving and weather related conditions.
Community Response
Response received following the first public meeting indicated that a clear majority of residents
supported some form of moderate traffic calming approach for Williamsburg Road. Of the
responses that were received from area residents, issues identified included speed of vehicles,
volume of traffic, children/pedestrian safety and congestion at the Ottawa Street/Williamsburg
Road intersection.
Based on the analysis of existing traffic, public input and the City of Kitchener’s Traffic Calming
Policy, four 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). The following is a list of the alternatives considered:
A series of four (4) speed humps - speed humps are vertical deflections in the roadway
that force vehicles to slow down to negotiate the humps.
A series of two (2) speed humps and two (2) raised crosswalks
A series of three (3) raised intersections and a raised crosswalk
Do nothing.
These alternatives were then evaluated by the project team based on a number of social,
natural and economic criteria to develop a preferred option.
A second public meeting was held on Wednesday, November 29, 2012 to present the
alternatives, the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative, and to present the
preferred alternative as determined by the steering committee. Attendees were asked to
provide any comments before a recommended plan was developed.
On January 10, 2013, Transportation Services mailed a survey to all residents/property owners
that abut or are adjacent to Williamsburg Road outlining the recommended plan.
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
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respondents must support the recommended plan, in order for any further consideration of the
plan. The results of the survey are as follows:
Residential Homes with Direct Frontage on Williamsburg Road
In favour of the recommended plan 18 (64%)
Opposed to the recommended plan 10 (36%)
Response rate – 55% (28 of 51)
Condo/Townhouse Units
In favour of the recommended plan 16 (48%)
Opposed to the recommended plan 17 (52%)
Response rate – 30% (33 of 110)
Overall
In favour of the recommended plan 34 (56%)
Opposed to the recommended plan 27 (44%)
Overall response rate – 38% (61 of 161)
Based on the survey, sufficient support has been achieved from residents with direct frontage
on Williamsburg Road (minimum 50% response rate, with minimum 60% support as outlined
within the existing traffic calming policy).
In the two condo/townhouse developments, the 50% minimum response rate and 60% response
has not been met. That being said, these condo/townhouse developments have internal
roadways, and units do not front directly on the street, and therefore do not face the same
issues as the residents who directly front Williamsburg Road. Additionally, it should also be
noted that turnover is typically greater and residents tend to take less “ownership” of the
municipal issues in their neighbourhood.
The measures recommended for Williamsburg Road should be considered good traffic
engineering in that they address the concerns regarding speeding traffic and pedestrian safety.
Additionally, support for the preferred alternative is evident from the property owners directly
fronting Williamsburg Road that responded to the final survey. Accordingly, staff recommends
that the proposed speed humps be implemented on Williamsburg Road. While the minimum
public input requirement was not met through for the condo/townhouse portion of Williamsburg
Road, staff feels that the intent of the minimum requirements outlined within the traffic calming
policy have been met.
As part of the traffic calming review process, staff circulated the preferred design alternative
option to all affected agencies for comment. All agencies circulated either failed to provide
comment, or had no concerns, with the exception of the Corporation’s Fire Services. Fire
provided the following comments:
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Fire maintains its position that the Department does not support traffic calming
initiatives that will affect apparatus response times to emergencies that will in
turn, affect citizen safety. The Department maintains a Council approved
Standard of Cover that outlines our response times to Fire, Medical, Rescue and
HazMat calls and traffic calming initiatives such as the alternatives proposed
have a negative impact on being able to achieve those response times.
In addition to response times, traffic calming initiatives have a detrimental effect
on our apparatus due to additional wear and tear and will have an effect on our
apparatus maintenance budget in the future.
We are in support of alternative traffic calming initiatives that do not affect
response times, such as the flex stake design that has been on trial on Pioneer
Drive. Unfortunately, the alternatives proposed do not include this design.
It should be noted that Williamsburg Road has also been identified by Fire as a secondary
response route.
Should Council endorse the recommended plan, all proposed traffic calming measures are
expected to be installed in the summer/fall of 2013.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
This initiative falls under the Community Priority of Quality of Life. “Work with partners, including
all orders of government, to create a culture of safety in our community.”
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The cost to install the four (4) speed humps is approximately $20,000. This cost will be taken
from the existing traffic calming budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
This project has had extensive public involvement and communication. It has included letters to
affected property owners, two public information centres with related comment forms and two
formal surveys.
CONCLUSION:
The recommended plan, which recommends the installation of four (4) speed humps, provides
the best technical solution to problems indicated through the traffic calming study. Residents
with frontage directly on Williamsburg Road have Indicated Support for the proposed plan.
Transportation Services feels that the recommendations improve general traffic conditions, as
well as improved pedestrian safety, for all users of Williamsburg Road.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO
Infrastructure Services Department
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Proposed Traffic Calming Plan for Williamsburg Road
Speed Hump –
Existing All-Way Stop –
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