Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-13-027 - School Zone 40 kmh Speed Limit Pilot Project REPORT TO: Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: April 8, 2013 SUBMITTED BY: Ken Carmichael, Interim Director, Transportation Services (7372) PREPARED BY: Ronald K. Schirm, Supervisor of Crossing Guards (7232) WARD(S) INVOLVED: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 DATE OF REPORT: March 15, 2013 REPORT NO.: INS 13-027 SUBJECT: School Zone 40 km/h Speed Limit Pilot Project RECOMMENDATIONS: That a Pilot Project be established for the 2013-2014 School Year that implements 40 km/h speed limits at the following locations: Pioneer Drive from Black Walnut Drive to Perin Place; Apple Ridge Drive from Ridgemere Street to a point 70 metres south of Pine Valley Drive; Pebblecreek Drive from Zeller Drive to a point 50 metres east of Country Clair Street; Natchez Road from Rothsay Avenue to a point 90 metres east of Matthew Street; Strange Street from Cherry Street to a point 50 metres east of Dominion Street; Stirling Avenue North from East Avenue to Simeon Street; Birchcliff Avenue from Greenbrook Drive to Forest Hill Drive; Rolling Meadows Drive from Tradewinds Place to Windermere Court; Lancaster Street from Frederick Street to Krug Street; and further, That the Uniform Traffic By-law be amended accordingly; and further, That staff report on the findings of the Pilot Project in the fall of 2014 with recommendations. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Staff has received many requests over the past number of years to establish school zone 40 km/h speed limits at schools throughout the City. The effectiveness of school area 40 km/h zones has been studied in the past in several jurisdictions and the results are inconclusive. Before the City undertakes such a sweeping program, a pilot needs to be conducted in order to evaluate the effectiveness of this measure in terms of safety and changes in driver behavior. Using the criteria outlined in the body of the report, as well as other staff considerations, the nine schools and the streets they are located on were selected as the most suitable for the pilot project: Blessed Kateri Separate School on Pioneer Drive JW Gerth Public School on Apple Ridge Drive 10 - 1 Pope John Paul II Separate School on Pebblecreek Drive MacKenzie King Public School on Natchez Road Suddaby Public School on Lancaster Street St. John Separate School on Strange Street Sheppard Public School on Stirling Avenue North St. Paul Separate School on Birchcliff Drive John Darling Public School on Rolling Meadows Drive Baseline traffic speed and volume data will be gathered in the spring prior to the establishment of the 40 km/h zones at the above locations. Subsequent studies will be conducted during the 2013-2014 School Year, once traffic and speed patterns have adjusted to the posted changes. Staff will report its findings and recommendations to Council in the fall of 2014. BACKGROUND: Safety on roadways around schools has always been a priority for the City. The issue of safety in school areas has become increasingly important to all users as school enrolments increase, creating more traffic around schools. While the primary issue on roadways in the vicinity of schools at bell times is one of congestion, speed is still an important issue. The Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) has recently published “School and Playground Areas and Zones: Guidelines for Applications and Implementation”. This document contains warrants for the establishment of school areas and school zone 40 km/h speed limits. The use of 40 km/h speed limits in school areas has become increasingly popular in Southern Ontario Municipalities. Information from various municipalities can be found in Appendix A. The majority of the municipalities surveyed indicated that the implementation of 40 km/h zones – with strictly signs - did not reduce vehicle speeds and that they are looking for additional means to control vehicles within the school areas. The cities of Waterloo and Cambridge have instituted school area 40 km/h zones at elementary schools with mixed results as well. Transportation Services is reticent to install signs that will be disregarded, but at the same time feels that in order to promote the expectation of drivers to drive slower in school areas, a common goal, requires the establishment of 40 km/h zones. REPORT: Roadways adjacent to schools are, at very specific times of day, extremely busy locations with a concentration of pedestrian and vehicular traffic that is unique. With elementary school populations now frequently exceeding 600 students, almost double the average school size 20 years ago, the situation is more acute. This is not unique to the City, or the Region. Province- wide school boards are opting for larger schools as more services can be offered to more students more effectively. What is also unique is that schools are not built to have the capacity to absorb the spikes in pedestrian and in particular vehicular traffic that occurs on a daily basis around schools. In fact, approximately 25% of all daily traffic is school related (Transportation Tomorrow Survey (1999), Transportation Tomorrow Survey Group). Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) GUIDELINES The Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) has recently published “School and Playground Areas and Zones: Guidelines for Applications and Implementation”. This document 10 - 2 is based on extensive research and investigation of national and international best practices (i.e. what is working in other communities today). It provides tools for municipalities to objectively assess the road network adjacent to schools and playgrounds and establish Zones and Areas using sound principles and a transparent, repeatable process. The guidelines state that school and playground zones and areas should be used sparingly if there is demonstrated need for this type of control, and when a road jurisdiction chooses to use school or playground zones and areas. If a road jurisdiction chooses to use school zones as a tool to address a traffic safety issue at a school, the zone should be used in accordance with these guidelines. Zones and areas should not be provided in an attempt to increase the safety of crossing the roadway; other devices have been developed and should be applied for such a purpose. School areas (warning signs) can be considered for roadways near elementary schools, where there is a possibility of children entering the roadway. School areas are generally discouraged for high schools, post-secondary institutions and pre-schools, due to the widespread recognition of their limited effectiveness for these age groups. School zones (reduced speed limits near schools) are generally discouraged along “walk-to- school routes” away from the school vicinity and on roadways where any of the following conditions exist: School is located on an arterial road or freeway; School grounds are fully fenced; School is located greater than 50 m from an intersecting roadway; Roadway does not have a school entrance and The length of the school frontage is less than 50 m. The factors to be considered in the establishment of school zones and areas are: School type (Elementary -JK-6; Senior Public – 7 and 8) Road classification ( local, minor collector, collector, arterial) Fencing characteristics Property line separation Location of school entrance Location of sidewalks In establishing the nine pilot locations this criteria was considered along with several other factors. Staff also considered the following in its selection of the nine pilot locations: A cross-section of schools that are either suburban or urban, A variety of operating speeds Presence of school crossings An equal representation of public and separate schools Locations with existing traffic calming vs. locations without traffic calming Locations throughout the City An equal number of local, minor collector and major collector roadways Using the criteria above, as well as other staff considerations, the nine schools and the streets they are located on were selected as the most suitable for the pilot project: Blessed Kateri Separate School on Pioneer Drive JW Gerth Public School on Apple Ridge Drive 10 - 3 Pope John Paul II Separate School on Pebblecreek Drive MacKenzie King Public School on Natchez Road Suddaby Public School on Lancaster Street St. John Separate School on Strange Street Sheppard Publie School on Stirling Avenue North St. Paul Separate School on Birchcliff Drive John Darling Public School on Rolling Meadows Drive 40 KM/H SCHOOL ZONE SPEED LIMIT A 40km/h school zone is a designated area around a school where motorists are legally required to slow down to 40 km/h. Generally, the 40 km/h signs are positioned 150-200m on either side of the school road crossing as you approach the school. In the pilot project, the total length of the school zone 40 km/h zones is between 300 and 400 metres and none of the pilot locations exceed 500 metres. When reviewing the Pedestrian Death Review from the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario (2012) a direct correlation between vehicle speed and severity of injury to pedestrians in vehicle-pedestrian collisions is drawn. 67% of the deaths in Ontario in 2012 occurred on roads with posted speeds beyond 50 km/h, and only 5% on roads below 50 km/h. Similar studies conducted in the U.S. show an inverse relationship between injury severity and vehicle speed. In referencing similar studies on the relationship between vehicle speed and pedestrian injury severity, Parachute Canada states: “Children are more likely to be struck by a car in areas with higher speed limits. In fact, an increase in vehicle speeds results in an increase in the risk of injury. A pedestrian struck by a car traveling at 50 km/h is eight times more likely to be killed than a pedestrian struck at 30 km/hr. Even small reductions in speed can be significant. For each 1.6 km/h reduction in average speed, collisions are reduced by five per cent. Reducing vehicle speed has been proven to be effective in preventing crashes and reducing the severity of injuries. At a speed of 30 km/h, vehicles and pedestrians are both relatively safe; drivers have sufficient time to stop for pedestrians and pedestrians can make better crossing decisions.” One must however note the caveat in regards to all this research is that although in Ontario in 2010 3% of the pedestrian deaths were children, 0% were children aged 5 – 14 years. Benefits of a 40km/h school zone Potentially reduce motorists' speed when children are arriving and leaving school; Raises motorists' awareness of schools and school crossing; Potentially improves safety of school children; Increases the community's confidence about children's safety on the road outside the school; Reinforces the motorists' awareness of the surrounding road environment. 10 - 4 School zones are most effective where: The road environment is busy and has a high number of cyclists and pedestrians o has poor visibility for motorists approaching a school. o The traffic has a number of large vehicles o is often continuous o is travelling at speeds above safe stopping distances. o At this point in time the Waterloo Regional Police Service has limited resources to apply to speed limit enforcement. While they do conduct proactive enforcement as part of the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), much of the enforcement effort is in response to public complaint. The installation of speed limit reduction signs is generally effective while being complemented with enforcement. Base data on speed and volume data will be collected in April/May 2013 prior to the installation of the 40 km/h speed limits, which will be installed prior to the start of the 2013-14 School Year. 40 km/h speed limit begins signs will be place on each upstream approach and 40 km/h speed limit ends signs will be placed on the downstream end of the zone in each location. Subsequent speed and volume data will be collected through the 2013-2014 School Year, once the new speed limits have been in place long enough for motorists to adapt to the new regulations. Staff will report back to Council in the fall of 2014 with recommendations based on the outcome of this study. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: This endeavour is in alignment with many elements of the Strategic Plan, including being Community Minded, in providing and improving a service that “enhances the quality, safety, security, health and welfare of the community and citizens we serve.” FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The cost per location of the installation will be approximately $1000.00, based on the installation of four 40 km/h signs, two “begins” tabs, two “ends” tabs and 2 “new” sunburst as well as 4 posts. The $9000.00 will be covered by the new sign installation and maintenance budget. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Each school will be consulted on communicating the changes in each school community. Waterloo Regional Police Service will be consulted in enforcing the new speed limits based on their capacity to do so. Transportation Planning will include a page on the City’s website outlining this project. CONCLUSION: Everyone wants school areas to be safer for all users and, in particular, children. Slower vehicle speeds create a much safer environment for pedestrians and other vulnerable users. The issue is the effectiveness of reducing speed limits in school areas. At this point in time there is no conclusive evidence that reduced speed limits on their own are effective in reducing vehicle speeds and work best in consort with other measures. 10 - 5 Therefore, it is the opinion of staff that the usefulness locally of school zone 40 km/h speed limits must be measured before the adoption of any whole sale program involving all elementary schools is undertaken. The most effective way of evaluating this is by researching what other municipalities have done, which staff has completed, and conducting local research in the field. A pilot project such as this is the best way to establish the effectiveness of such a program. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department 10 - 6 Appendix A – Information from other Municipalities City of Waterloo The City of Waterloo recently concluded its pilot project and is now installing school zones with a 40 km/h speed limit at all elementary schools. This is anticipated to be completed in 2013- 2014. City of Cambridge The City of Cambridge currently has several school zones signed at 40 km/h; however they are using the Transportation Association of Canada’s guidelines for the implementation of speed limits in school zones. They are reviewing each school on an individual basis. Regional roads are not included. Township of Wilmot Only one school is on a township street and it now has a 40 km/h speed limit. Township of Woolwich There is no program in place at this time to reduce speed limits in front of their elementary schools. Township of North Dumfries All three elementary schools are located in Ayr and have a posted speed limit of 40 km/h. City of Brampton Flashing 40 km/h signs, or "flashing 40 signs", are used to designate time specific reduced speed limits in front of certain schools. As regulated by their by-law - 40 km/hr when flashing beacons are activated. When not in operation, the speed limit returns to the posted limit for that road (50 or 60 km/h). City Of Mississauga The City of Mississauga has implemented 40 km/h when flashing in school zones only on major collector and arterial roads. These zones reduce the speed limit to 40 km/h only during school arrival, lunch and dismissal times. The use of these zones has resulted in improvements in speed limit compliance. Town Of Milton School zones are signed with yellow-green fluorescent “School Area” signs along with 40 km/hr speed limit sign. These signs inform drivers that they are driving within a school area and the presence of children should be expected. City Of Toronto The 40km/h speed limit on designated streets in designated school zones, this reduced limit applies for the times and days marked on the school zone signs, typically 8am until 4pm Monday to Friday, and helps ensure a low speed environment near schools and school crossings. City of Burlington On two-lane local and collector roadways that have school and/or park frontage, the Burlington procedures for setting speed limits recommends a speed limit of 40 km/hr. In addition, roads having design speeds of 40 km/h may be signed with 40 km/hr speed limit signs where the road’s geometry does not support a 50 km/h operating speed. 10 - 7 A “B” PPENDIX INS R 13-027 EPORT A 8, 2013 PRIL B K S S LESSEDATERIEPARATECHOOL P D IONEERRIVE B K LESSEDATERI S S EPARATECHOOL A C DULTROSSING G L UARDOCATION 10 - 8 A “C ” PPENDIX INS R 13-027 EPORT A 8, 2013 PRIL JW G P S ERTHUBLICCHOOL A R D PPLEIDGERIVE JW G ERTH P S UBLICCHOOL S S TUDENTAFETY P L ATROLOCATION S S TUDENTAFETY P L ATROLOCATION 10 - 9 A “D ” PPENDIX INS R 13-027 EPORT A 8, 2013 PRIL P J P II S S OPEOHNAULEPARATECHOOL P D EBBLECREEKRIVE P J P II OPEOHNAUL S S EPARATECHOOL S S TUDENTAFETY P L ATROLOCATION 10 - 10 A “E ” PPENDIX INS R 13-027 EPORT A 8, 2013 PRIL MK K P S ACENZIEINGUBLICCHOOL N D ATCHEZRIVE JW G ERTH P S UBLICCHOOL A C DULTROSSING G L UARDOCATION 10 - 11 A “F ” PPENDIX INS R 13-027 EPORT A 8, 2013 PRIL S. J S S TOHNEPARATECHOOL S S TRANGETREET S. J TOHN S S EPARATECHOOL P M-B EDESTRIANIDLOCK T S RAFFICIGNAL 10 - 12 A “G” PPENDIX INS R 13-027 EPORT A 8, 2013 PRIL S P S HEPPERDUBLICCHOOL S A TIRLINGVENUE S S TUDENTAFETY P L ATROLOCATION S HEPPARD P S UBLICCHOOL 10 - 13 A “H ” PPENDIX INS R 13-027 EPORT A 8, 2013 PRIL S. P S S TAULEPARATECHOOL B A IRCHCLIFFVENUE S S TUDENTAFETY P L ATROLOCATION S. P TAUL S S TUDENTAFETY S S EPARATECHOOL P L ATROLOCATION S S TUDENTAFETY P L ATROLOCATION 10 - 14 A “I ” PPENDIX INS R 13-027 EPORT A 8, 2013 PRIL J D P S OHNARLINGUBLICCHOOL R M D OLLINGEADOWSRIVE S S TUDENTAFETY P L ATROLOCATION J D OHNARLING P S UBLICCHOOL 10 - 15 A “J ” PPENDIX INS R 13-027 EPORT A 8, 2013 PRIL S P S UDDABYUBLICCHOOL L S ANCASTERTREET S UDDABY P S UBLICCHOOL A C DULTROSSING G L UARDOCATION 10 - 16