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HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-13-065 - Huron Rd Strasburg Rd Roundabout - Updated Operational Review REPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: August 12, 2013 SUBMITTED BY: Justin Readman, Director, Transportation Services PREPARED BY: Ken Carmichael, Manager of Transportation Planning (519) 741-2200, extension 7372 WARD(S) INVOLVED: Wards 4 and 5 DATE OF REPORT: July 31, 2013 REPORT NO.: INS-13-065 SUBJECT: HURON ROAD / STRASBURG ROAD ROUNDABOUT – UPDATED OPERATIONAL REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS: That this report be received for information purposes; and, That City of Kitchener staff continue to provide on-site educational support at the start of each school year on the safe and proper use of roundabouts by pedestrians at the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout, in conjunction with the Waterloo Region District School Board and Huron Heights Secondary School; and, That an Intersection Pedestrian Signal (IPS) be installed on Huron Road at Templewood Drive; and, That an off-road multi-use trail for both pedestrians and cyclists be implemented on the east side of Huron Road between Strasburg Road and Battler Road; and, That staff continue to monitor operations at the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout; and, That staff continue to work with the Region of Waterloo on Region-wide roundabout safety initiatives. BACKGROUND: Staff presented report INS-12-089, Huron Road / Strasburg Road Roundabout – Operational Review at the November 26, 2012 Community and Infrastructure Services Committee meeting. Through consideration of this report, the following resolution was passed: 11 - 1 “That Transportation Services are to consider utilizing oversized speed limit signs when implementing a 50 km/h speed limit on Huron Road from a point 400 metres north of Strasburg Road to a point 400 metres south of Strasburg Road; and, That Waterloo Regional Police Services be requested to enforce speeding on Huron Road and Strasburg Road effective immediately; and, That City of Kitchener staff provide on-site educational support on the safe and proper use of roundabouts by pedestrians in early 2013 and at the beginning of each school year at the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout , in conjunction with the Waterloo Region District School Board and Huron Heights Secondary School; and, That Portable Variable Message Signs (PVMS), with the message “Stop For Pedestrians At Roundabout”, be posted in advance of the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout on the two Huron Road approaches for a two (2) week period; and, That Transportation Services continue to monitor the traffic speed, volume and pedestrian conditions at this roundabout; and, That rumble strips and crossing guards were considered at this location, will not be implemented at this time; and, That staff review this implementation and report back to the Community and Infrastructure Services Committee on August 12, 2013. That the Uniform Traffic Bylaw be amended accordingly.” This report serves to update the Committee on the continuing operational review of the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout. REPORT: Since the approval of report INS-12-089, the following has been completed: On-site educational support on the safe and proper use of roundabouts conducted at the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout on Tue Feb 5/13 and Wed Feb 6/13. 50 km/h speed limit implemented on Huron Road from a point 400 metres south of Strasburg Road to a point 400 metres north of Strasburg Road, including oversized speed limit signs being installed. Police enforcement of the 50 km/h speed limits on Huron Road and Strasburg Road, conducted from January – June, 2013. Continued work with Huron Heights Secondary School staff on further educational strategies to further increase the awareness on the safe and proper use of roundabouts by both pedestrians and vehicles. Updated speed, volume and pedestrian studies completed. Updated collision analysis completed. 11 - 2 On-Site Educational Campaign Upon the opening of the roundabout at Huron Road / Strasburg Road in September, 2011, in conjunction with the start of the 2011-12 school year, the following educational campaign was executed: Two (2) to four (4) City/Regional/School Board staff assisting students on September 1, 2011 (grade 9 orientation day), as well as on September 6 and 7, 2011 (first two days of school), with the safe and proper crossing procedures at the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout. Advisory letters and roundabout pamphlets (Pedestrians Take The Lead) were issued to all students in advance of the school year. City staff spoke to 1,400 Huron Heights students on their first school day assembly, advising on the safe and proper use of roundabouts from a pedestrian perspective. nd This educational campaign was also executed for the start of the 2 semester of the 2012-13 school year. For this, staff were on-site February 5 and 6, 2013 at the roundabout during school start, lunch period and afternoon dismissal times, assisting / educating Huron Heights Secondary School students on the safe and proper use of roundabouts by pedestrians. “Pedestrians Take The Lead” pamphlets were also handed out to the students. Observations during these times, including discussions with a number of students crossing, indicate that students were generally very comfortable when crossing at the roundabout, as well as drivers ceding right-of-way to pedestrians on a consistent basis. As a part of this educational campaign, City staff worked with Huron Heights Secondary School, as well as staff from the Waterloo Region District School Board, on further opportunities to increase awareness on the safe and proper use of roundabouts by both pedestrians and drivers. Accordingly, the School Board has included a link on the Huron Heights Secondary School website, directing users to the Region of Waterloo’s Roundabout webpage, which includes: Roundabout safety tips for pedestrians. Roundabout safety tips for drivers. Frequently asked questions. Typical signing at roundabouts. Procedures for drivers when an emergency vehicle is using a roundabout. A number of educational videos outlining safe and proper procedures when using a roundabout. City of Kitchener staff will continue to provide this on-site educational campaign at the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout at the beginning of each school year. Regional Roundabout Educational Campaign The Region of Waterloo, in conjunction with the lower tier municipalities within the Region, has conducted an annual educational campaign since 2008, the mandate of which being to increase awareness on the safe and proper use of roundabouts by both drivers and pedestrians. This campaign establishes a fresh focus each year, with the following topics addressed in past years: 11 - 3 Year Slogan Topic(s) 2008 Slow Down To Go Around Slowing down when entering Yielding 2009 Pedestrians Take The Lead Pedestrians crossing Roundabout Dance 2010 Look and Plan Ahead! Choosing correct lane Not changing lanes Letting traffic merge 2011 Practice Makes Perfect Signalling Yielding Yielding to pedestrians No passing / overtaking 2012 Learn The Turn: Roundabout Essentials 2012 Everything 2013 Roundabout Essentials Everything This educational campaign has included the following forms of advertising and community outreach: Radio commercials Direct mail of Roundabout flyers to all households within the Region Newspaper advertising Promotional magnets Region website updates / on-line quiz Kitchener Rangers’ Jumbotron advertising Roundabout brochures / training video Direct mail to driving schools, truck training facilities, etc. The Great Roundabout Contest for high school students Transit bus advertisements Displays in public facilities, with free training DVD’s Region News article 11 - 4 City of Kitchener staff continues to work with the Region of Waterloo and other Regional municipalities on this annual educational campaign. Speeds / Volumes Since the implementation of the 50 km/h speed limit on Huron Road, 400 metres either side of Strasburg Road, traffic speed and volume data has been updated. Traffic speeds and volumes, from 2012 and 2013, are summarized below. Huron Rd & Strasburg Rd Roundabout Speed Studies Roundabout Speed Analysis th 85 Percentile Speed (km/h) Crosswalk (Exit) Speeds 2012 2013 Northbound 53.07 51.86 Southbound 53.03 52.95 Eastbound NOT AVAILABLE Westbound 48.87 48.56 th 85 Percentile Speed Volume (AADT) Approach Speeds & Volumes 2012 2013 2012 2013 Northbound 73.01 72.64 6930 7402 Southbound 66.38 68.37 6756 7722 Eastbound 65.49 62.89 4108 4235 Westbound NOT AVAILABLE The results of these studies indicate that vehicle operating speeds have not changed significantly from 2012 to 2013. Traffic volumes have increased due to the continued development in this area. Staff will continue to work with Waterloo Regional Police Services to maintain speed enforcement efforts in this area. Pedestrian Conditions Pedestrian operations were observed at the roundabout on a number of occasions in spring/12, fall/12 and spring/13. The typical number of pedestrians crossing at this roundabout during school start up, lunch hour and dismissal times are as follows: 11 - 5 North leg (crossing Huron Road) 75-125 pedestrians West leg (crossing Strasburg Road) 25-60 South leg (crossing Huron Road) 5-10 East leg (crossing Strasburg Road) 5-10 The number of pedestrian crossings at the roundabout has remained consistent since its opening. Observations of student crossings, along with discussions with the students, indicate that the students are using the proper procedures when crossing, and that these crossings are being completed in a safe and proper manner. Continuing our on-site educational campaign with the school students at the beginning of each school year, along with the other educational efforts, will help to maintain safe pedestrian crossings at this roundabout. Speed Enforcement Waterloo Region Police Services was requested to provide speed enforcement on both Huron Road and Strasburg Road, including the new 50 km/h speed limit on Huron Road in the area of the roundabout. Through the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), enforcement was scheduled for the January – March, 2013 quarter. This enforcement was then continued through the April – June, 2013 quarter. The following outlines the results of this enforcement program: Total hours of Police enforcement – 514.4 hours (average of 85.7 hours per month) Charges laid: Speeding infractions 276 Stop sign infractions 3 Driver’s licence infraction 5 Automobile insurance infractions 16 Miscellaneous infractions 33 This level of enforcement demonstrates significant support provided by the Waterloo Regional Police Service in addressing the concern of speeding on Huron Road and Strasburg Road in the area of the roundabout. Staff will continue to work with the Police on the provision of speed enforcement in this area. Collisions In the 20 month period since the implementation of the roundabout at Huron Road / Strasburg Road (Sept/11 to Apr/13), a total of 13 collisions have occurred. Of these 13 collisions, only one collision resulted in an injury (minor in nature), while no collisions involving pedestrians have occurred. Further analysis of the collision experience at this location indicates that 10 collisions occurred in the first school year of the roundabout, while only 3 collisions have occurred during nd the first 8 months of the 2 school year. From this, it appears that drivers are adapting to this new roundabout control. As a point of comparison, the roundabout located at Homer Watson Boulevard / Block Line Road, which opened up at the same time as the roundabout at Huron Road / Strasburg Road, has experienced a total of 137 collisions during the same 20 month period. 11 - 6 The Region of Waterloo has developed a formula to estimate the number of expected collisions at a roundabout. This estimation is determined by applying the estimated number of potential conflicts per day versus the overall annual average daily traffic (AADT) volume as a base condition. The number of potential conflicts at any roundabout is dependent on the roundabout configuration (number of legs, permitted movements, etc) and overall daily turning movements. The Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout was assessed based on this procedure. With all movements permitted at this roundabout, along with the traffic volumes using the roundabout, it has been determined that this roundabout can expect an estimated 11.0 collisions per year. Since the opening of this roundabout, the collision rate experienced equates to 7.8 collisions per year. Based on this, the roundabout at Huron Road / Strasburg Road is experiencing less than the expected number of collisions for a roundabout of this type. Portable Variable Message Signs (PVMS) The Region of Waterloo, through their educational campaign on the safe and proper use of roundabouts, places Portable Variable Message Signs (PVMS) at roundabouts within the Region. These signs provide an educational message to drivers, advising / reminding them on a variety of expectations when using roundabouts. Despite the Region being requested to place these signs at the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout, these signs were not placed during the 2012-13 school year. However, arrangements have been made with Regional staff to have Portable Variable Message signs placed on Huron Road, on both approaches to the roundabout at Strasburg Road, during the time period of September 9 – 20, 2013. The message to be displayed on these signs is: “Stop For Pedestrians In Roundabout” The placement of these message board signs during the early stages of the school year will help to reinforce to drivers the requirement for drivers to cede right-of-way to pedestrians crossing within the roundabout. Intersection Pedestrian Signal – Huron Road at Templewood Drive Through approval of the Boehnke subdivision plan for Templewood Drive, along with negotiations with the Waterloo Region District School Board (on behalf of Huron Heights Secondary School), an intersection pedestrian signal (IPS) has been recommended and agreed upon, to be located at the Huron Road / Templewood Drive intersection. The location of this IPS connects directly with the location of the trail provided on the school property. In order to install this IPS, roadway improvements are required at this location. City of Kitchener staff is currently working with Region of Waterloo staff on the implementation of this IPS. The required roadway improvements are anticipated to be completed in the fall of 2013, allowing for installation of the IPS in late fall, 2013, or spring, 2014. Please find attached a plan outlining the location of the IPS. The implementation of this IPS will provide students accessing the school from the Old Huron Road / Maxwell Drive / Biehn Drive area with a controlled crossing of Huron Road. Off-Road Pedestrian / Cycling Facility Currently, off-road multi-use trails for use by pedestrians and cyclists are in place on both sides of Huron Road between Fischer Hallman Road and Strasburg Road. Sidewalks are in place on 11 - 7 the west side of Huron Road between Strasburg Road and Battler Road and on the east side of Huron Road between Battler Road and Trillium Drive. As a result, for school destined pedestrian traffic, some form of pedestrian facility on the east side of Huron Road between Strasburg Road and Battler Road would be of great benefit. Accordingly, Transportation Services is working with Engineering Services to design and implement an off-road multi-use facility for both pedestrians and cyclists on the east side of Huron Road between Strasburg Road and Batter Road. Design work is anticipated to be completed through the winter of 2013/14, with the multi-use trail to be installed in 2014. Please refer to the attached plan outlining the proposed location of this multi-use trail. The provision of this off-road multi-use trail will improve pedestrian routing to and from Huron Heights Secondary School. 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.” Working with the school board, high school administration and student population, along with the school board and Region of Waterloo, has assisted in meeting this mandate. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The cost of installing the Intersection Pedestrian Signal on Huron Road at Templewood Drive is estimated to be approximately $60,000 and will be taken from the Huron Road Widening Project. The cost of installing the off-road multi-use trail, along with the roadway improvements at Huron Road / Templewood Drive, is estimated to be approximately $200,000 and will be taken from the sidewalk infill budget. COMMUNICATIONS: The following groups have been instrumental in educating users on the safe and proper use of roundabouts by both drivers and pedestrians: Huron Heights Secondary School administration Waterloo Region District School Board Region of Waterloo Waterloo Regional Police Services City of Kitchener. The communication on the safe and proper use of roundabouts has been directed specifically at the students of Huron Heights Secondary School and generally to the entire community within the Region of Waterloo. These communication efforts continue. 11 - 8 CONCLUSION: The roundabout control at Huron Road / Strasburg Road is operating as expected for a roundabout of this type and design. Collision experience is below what can be expected for a roundabout of this type, with no collisions occurring involving a pedestrian. Vehicle speeds in the area of the roundabout remain a concern and will be addressed through continued Police enforcement. Education efforts on the safe and proper use of roundabouts for both drivers and pedestrians continue at the Regional level, including through the local municipality level. Focused education efforts related to the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout include direct contact with the school board, Huron Heights Secondary School and its student population, general roundabout use awareness through proactive educational campaigns, along with in field messaging devices. Pedestrian routing to and from Huron Heights Secondary School will be improved through the provision of an Intersection Pedestrian Signal at Huron Road / Templewood Drive, along with a off-road multi-use trail on the east side of Huron Road between Strasburg Road and Battler Road. Staff will continue to monitor operations at the Huron Road / Strasburg Road roundabout, as well as work with the Region of Waterloo on roundabout safety. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department 11 - 9 INS - 13 - 065 LEGEND Proposed Intersection Pedestrian Signal (IPS) Proposed Multi-Use Trail 11 - 10