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Home My WebLink AboutINS-13-068 - Sydney St S Traffic Calming REPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: August 12, 2013 SUBMITTED BY: Justin Readman, Director of Transportation Services PREPARED BY: Barry Cronkite, Transportation Planning Project Manager (519-741-2200 ext. 7738) WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 9 DATE OF REPORT: July 19, 2013 REPORT NO: INS-13-068 SUBJECT: Sydney Street South Traffic Calming RECOMMENDATIONS: That a series of three (3) speed humps and one (1) raised crosswalk be installed on Sydney Street South. 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 Sydney Street South (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 Sydney Street South on numerous occasions in the past to review the existing traffic conditions. According to the concerns indicated, traffic is using Sydney Street South as a cut-through, 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 Sydney Street South 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 Sydney Street South runs from King Street East to Mill Street and is designated as a local roadway. It should be noted that the traffic calming review was focused to the area between Charles Street and Courtland Avenue. The function of Sydney Street is to generally serve only 9 - 1 the abutting properties and is not intended to carry through traffic. The posted speed limit is 50 km/h as outlined within the City of Kitchener Uniform Traffic Control By-law 2007-138. On February 28, 2012 our study team held its first public meeting to discuss traffic issues and concerns on Sydney Street South 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 7 – 14, 2010 volume and speed studies were conducted on Sydney Street South. The following data was recorded: th LocationAADT 85 Percentile Northbound 667 veh/day 63 km/hr Sydney Street South Between Delta Street and Nyberg St Southbound 843 veh/day 60 km/hr th Note: The 85 percentile speed is the speed at which 85% of vehicles are traveling at or under. th 85 percentile speeds along Sydney Street South vary throughout the corridor, but are consistently 10-15 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 Sydney Street South between Charles Street East and Courtland Avenue East on November 3, 2011. The study consisted of traffic personnel manually recording license plate numbers on Sydney Street South at the intersections of Charles Street and Courtland Avenue, 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 a significant cut through concern on Sydney Street South as 55% of all traffic on Sydney Street South is cut-through traffic. Collision Analysis (2010-2012) A three (3) year collision history was reviewed along Sydney Street South between Charles Street and Courtland Avenue with a total of six (6) reported collisions. The following is a summary of the collision history: 9 - 2 Initial Impact Type YearTotal RearTurning Approaching SideswipeSMV Angle EndMovement 2009 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 2010 0 2 1 0 0 0 3 2011 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 0 2 1 1 2 0 6 The collision history for Sydney Street South shows a variety of collision types have occurred in this area over the previous three years. However, the number of collisions that occurred is 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 Sydney Street South. Of the responses that were received from area residents, issues identified included speed of vehicles, volume of traffic, children/pedestrian safety. 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 A series of three (3) speed humps and one (1) raised crosswalk Traffic flow limited to one way southbound 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, May 8 2013 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 June 17 2013, Transportation Services mailed a survey to all residents/property owners that abut or are adjacent to Sydney Street South 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 respondents must support the recommended plan, in order for any further consideration of the plan. The results of the survey are as follows: 9 - 3 Properties with Direct Frontage on Sydney Street South In favour of the recommended plan 27 (96%) Opposed to the recommended plan 1 (4%) Response rate – 60% (28/47) Based on the survey, sufficient support has been achieved from residents with direct frontage on Sydney Street (minimum 50% response rate, with minimum 60% support as outlined within the existing traffic calming policy). The measures recommended for Sydney Street South 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 Sydney Street South that responded to the final survey. Accordingly, staff recommends that the proposed speed humps be implemented on Sydney Street South. As part of the traffic calming review process, staff circulated the preferred design alternative option to all affected agencies for comment. Fire Services maintains its position that they do 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. Should Council endorse the recommended plan, all proposed traffic calming measures are expected to be installed in the fall of 2013 or spring of 2014. 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 (3) speed humps and (1) one Raised Crosswalk is approximately $25,000. 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 three (3) speed humps and one (1) raised crosswalk, provides the best technical solution to problems indicated through the traffic calming study. Residents with frontage directly on Sydney Street South have Indicated Support for the proposed plan. Transportation Services feels that the recommendations 9 - 4 improve general traffic conditions, as well as improved pedestrian safety, for all users of Sydney Street South. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department 9 - 5 Proposed Traffic Calming Plan for Sydney Street South 9 - 6