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HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-15-040 - Traffic Calming Priority - 2015 Staff Rport I r rc'.�► t .R Infrastructure Services Department wmkitchener.ca REPORT TO: Community & Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: May 25, 2015 SUBMITTED BY: Justin Readman, Director of Transportation Services, (519-741-2200 x 7038) PREPARED BY: Barry Cronkite, Transportation Planning Project Manager, (519-741-2200 x 7738) WARD(S) INVOLVED: Wards 2, 5, 6 DATE OF REPORT: May 11, 2015 REPORT NO.: INS-15-040 SUBJECT: Traffic Calming Priority - 2015 RECOMMENDATION: That traffic calming reviews be initiated in 2015 for the following streets: • Zeller Drive —between Lackner Boulevard and Pebblecreek Drive • Parkvale Drive — between Woodbine Avenue and Huron Road • Rittenhouse Road — between Blockline Road and Erinbrook Drive BACKGROUND: The existing City of Kitchener traffic calming policy and annual traffic calming budget was adopted by Council in March 2014 (INS 14-042). The traffic calming policy outlines a number of evaluation criteria that provide a fair and consistent review of streets while defining and prioritizing the individual streets that are most in need of traffic calming, from a traffic safety perspective. Through budget deliberations, the budget for traffic calming has been approved to support the provision of traffic calming measures for three (3) traffic calming reviews in 2015. REPORT: The intent of traffic calming is 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. The types of traffic calming measures chosen depend on the issues being addressed and the function of the road. Transportation Services manages a traffic calming priority list. This list includes all streets requested for traffic calming, through request from Council or publicity of Kitchener citizens. These streets are reviewed on an annual basis, with respect to speed, volumes, collisions and ***This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 7 - 1 safety factors. Attached is the current traffic calming priority list which has been filtered to display only warranted roadways (Appendix "A"). PROPOSED TRAFFIC CALMING REVIEWS There are a total of 27 roadways that currently meet the minimum requirements for a traffic calming review. The following roadways are recommended for a traffic calming review: Zeller Drive Zeller Drive is first on the priority ranking with 78 points. Studies conducted showed concerns with speeding and volume, both of which can be targeted through the traffic calming review. Zeller Drive is also identified for cycling facilities within the Cycling Master Plan. The Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18: Cycling Facilities, recommends the implementation of on-street cycling facilities for a roadway with the characteristics of Zeller Drive. Inclusion of on-street facilities will have a positive impact on overall roadway operations and calm traffic to a limited degree notwithstanding the implementation of more traditional forms of traffic calming. That being said, Transportation Services views this as the opportune time to review the roadway in its entirety and conduct a comprehensive roadway review, beginning with the cycling facility design process. It should be noted that the inclusion of traffic calming features will assist in both creating safer cycling facilities and calming traffic on the roadway as a whole. Refer to Appendix B for a plan which shows Zeller Drive, and the surrounding neighbourhood. Parkvale Drive Parkvale Drive is second on the priority ranking with 73 points. Studies conducted showed concerns with speeding and a higher than expected frequency of collisions, both of which can be targeted through the traffic calming review. Similarly to Zeller Drive, Parkvale Drive is also identified for cycling facilities within the Cycling Master Plan. The Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18: Cycling Facilities recommends the implementation of on-street cycling facilities for a roadway with the characteristics of Parkvale Drive. Also similarly to Zeller Drive, Transportation Services views this as the opportune time to review the roadway in its entirety and conduct a comprehensive roadway review, beginning with the cycling facility design process, and including traffic calming features. Refer to Appendix C for a plan which shows Parkvale Drive and the surrounding neighbourhood. 7 - 2 Rittenhouse Road Rittenhouse Road is tied for fourth on the priority listing and the third roadway being recommended for traffic calming with 67 points. Studies conducted showed concerns with speeding and volume, both of which can be targeted through the traffic calming review. Rittenhouse Road is primarily residential and provides access to a number of community parks and facilities. Refer to Appendix D for a plan which shows Rittenhouse Road, and the surrounding neighbourhood. It should be noted that Pioneer Tower Road between Marquette and Pioneer Ridge is third on the priority listing with 68 points. Because Pioneer Tower Road is a rural cross section with heritage designation and there is continued development within the Pioneer Tower community, a traffic calming review is not recommended at this time. Additionally, Park Street between Dominion and Jubilee is tied with Rittenhouse Road for fourth on the list. This roadway is not recommended for inclusion at this time due to the ongoing Light Rail Transit construction. All three recommended locations incorporate the implementation of cycling facilities in accordance the City of Kitchener's Cycling Master Plan. Accordingly, the public outreach component of these reviews will be modified from the typical traffic calming format to ensure appropriate messaging regarding the inclusion of cycling facilities. 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 $165,000 budget approved for traffic calming in 2015 will be applied directly to the planning, design and installation of traffic calming measures in these three locations. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Citizens in the neighbourhood are involved with the traffic calming process by way of multiple public meetings, surveys and other forms of communication. INFORM — This report has been posted to the City's website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Dev Tyagi, Deputy CAO of Infrastructure Services Attach: • Appendix A- Traffic calming priority listing • Appendices B through D - Proposed traffic calming locations 7 - 3 Appendix A _ I 'o a `o U° m 3 I r v uq r r r r 'o r a E g �Y O \ f I O u nq Jr r I r I I I I I I I I Y O_ O u •o I I r r a ±' i ° > ' z 0 E tv a 0 C > .£ m •o U a u m i O y o v a v N z � AE v a v v r r r I r r j r r r I r r i r r r r N N M O i!f lO I� W 01 O N N M O i!f lO I� W 01 O N N M O i!f lO I� N N N N N N N N N K 7 - 4 Appendix B Proposed Traffic Calming Review Zeller Drive r, a e, w .'y U "' 11 1� H .m�,"rJ 1 "� ♦ i � M" IN Ni Id J 1► ", WAN p n N ! " l P� �q w m r f � !s Is p. y 7 - 5 Appendix C Proposed Traffic Calming Review Parkvale Drive e r N i f 'W �^...... e ro 7dhW� T b ti 1 { r /% � v�wr h » M � 1M � P"I ....wwqq III uu 7 - 6 Appendix D Proposed Traffic Calming Review Rittenhouse Road OA m v VIA I� �"^m f ^' .,,�' a, aim�,,'r�w" + "• j�•�' �„Ofd^ ' r" " �� � ✓ x � ' l ',�a re�V it""15 aW N, p `mil dp �w ., F roOkA Av m „w yr top 1 � Ra� w h , � a 0 d r, NN NN GO m r 7 - 7