HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-15-092 - Proactive Traffic Calming in New Subdivisions Staff Rport
I r rc'.�► t .R Infrastructure Services Department wmkitcheneaa
REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: November 2, 2015
SUBMITTED BY: Justin Readman, Director of Transportation Services
(519) 741-2200 ext. 7038
PREPARED BY: Jeramie Lewis, Traffic Planning Analyst
(519) 741-2200 ext. 7665
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: October 20, 2015
REPORT NO.: INS-15-092
SUBJECT: Proactive Traffic Calming in New Subdivisions
RECOMMENDATION:
That the existing City of Kitchener Development Manual be updated to reflect
appropriate measures and criteria for implementation of Traffic Calming in New
Subdivisions as outlined within Appendix A of report INS-15-092.
BACKGROUND:
As part of the Infrastructure Services (INS) business plan Transportation Services staff
was directed by Council to develop a standard operating procedure to ensure that a
comprehensive review of traffic calming and cycling facilities are conducted during site
plan and subdivision review. This report and recommendations serves as that
operational procedure.
Traffic calming is the use of a variety of traffic management techniques to reduce the
overall impacts of motor vehicle traffic on neighbourhood streets, communities and
other public facilities such as parks and schools. While traffic calming has historically
been viewed as a means to control inappropriate speed and volume, when used
effectively it also improves neighbourhood liveability and increases road user safety.
It should be noted that traffic calming measures have been factored into the review
process of subdivision applications since 2010. However, due to the timing of these
applications, there are very few instances where these measures have been
constructed. Additionally, while staff have made efforts to ensure that developers
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include traffic calming in new plans of subdivision, there are instances where plans have
been altered, which can result in a change in traffic patterns.
The City of Kitchener has developed a number of policies, guidelines and documents to
support multiple modes of Transportation on our road network. Policies and guidelines
that speak to traffic calming both formally and informally include the following:
• Traffic Calming Policy — 2004, updated 2014;
• Development Manual — 2010;
• Urban Design Manual — Late 1990's;
• Sidewalk Infill Policy — 2015;
• Kitchener Transportation Master Plan — 2013;
• Kitchener Cycling Master Plan — 2010; and,
• Kitchener Multiuse Pathways and Trails Master Plan — 2012.
City of Kitchener initially adopted a formal Traffic Calming Policy in August 2004. This
policy was developed to provide a fair and consistent review of traffic safety on existing
streets, while defining and prioritizing those individual streets that are most in need of
traffic calming.
The Traffic Calming Policy was updated in 2014 to better prioritize and address real and
perceived traffic concerns within the City of Kitchener, while respecting the impacts that
some traffic calming measures have on transit and emergency service vehicles.
The types of traffic calming measures used depend greatly on the specific issues being
addressed and the function of the roadway. Typically, the installation of traffic calming
measures along a roadway includes a combination of the following:
• Changes to the vertical and/or horizontal alignment of the roadway
• Changes to roadway surface and/or texture
• Changes to roadway regulations
• Changes in visual cues along the roadway
The Subdivision Manual (2001) had no reference to traffic calming. However in 2010 the
Development Manual was created to replace the Subdivision Manual. Within the
Development Manual reference was made to reflect a proactive need for traffic calming
within new development. Section C Roads subsection CA Traffic Calming, identifies the
proactive need for traffic calming within new subdivisions and recommends the
following; curb extensions; raised crosswalks; median islands; and roundabouts.
However, the manual does not identify additional tools or determine and
criteria.
The Urban Design Manual addresses guidelines for individual site development or
redevelopment. The Urban Design Manual mentions the use of traffic calming as a tool
in design to balance the needs of the automobile, cycling, transit, and pedestrian users
of the roadway.
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The goal of the Transportation Master Plan is to plan a Transportation system that
reduces dependence on the private automobile in Kitchener by 2031, this goal will be
achieved by promoting and developing infrastructure that supports viable alternatives to
the private automobile.
Although not a direct link to Traffic Calming, the residual benefits of the Multiuse
Pathways and Trails Master Plan and the Kitchener Cycling Master Plan identifies key
infrastructure needed within the City of Kitchener to reduce demand of the automobile
and provide the necessary infrastructure to support alternate modes of transportation
such as cycling and walking.
Through recent implementation of on-road cycling facilities, a number of traffic lanes
have been narrowed, which has had a positive reduction in motor vehicle speeds.
RESEARCH:
Transportation Services has conducted research to determine what other North
American Municipalities are doing in terms of a proactive approach to traffic calming
within new subdivisions. Transportation Services has conducted an internet search and
contacted a number of municipalities within Canada and the United States and found
that in most cases each municipality contacted had no formal document and very little
addressing the need for a proactive approach to traffic calming. A few of the
municipalities identified the use of a roundabout as a key form of traffic control at
intersections, some identified the use of a traffic circle where two local roads intersected
and many relied on Transportation Impact Studies (TIS's) to determine additional
needs, such as medians, curb extensions, and narrowings.
Below is a list of municipalities within North America that were found to have proactive
approaches to traffic calming in new development either by acknowledgement or
defining the need to address specific areas through the development application.
City of Edmonton, Complete Street Policy
The City of Edmonton adopted the "Complete Streets Policy" in May 2013. The purpose
of the policy is to acknowledge that the design of all streets, reflect the characteristics of
the area and all its users of the roadway and that an integrated, connected network
approach is needed to serve all modes.
The City of Edmonton typically relies on the developer's transportation engineer to
identify key traffic calming needs within the transportation report and draft plan of
subdivision. The city often recommends key horizontal deflection measures such as
curb extensions, or centre medians at key pedestrian crossings or pedestrian
generators, such as, institutional areas and parks.
City of Calgary, Traffic Calming Greenfield Toolbox
The City of Calgary developed a greenfield toolbox as a supporting document to the
development process. The document is supported by the traffic calming policy and
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provides the developer with various tools to address speeds and volumes within a
neighbourhood and promote a more walkable and cycle friendly community. Key
principles include;
• Experts familiar with traffic calming measures should be involved in the planning
and implementation phases;
• Traffic calming projects should support objectives such as enhancing street
aesthetics improving walking and cycling conditions, and controlling traffic speed;
and,
• A variety of traffic calming measures should be considered, rather than relying on
a single type, such as speed tables.
City of Windsor, Traffic Calming Policy (Part 11)
The City of Windsor has identified the need for traffic calming in new neighbourhoods
and included some key points and measures within the City of Windsor traffic calming
policy (2005). A number of those key points include the following:
• Intersections between two local roads may require roundabouts or traffic circles;
• Intersections between local roads and collector roads require curb extensions
and special sidewalk treatments;
• Chicanes are required throughout any subdivision plan where there are long
straight sections of roadway (300 metres or more);
• One lane chicanes can be located on local roads and two lane chicanes are
acceptable both on collector and local roads;
• Lane narrowings combined with pedestrian crossings at crucial locations where
pedestrians may cross to use parks, or other pedestrian generators are required
on both local and collector roads;
• Median islands should be used extensively throughout all neighbourhood designs
especially on collector roads and at key locations on local roads; and,
• Median islands should also be used at key locations to prevent nearby traffic
from using local roads as short cuts. This can be achieved by placing medians at
intersections with local roads where short-cutting may be a future problem.
City of Kelowna Traffic Calming Policy
Traffic calming may be applied in situations where typical roadway design standards are
expected to result in high speeds, short-cutting, or generally unsafe conditions. This
approach allows the district to anticipate potential issues before they arise and provides
an opportunity to incorporate any required traffic calming measures through the land
development planning process.
Typical engineering (urban land development) design standards focus on designing
road infrastructure that provides measured levels of safety in the context of appropriate
roadway widths/geometry; in certain cases, roadways designed to standard may result
in speeding and short-cutting (e.g. straight sections with significant grades). Under this
policy, proposed roads within new development areas must be designed to incorporate
traffic calming measures consistent with the vision of the community-wide plan for the
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specific neighbourhood, or in accordance with any site-specific traffic calming measures
deemed necessary by the Director of Engineering.
City of Vaughan, Traffic Calming Policy
Traffic calming measures may be installed in new developments through a traffic
management plan prepared by a qualified transportation consultant.
Speed humps may not in integrated into streets in new developments through a
transportation management plan. Raised crosswalks may only be installed with a
pedestrian signal. All vertical measures are to be discontinued on feeder/primary,
collector and arterial roadways.
Medians, curb extensions, road narrowings and chicanes may also be integrated into
streets in new developments through a block transportation management plan.
City of Hamilton
At the neighbourhood subdivision or area planning stage, there are opportunities to
produce a road user network within which traffic is dispersed and slowed naturally, i.e.,
narrower streets, shorter access locations, good connections to the arterial road
network. There are many cases where traffic calming should be considered in new
development areas, such as:
• Reduced street and right-of-way standards in new communities;
• Planned school areas, community-based facilities and primary intersection points
of
pedestrian routes with vehicular facilities (i.e., bike routes, bike lanes,
greenways, etc.);
• Parking delineation with curb extensions in future retail areas;
• Traffic circles versus traffic signals and all-way stop control within the community;
and
• Proactively mitigating the impacts of infill developments and new developments
adjacent
to existing residential areas.
City of San Diego, Traffic Calming Handbook (Section 6)
During the development review process the following factors are most crucial in
determining the need for traffic calming devices or layout redesign, including:
• Traffic volumes
• Traffic speeds
• Street layout
• Vehicle/pedestrian conflict areas
Through the city's development review process, if staff is able to determine that the
proposed layout is problematic based on the above factors, then staff can request a
redesign of the layout to reduce or avoid future traffic related problems.
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PROPOSED INCLUSION OF TRAFFIC CALMING WITHIN NEW SUBDIVISIONS IN
THE CITY OF KITCHENER
Transportation Services recommends the inclusion of traffic calming within new
subdivisions and is proposing to revise the development manual to include the revised
wording outlined in appendix A.
Institutional Zoned Lands
Any zoned Institutional Lands, with frontage along a Municipal Right of Way should
require some form of Traffic Calming within its limits or direct influence. Typically, "Book
Ending" (a traffic calming treatment at either end of a site) will create awareness and
traffic calming of the physical roadway adjacent to the institutional lands.
Measure can include and shall not be limited to curb extensions, chicanes, pedestrian
refuge islands, and intersection controls, narrowings, traffic circles, roundabouts, centre
medians with landscaped treatments to prevent mid-block crossings and all measures
to be accompanied by the appropriate pavement markings and signage.
Multi-Use Pathways and Trail Crossings
At any location where a multi-use pathway or trail crosses a municipal right of way
consideration for treatment within the right of way to reduce the pedestrian vehicular
conflict must be considered. The use of curb extensions, pedestrian refuge island and
or a combination of measures is required.
Pedestrian Generators
Traffic calming should be considered in areas where it is known to generate a significant
use by a pedestrian. These would include but are not limited to parks, churches, retail
blocks, transit hubs or stops, and sports fields. Types of measures to consider within
areas of significant pedestrian activity would include, but are not limited to, medians,
narrowings, curb extensions, refuge islands, raised intersections, roundabouts and
traffic circles.
Road Classification and Right of Way Requirements
The City of Kitchener road classification system identifies expected volumes based on
classification. Traffic calming must be considered if a designated roadway is forecasted
to experience higher volumes over the classification expected and or there is the
potential for increased speeds and potential for cut through traffic.
Where the length of the roadway and or area between intersections extends beyond
250 metres horizontal deflection such as chicanes, chokers, narrowings, centre
medians must be considered. Consideration for reduced requirements within the
standard cross-section of that road classification may be considered. For example, this
could include reduced travel lane widths, increased on-street parking, centre medians,
incorporate on-road cycling lanes with buffers between parking and the cycling lane and
consideration must be made for traffic circles and or roundabouts for intersections.
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Cycling Infrastructure
All proposed infrastructure for specific roadways based on classification follow the
requirements and recommendations as identified within the adopted Kitchener Cycling
Master Plan, Kitchener Multi-Use Pathways and Trails Master Plan and the Ontario
Traffic Manual Book 18 Cycling Facilities. Arterial and Collector Road Cross Sections
within the City of Kitchener Development Manual have been revised to include and
reflect improved cycling infrastructure recommended in Book 18, and are found in
Appendix A.
Transportation Services recommends that during the annual update to the City of
Kitchener Development Manual that section CA Traffic Calming changes as descried in
Appendix A be included. The annual update includes all stakeholders and agencies
involvement within the City of Kitchener and Home Builders Association.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Strategic Priority: Safe and Thriving Neighbourhoods
Strategy: 3.2 — Create safer streets in our neighbourhoods through new
approaches to traffic calming.
Strategic Action: #94 Infrastructures Services 2015 Business Plan.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Implementation of traffic calming within new subdivision development would be at the
cost of the developer and may reduce the need for future capital investments by the
city. Long term general maintenance costs would be the City of Kitchener responsibility.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM — This report has been posted to the City's website with the agenda in
advance of the council and committee meeting.
CONSULT — The wording within appendix A was circulated to Home Builders
Association and was discussed at the meeting on October 16, 2015.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Dev Tyagi, Deputy CAO
Infrastructure Services Department
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APPENDIX A
CA Traffic Calming
The primary function of Traffic Calming measures are to reduce speeds, deter
nonresidential traffic from the area and reduce the incidence of collisions, thereby
increasing safety for all users within the right-of-way. In addition, properly designed and
landscaped Traffic Calming measures can enhance the appearance of a neighborhood
and the quality of life for its residents.
The City of Kitchener requires that Subdividers incorporate traffic calming measures in
new plans of development. The following section outlines traffic calming measures that
are to be incorporated into the design of new subdivisions. Where there are long
sections of roadways without traffic control or roadway geometry that would promote
higher traffic speeds more than one measure will be required at intervals of 120m to
150m.
A number of factors and design concepts will be considered on an individual plan of
subdivision submission. Each plan will take into consideration requirements outlined
within a traffic impact study (TIS), City of Kitchener Official Plan, Cycling Master Plan,
Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan, Kitchener Integrated Transportation Master
Plan, and other defining documents related to the area of development.
Institutional Zoned Lands
Any zoned Institutional Lands with frontage along a Municipal Right-of-Way will require
some form of Traffic Calming within its limits or direct influence. Typically, "Book
Ending" (a traffic calming treatment at either end of a site) will create awareness and
traffic calming of the physical roadway adjacent to the institutional lands.
Acceptable Traffic Calming measures for Institutional Lands are the following:
• Raised crosswalks at determined mid-block School Crossing locations;
• Centre medians;
• Narrowings;
• Curb extensions;
• Pedestrian refuge islands;
• Chicanes; and,
• Traffic circles.
Selected traffic calming features will create pedestrian awareness and slower traffic
speeds.
Multi-Use Pathways and Trail Crossings
Any location where a multi-use pathway or trail crosses a municipal right of way the
acceptable measures for Multi-Use Pathways and Trail Crossings are the following-
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• Raised crosswalks — on non-emergency service and transit routes;
• Centre medians;
• Curb extensions; and,
• Pedestrian refuge islands.
Pedestrian Generators
Traffic calming must be implemented in areas where it is anticipated or known to
generate a significant use by a pedestrian; these would include, but are not limited to
parks, churches, retail blocks, transit hubs or stops, and sports fields.
Acceptable measures for Pedestrian Generators are the following:
• Raised crosswalks - on non-emergency service and transit routes;
• Centre medians;
• Curb extensions;
• Narrowings;
• Pedestrian refuge islands;
• Chicanes; and,
• Roundabouts or traffic circles (roundabouts and traffic circle must be designed to
accommodate transit and emergency service vehicle).
Road Classification and Right of Way Requirements
The City of Kitchener road classification system identifies the class of road based on
expected traffic volumes. If a designated roadway is forecasted to experience higher
traffic volumes than expected the potential for increased speeds and cut through traffic
may occur within the development. Traffic calming must be considered to mitigate those
impacts.
Horizontal deflection is required if the length of the roadway and or area between
controlled intersections extends beyond 250 metres. Where two collector roads
intersect a roundabout must be implemented. Consideration must be made for traffic
circles and other forms of intersection treatments for intersections where two local
streets intersect.
Acceptable measures for Road Classifications are the following:
Local Roads
• Raised crosswalks at determined mid-block school crossing locations;
• Centre medians;
• Curb extensions;
• Narrowings;
• Pedestrian refuge islands;
• Chicanes; and,
• Traffic circles.
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Collector Roads
• Raised crosswalks at determined mid-block school crossing locations;
• Centre medians;
• Curb extensions;
• Narrowings;
• Pedestrian refuge islands;
• On-road cycling facilities with a minimum 0.5m buffer lane (collector road cross
section);
• Chicanes; and,
• Roundabouts or traffic circles.
Arterial Roads
• Centre medians;
• Pedestrian refuge islands;
• Raised cycle track (arterial road cross section); and,
• Roundabouts.
Cycling Infrastructure
All proposed infrastructure for specific roadway based on classification follow the
requirements and recommendations as identified within the Kitchener Cycling Master
Plan, Kitchener Multi-Use Pathways and Trails Master Plan and Ontario Traffic Manual
Book 18 Cycling Facilities. Each roadway identified for cycling infrastructure at the
development stage will be assessed on a case by case basis.
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