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Home My WebLink AboutINS-16-020 - Traffic Calming Priority - 2016 REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: March 7, 2016 SUBMITTED BY: Ken Carmichael, Interim Director of Transportation Services, 519-741-2200, ext. 7372 PREPARED BY: Michael Turco, Traffic Technologist, 519-741-2200, ext. 7153 WARD(S) INVOLVED: Wards 2, 4, 8 DATE OF REPORT: February 16, 2016 REPORT NO.: INS-16-020 SUBJECT:Traffic Calming Priority - 2016 ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That traffic calming reviews be initiated in 2016 for the following streets: Doon Mills Drive – between Tilt Drive and Doon South Drive Sims Estate Drive – between Fairway Road North and Tremaine Drive Karn Street – between Westmount Road West and Belmont Avenue West BACKGROUND: The existing City of Kitchener traffic calming policy 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 2016. It is anticipated that while these reviews will be initiated in 2016, with installation likely to occur in 2017 or 2018. 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. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 13 - 1 Transportation Services manages a traffic calming priority list. This list includes all streets requested for traffic calming, either through request from Council or Kitchener citizens. These streets are reviewed on an annual basis, with respect to speed, volumes, collisions and safety factors. Attached is the current traffic calming priority list which has been filtered to display only warranted roadways (Appendix “A”). Currently, there are a total of 32 locations that are warranted for traffic calming. PROPOSED TRAFFIC CALMING REVIEWS: Doon Mills Drive Doon Mills Drive is ranked fourth on the traffic calming priority list with 59 points. Doon Mills Drive is a major collector roadway with a posted speed limit of 50 km/h. The AADT th (average annual daily traffic) and 85 percentile speed (the speed at which 85% of drivers are driving at or below) was recorded at 4349 vehicles and 63 km/h, respectively. The identified concerns on this roadway are speeding and traffic volumes, both of which can be targeted through the traffic calming review. Doon Mills Drive is identified for on-street bicycle lanes within the Cycling Master Plan. TheOntario Traffic Manual Book 18: Cycling Facilities, recommends the implementation of on-street cycling facilities for a roadway with the characteristics of Doon Mills Drive. The inclusion of on-street bicycle lanes will have a positive impact on overall roadway operations and assist in calming traffic. Transportation Services views this as the opportune time to conduct a comprehensive roadway review, beginning with the cycle facility design process, and including traffic calming features. Sims Estate Drive Sims Estate Drive is ranked fifth on the traffic calming priority list with 58 points. Sims Estate Drive is a minor collector roadway with a posted speed limit of 50 km/h. The th AADT and 85 percentile speed was recorded at 1790 vehicles and 59 km/h, respectively. The identified concerns on this roadway are speeding and a higher than expected collision rate, both of which can be targeted through the traffic calming review. Sims Estate Drive is identified for marked shared use within the Cycling Master Plan. TheOntario Traffic Manual Book 18: Cycling Facilities, recommends the implementation of on-street cycling facilities for a roadway with the characteristics of Sims Estate Drive. Similarly, to a signed bicycle route, it will provide awareness, consistency, and wayfinding for users of the roadway. This will also assist in calming traffic to a limited degree, notwithstanding the implementation of more traditional forms of traffic calming. Transportation Services views this as the opportune time to conduct a comprehensive roadway review, beginning with the cycle facility design process, and including traffic calming features. 13 - 2 Karn Street Karn Street is ranked seventh on the traffic calming priority list with 53 points. Karn th Street is a local roadway with a posted speed limit of 50 km/h. The AADT and 85 percentile speed was recorded at 1255 vehicles and 57 km/h, respectively. The identified concerns on this roadway are speeding and a higher than expected collision rate, both of which can be targeted through the traffic calming review. Karn Street, between Westmount Road West to Lawrence Avenue, is scheduled for a full reconstruction in 2018. Transportation Services views this as the opportune time to conduct a comprehensive roadway review. The inclusion of traffic calming features in conjunction with the reconstruction project will assist in reducing vehicular operating speeds and the number of collisions. Warranted Locations Not Selected for Traffic Calming It must be noted that although Stirling Avenue South ranks first on the traffic calming priority list, it was not considered for traffic calming due to: the continued construction of the ION and the impending 2018 full reconstruction of Stirling Avenue. It would not be fiscally responsible to begin a traffic calming review for Stirling Avenue South without first knowing the impacts of the LRT on traffic conditions within the area. The Region of Waterloo’s Transportation Master Plan is targeting to more than triple transit ridership from 3.8% in 2006 to 14.8% in 2031. If this comes to fruition, traffic volumes should be reduced on Stirling Avenue South and, therefore, traffic calming may no longer be required after LRT is implemented in the area. This location will be reconsidered after traffic studies are completed following the implementation of the LRT. David Bergey Drive, which ranks second on the traffic calming priority list, was not considered due to the available traffic data being outdated. Traffic operating conditions change on an ongoing basis. Outdated data may not reflect the current traffic conditions in the area, which is why it is imperative to use recent traffic data. David Bergey Drive is not a critical candidate for traffic calming due to many of the residences not fronting the street. However, new traffic studies will be completed this year and this location will be re-evaluated for a traffic calming review in subsequent years. East Avenue, which ranks third on the traffic calming priority list, was not considered due to the recent implementation of on-street cycling facilities. As previously mentioned, on-street cycling facilities assist in calming traffic to a certain extent. They also assist in increasing the modal split, ultimately reducing the volume of vehicular traffic on a roadway. As the existing traffic data for East Avenue was collected prior to the cycling facilities being implemented, new traffic studies should be conducted to determine if East Avenue is still warranted for traffic calming. As such, a one year follow-up review will be completed in 2016 to compare how cycling facilities have affected the traffic volumes and speeds on East Avenue. 13 - 3 Similar to David Bergey Drive, Westforest Trail between Highland Road West and Victoria Street South, which ranks sixth on the traffic calming priority list, was not considered due to the available traffic data being outdated. New traffic studies will be completed this year and this location will be re-evaluated for a traffic calming review in subsequent years. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: This initiative falls under the Safe and Thriving Neighbourhoods strategic priority. “Create safer streets in our neighbourhoods through new approaches to traffic calming.” FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The $180,000 budget approved for traffic calming in 2016 will be applied directly to the planning, design, and installation of traffic calming measures in the 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: Justin Readman, Interim Executive Director Infrastructure Services Department Attached: Appendix A – Traffic Calming Priority List Appendices B through D – Proposed Traffic Calming Study Areas 13 - 4 Appendix A 13 - 5 Appendix B Proposed Traffic Calming Review Doon Mills Drive N Legend: Doon Mills Drive Cycling Master Plan’s Proposed On-Street Bicycle Lanes 13 - 6 Appendix C Proposed Traffic Calming Review Sims Estate Drive N Legend: Sims Estate Drive Cycling Master Plan’s Proposed Marked Shared Use 13 - 7 Appendix D Proposed Traffic Calming Review Karn Street N Legend: Karn Street 13 - 8