HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-16-055 - Alternative Motion re 40 km rate of speed in school zones (2)
REPORT TO: Council
DATE OF MEETING: June 27, 2016
SUBMITTED BY: Ken Carmichael, Interim Director, Transportation Services
519-741-2200 ext. 7372
PREPARED BY: Ronald Schirm, Supervisor of Crossing Guards,
519-741-2200 ext. 7232
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All Wards
DATE OF REPORT: June 17, 2016
REPORT NO.: INS-16-055
SUBJECT: Alternative Motion to Clause 7 of the Community &
Infrastructure Services Committee Report - 40 km/h Rate of
Speed in School Zones
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Uniform Traffic By-law be amended to include the
following general provision implementing a 40 km/h rate of speed in school zones:
‘A 40 km/h rate of speed be applied to the portion of a highway that adjoins the entrance
to or exit from a school and is within 150 metres along the highway in either direction
beyond the limits of the land for the purposes of the school.’
BACKGROUND:
On June 13 Infrastructure Services Committee approved INS-16-051 School Zone 40 km/h Limit
Pilot Project which included the following:
That the Uniform Traffic By-law be amended to implement 40 km/h School Speed Limit Zones
along school frontages of elementary schools at the following locations,
Chopin Drive from Westmount Road West to a point 300 metres south thereof;
Lucerne Drive from Selkirk Drive to a point 200 metres west thereof;
Shea Crescent from Laurentian Drive to a point 200 metres north thereof;
Laurentian Drive from Howland Drive to Darcy Place;
Caryndale Drive from Robertson Crescent to a point 350 metres south thereof;
Confederation Drive from Tupper Crescent to Champlain Drive;
Halifax Drive from Confederation Drive to point 250 metres north thereof;
Country Hills Drive from Old Country Drive to a point 350 metres west thereof;
Parkland Crescent from Driftwood Drive to Driftwood Drive;
Franklin Street North from Bradley Drive to Dalewood Drive;
Erinbrook Drive from Laurentian Drive to Highcroft Court;
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Morgan Avenue from Fairway Road North to Southill Drive;
Patricia Avenue from Spadina Road West to Highland Road Highland Road
West;
The Country Way from Erinbrook Drive to Spring Hill Place;
Woodbine Avenue from Parkvale Drive to Sophia Crescent;
Westforest Trail from Victoria Street South to a point 150 metres west thereof;
Activa Avenue from David Bergey Drive to Copper Leaf Street;
Zeller Drive from Susan Crescent to Wild Meadow Street;
Forestwood Drive from McGarry Drive to Glen Park Crescent;
Autumn Hill Crescent from Westheights Drive to a point 200 metres west thereof;
Gracefield Crescent from a point 150 metres west of Kingswood Drive to a point
150 metres west of Kingswood Drive;
Upper Canada Drive from Doon Village Road to a point 350 metres north thereof;
Bechtel Drive from Doon Village Road to Pioneer Drive;
Prueter Avenue from St. Leger Street to Boehmer Street;
Edwin Street from Leonard Street to Elizabeth Street;
Elizabeth Street from Edwin Street to Oxford Street;
Hoffman Street from Highland Road East to Kehl Street;
Vanier Drive from Boniface Avenue to Erie Avenue;
Wilson Avenue from Eighth Avenue to a point 230 metres north thereof;
Connaught Street from Carrol Street to Traynor Avenue;
Smithson Street from Sherwood Avenue to Belleview Avenue;
Sherwood Avenue from Smithson Street to Suffolk Avenue;
Belleview Avenue from Smithson Street to Suffolk Avenue;
East Avenue from Pandora Avenue to Glendale Avenue;
Lorne Avenue from Mausser Avenue to Gottscheer Court;
Midland Drive from Ottawa Street North to a point 250 metres east thereof; and,
Commonwealth Crescent from Commonwealth Street to Isabella Street; and
further,
That staff be directed to report back prior to the June 27, 2016 Council meeting on the
possibility of adding additional signage notifying drivers of the school zones and reduced
speeds and the costs associated with the signage, as well as identifying a possible funding
source and means by which, the Program could be implemented prior to September 2016.
REPORT:
In response to this resolution, Transportation Services has reviewed the feasibility and
effectiveness of installing 40 km/h ahead signs at all school locations. Transportation Services
do not recommend the installation of speed limit ahead signs in this instance as it is in direct
contravention of the guidelines set out in the Ontario Traffic Manual (OTM). The Ontario Traffic
Manual states:
“The MAXIMUM SPEED AHEAD sign (Rb-5) must be used to warn motorists of a posted
speed reduction of 20 km/h or more.
The MAXIMUM SPEED AHEAD sign must be followed by a MAXIMUM SPEED sign with
the “begins” legend (that is, Rb-1 with Rb-84t tab sign attached or Rb-2 or Rb-3). The
MAXIMUM SPEED sign with “begins” legend must be placed at the beginning of the
zone where the reduced maximum speed applies.
The MAXIMUM SPEED AHEAD sign should not be used under the following conditions:
• For speed reductions of 10 km/h (no advance speed warning is required)”;
(Ontario Traffic Manual March 2000, book 5, page 39)
At all locations that will feature a 40 km/h school zone speed limit in the City, the reduction of
speed will be 10 km/h only. Furthermore, all school frontages also feature school zone signs in
advance of the school, advising motorists they are approaching schools. Finally, as reduced
speeds in front of schools will only be established on local and collector roads, the vast majority
of motorists that pass the school daily will be familiar with the school and the speed limit. In fact,
a large portion of the motorists will be parents and caregivers accessing the school.
Furthermore, the Highway Traffic Act states that reduced speeds in school zones should be
within 150 metres of the edge of school property on both approaches of a roadway. This
distance is adequate in terms of vehicles approaching the signs, reacting and slowing down
prior to reaching school property.
To assist with educating drivers, “new” sunburst signs will be installed with each new
installation. Given this, it would be redundant to install 40 km/h ahead signs.
Through staff discussions following Community and Infrastructure Services Committee it was
noted that there are general provisions in the Uniform Traffic By-law governing the installation of
no stopping zones along school frontages that gives staff flexibility to respond quickly in
providing necessary parking and stopping restrictions at schools. By creating a general
provision for the reduced rate of speed at schools staff can similarly respond to new schools or
expansion of the program to more senior schools without the need for by-law changes. The
general provision reflects the Highway Traffic Act (1990, O.Reg. 615. s. 128 (5)) in this regard
and ensures a uniform application of the reduced speeds in terms of proximity to the schools.
This recommendation will provide staff with the ability to implement 40 km/h school zones when
new schools are constructed.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The recommendations of this report support the achievement of the City’s strategic vision
through the delivery of a core service.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
For this one time initiative, budget funding is not currently in place.
The cost per location of the installation will be approximately $1000, based on the installation of
two 40 km/h speed limit signs, two 50 km/h speed limit signs, four “begins” tabs, 2 “new”
sunburst signs, as well as 4 posts. There are a total of 38 locations for a total anticipated cost of
approximately $38,000.
In order to provide budget support for this item, the following funding options are presented:
Option 1 - Fund this initiative by overspending the existing sign maintenance budget,
which will result in a deficit at year end.
Option 2 - Fund this initiative through the traffic calming capital account. This would
result in the loss of funding to support approximately one traffic calming review and staff
would require direction from council on which 2016 traffic calming review to defer should
this option be chosen.
Option 3 - Fund this initiative from the capital contingency which exists to fund small
unplanned capital needs which emerge during the budget year and/or deal with over
expenditures. This account currently has sufficient funds to accommodate this work
Should Council choose to advance the complete installation of 40 km/h zones in 2016 then
staffs preference would be to fund this work via option 3. It should also be noted that advancing
this work may impact other initiatives as operations staff time will need to be redirected in order
to complete this work.
The cost of installing two 40 km/h ahead signs for each location would be approximately $400
per location at a total of 47 locations so as to include the 9 schools in the pilot program. The
total additional cost would be $19,000. This would revise the project cost to a total of $57,000.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Each school will be consulted on communicating the changes in each school community.
Waterloo Regional Police Service will be consulted in enforcing the new speed limits based on
their capacity to do so. Transportation Planning will work with school travel planning staff, as
well as members of Active and Safe Routes to School, in providing a clear and consistent
message of expectations of motorists in school areas in terms of rates of speed.
PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER:
This matter was originally considered at the April 8, 2013 Infrastructure Services Committee
meeting in staff report INS 13-027, “School Zone Speed Limit Pilot Project.” It was further
discussed on June 13, 2016 Infrastructure Services Committee meeting in staff report INS 16-
051, “School Zone Speed Limit Pilot Project.”
Justin Readman, Interim Executive Director
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Infrastructure Services Department
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