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Home My WebLink AboutINS-17-042 - Glasgow Street - Traffic Calming Follow Up Review Amendment REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: May 29, 2017 SUBMITTED BY: Ken Carmichael, Interim Director of Transportation Services, 519-741-2200, ext. 7372 PREPARED BY: Lou Slijepcevic, Traffic Technologist, 519-741-2200, ext. 7153 WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 8 DATE OF REPORT: May 8, 2017 REPORT NO.: INS-17-042 SUBJECT: Glasgow Street Traffic Calming Follow Up Review Amendment ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the existing five (5)medians and two (2) chicanes be maintained permanently on Glasgow Street between Knell Drive and Fischer-Hallman Road; and further, That a speed cushion be installed on Glasgow Street approximately 175 metres south of Knell Drive. BACKGROUND: Transportation Services had received requests from residents of Glasgow Street on numerous occasions in the past to review the existing traffic conditions on Glasgow Street.The primary concern was vehicle speeds and overall road user safety.A resident of Glasgow Street appeared before Council as a delegate in June 2011, requesting that Council consider the implementation of traffic calming measures on Glasgow Street. In September 2011, a traffic calming review was initiated for Glasgow Street. The first public meeting was held in February 2012. Residents were invited to review the data regarding vehicle speeds, traffic volumes and collisions, as well as provide their input on the traffic issues in the neighbourhood. In June 2012, a second public meeting was held to present the design alternatives, the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative, and to present the preferred alternative. Feedback was requested from citizens to determine if the community as a whole supported the proposed *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 1 recommendations. Based on the feedback received about the preferred alternative, a number of changes were made to better address the concerns of the neighbourhood. Additionally, a second alternative was prepared using elements from the resident petition that was received. A third public meeting was held in September 2012 to introduce the new alternatives to the neighbourhood. Transportation Services mailed a survey to all residents/property owners that abut or are adjacent to Glasgow Street outlining the traffic calming plan. Feedback was broken down into three (3) distinct sections of roadway. Residents between Knell Drive and Fischer-Hallman Road were in favour of the implementation of traffic calming measures. The preferred alternative was presented to Committee and received Council approval through report INS-13-055 in May 2013, and subsequently measures were installed in 2014/2015. On January 9, 2017, report INS-17-005 Glasgow Street Traffic Calming Follow Up Review was presented to Community and Infrastructure Services Committee. Committee deferred this report so that further public consultation could take place with the residents of Glasgow Street, as there was a request by area residents to make further improvements to the traffic calming plan and improve the aesthetics of the plan itself. REPORT: In May and October 2016, updated traffic data was collected on Glasgow Street in order to determine the effectiveness of the traffic calming measures installed. The results of these studies are summarized in the table below: Glasgow Street-Volumes and Speeds VolumesSpeeds (km/h) Count Station LocationDateNBSBTotalChangeAvg. 85th Change Sep-1159 ЋЋБЉ ЋВБА ЎЏЋА Between Westwood Drive +1.8%-17.0% and Knell Drive 49 Oct-16 ЋБЉЉ ЋВЋЍ 5724 Sep-1158 ЋЎЉЎ ЋАЏБ ЎЌАЌ Between Inwood Drive -12.8%0.0% and Knell Drive 58 May-16 ЋЍЊЍ ЋЋЎЎ 4669 ΫБЎƷŷ ƦĻƩĭĻƓƷźƌĻ ƭƦĻĻķ źƭ ƷŷĻ ƭƦĻĻķ ğƷ Ǟŷźĭŷ БЎі ƚŅ ƷƩğŅŅźĭ źƭ ƷƩğǝĻƌƌźƓŭ ğƷ ƚƩ ĬĻƌƚǞ͵ The follow up study indicated that since the implementation of traffic calming measures onGlasgow Street, speeds have been reduced by 10 km/h (-17%) in the section where the traffic calming measures were implemented. Where no traffic calming has been implemented, speeds have remained the same. In the three (3) years prior to the implementation of the traffic calming measures there were eleven (11) motor vehicle collisions on Glasgow Street between Fischer-Hallman Road and Westmount Road. This yields a collision rate of 3.67 collisions per year. In the one (1) year since the implementation of the traffic calming measures there has been two (2) motor vehicle collisions; yielding a reduction of 1.67 collisions per year. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 2 In October 2016,Transportation Services conducted a follow up neighbourhood survey of the affected residents in order to gauge community support for the traffic calming measures. The survey included the results of the traffic studies conducted before and after traffic calming installation, as discussed in this report. The results are as follows; Follow Up Survey Results: Responses from residents: LƓ ŅğǝƚǒƩ ƚŅ ƩĻƷğźƓźƓŭ ƷƩğŅŅźĭ ĭğƌƒźƓŭ ƒĻğƭǒƩĻƭʹ ЌА ΛЏВіΜ LƓ ŅğǝƚǒƩ ƚŅ ƩĻƒƚǝźƓŭ ƷƩğŅŅźĭ ĭğƌƒźƓŭ ƒĻğƭǒƩĻƭʹ ЊЍ ΛЋЏіΜ ƓķĻĭźķĻķ Ќ ΛЎіΜ TOTAL: 54 out of 127 (43% responded) Based on the results above, there is general neighbourhood support to maintain the existing traffic calming measures on Glasgow Street. Accordingly, Transportation Services recommended that the existing traffic calming measures be retained on a permanent basis at the January 9, 2017 Community and Infrastructure Services meeting. At that same meeting, a delegate presented a petition to the Standing Committee expressing concerns that residents of Glasgow Street are still experiencing. Council deferred their decision so that further public consultation could take place. On February 15, 2017, a public information centre was held at the Victoria Hills Community Centre to discuss concerns with residents and determine a clear direction moving forward with the traffic calming review. After receiving input from those that attended the meeting, Transportation Services recommended modifications to the existing traffic calming plan. Modifications recommended include the installation of a speed cushion approximately 175 metres south of Knell Drive and the reduction of the overall number of existing on-street traffic signs by removing and/or replacing a number of signs with reflective flexi-stakes.Staff surveyed residents of Glasgow Street between Knell Drive and Westwood Drive with the modified proposal. The results of that survey are as follows; In favour of installing a speed cushion and reducing the number of on-street signs:14(88%) Opposed to the proposed changes: 1 (6%) Undecided: 1 (6%) TOTAL: 16 out of 38 (37% responded) *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 3 Based on the results of both surveys,Transportation Services is recommending that the existing five (5) medians and two (2) chicanes be maintained on a permanent basis with minor signage changes and a speed cushion be installed approximately 175 metres south of Knell Drive. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: Strategic Priority:Safe and Thriving Neighbourhoods. Strategy:Create safer streets in our neighbourhoods through new traffic calming approaches. Strategic Action:NB39 Traffic Calming FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The cost to install the speed cushion and reduce the number of on-street signs is approximately $10 000 and will be taken from Transportation Services capital traffic calming annual budget. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM Residents of Glasgow Street have been involved in this traffic calming review throughout the entire process. Transportation Services conducted four (4) public meetings with Glasgow Street residents, four (4) formal surveys and other additional correspondence. The proposed plan was supported by the majority of responding residents through a formal survey. CONSULT - Residents were notified regarding of this report to recommend the permanent maintenance of the traffic calming measures. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman,Interim Executive Director Infrastructure Services Department Attached: Appendix A Traffic Calming Plan Existing Conditions Appendix B Proposed Speed Cushion Location and Design Appendix C Proposed On-Street Renderings *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 4 Traffic Calming Plan Existing Conditions Glasgow Street between Knell Drive and Fischer-Hallman Road Legend Chicane Median *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 5 Proposed Speed Cushion Location and Design Ϋ9Ήt ў 9ķŭĻ ƚŅ tğǝĻƒĻƓƷ *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 6 Proposed On-Street Renderings Speed Cushion Chicane *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 6 - 7