HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-20-035 - Vision Zero ReviewRE
PORT TO:Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:March 9, 2020
SUBMITTED BY:Barry Cronkite, Director, Transportation Services
519-741-2200, ext. 7738
PREPARED BY:Faranak Hosseini, Transportation Planning Project Manager
519-741-2200, ext. 7665
WARD (S) INVOLVED: All Wards (1-10)
DATE OF REPORT:February20, 2020
REPORT NO.:DSD-20-035
SUBJECT:Vision Zero Review
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
That Council direct Transportation Staff to develop a formal Vision Zero Strategyfor the
roads under the jurisdiction of the City of Kitchener,that incorporates evaluation,
engineering, engagement and education; that are within the span of the City of
Kitchener’s control; and further,
That City staff continue to work with Regional partners on enforcement and education
related efforts that impact roads under the jurisdiction of the City of Kitchener.
BACKGROUND:
Council directed staff in October 2019 to research vision zero and determine what would be
required for the City of Kitchener to declare itself a vision zero community.
The term “Vision Zero” refers toa traffic safety strategy with the definitive and stated goal of Zero
traffic fatalities and serious injurieswithin the community that it is established.Vision Zerohas
become internationally recognizedandoriginated inSweden in1997.Vision Zero is basedon
the following principles:
Nopreventable loss of life is acceptable.
Mistakes and driver error should be expected and anticipated, therefore traffic facilities
should be designed toaccount for these mistakes and errors.
Road safety is a shared responsibilityamong the peoplewho design, maintain, enforce
rules onand use transportation infrastructure.
The most common frame-work used whendeveloping an effective Vision Zero program is
referred to as the “five E’s” of traffic safety. These are Evaluation, Engineering, Enforcement,
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Education and Engagement.Vision Zero can only be achieved if all of the “five E’s” are
successfully incorporated.
REPORT:
In order to assess what would be required to declare the City of Kitchener a “Vision Zero”
community, staffreviewedthe experience of other Canadian municipalities thathave adopteda
Vision Zero plan, reviewedthe City of Kitchener’s collision history, summarized the ongoing City
of Kitchener’s safety improvement effortsand programs,and identified gaps andimprovement
opportunities.
A comprehensive summary of this review is as follows:
Review of Other Municipal Vision Zero Plans
Canadian municipalities of Toronto, Hamilton, Edmonton, London, Kingston, and Surreyhave
all declared themselves vision zero communities.In order to make such a declaration, each
municipality has prepared aVision Zero action plan thatacknowledgesthat achieving Vision
Zero is amulti-disciplined effort thatrequires the cooperation of multiple stakeholders including
but not limited toenforcement and police services, public health services and community
stakeholders.
Another common themethroughout the various action plansis a focus onthe safety needs of
vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, seniors andchildren; all of whom are
typically overrepresented inserioustraffic related injuriesand/or death.
Although the Vision Zero action plans vary from one city to another due to differing views and
priorities, the “five E’s”; Evaluation, Engineering, Enforcement, Education and Engagement are
the common principles that the safety action items all adhereto. A summary description of the
“five E’s” are provided below.
Evaluation: An effectiveVision Zero program requires a continuous data driven
evaluation and analysis of the safety of the road network. This includes the ability to
continuously track the impact of safety related efforts and understanding the causality
behind the traffic related serious injuries and fatalities. Annual collision analysis and
network screening are prime examples of an ongoing evaluation strategy.
Engineering:The design, operations and maintenance of the transportation network can
have a significant impact on thefrequency and severity of collisions occurring.
Engineeringtactics contained in a vision zero strategyacknowledges the role ofhuman
error and aims to account for these errors. For example, countermeasures such as
traffic calming designs and dedicated infrastructure for vulnerable road users areproven
to improve traffic safety for all road users.
Enforcement: Inappropriate driver behaviour such as impaired driving, distracted driving
and speeding aremajor contributorsto severe collisions. These high-risk behaviours
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can be reduced through different types of police enforcementand related programs.
Targeted enforcementof speeding, distracted driving and ride programs arecommon
toolsin this area.
Education: Increased awareness and education related toroad safety is fundamental to
all vision zeroprograms. Educational programs/campaignsshould be targetedat
different levels including children, young drivers, distracted and aggressive drivers, etc.
Engagement: The continuous involvement of communities and other stakeholders iskey
to a successful and effective Vision Zero program. Engagement provides the
opportunity for the community stakeholders to contribute toideas and focused areas of
priority contained within a VisionZero action plan. Supportingadvocacy groups that
bothpromote and challenge roadsafety programs and plans is an example of a Vision
Zero engagement strategy.
A key element of any vision zero strategy within the City of Kitchener will be its interaction with
and involvementwithThe Region of Waterloo, its policies and its various stakeholders, such as
Waterloo Regional Police Services, Public Health and Grand River Transit. It is worth noting
that Transportation staff at the Region of Waterloo havereviewed how its current roadsafety
program compares to the Vision Zero plans that have been adopted in otherNorth American
municipalities. The review(TES-TRP-17-21) concluded that the Region’s Road Safety Program
(RSP)isinclusive and comprehensive in regards to principles, objectives, action items and
results when compared to the Vision Zero plans of other municipalities. Therefore, at that time,
the report recommendedthat the Regional Council continue to focus on decreasing traffic
serious and fatal injuries through efforts contained within the Region’s RSP.
While the Region of Waterloo has not formally committed to a Vision Zero strategy, their Road
Safety Program is indicative of their desire to reduce serious injuries and fatalities as much as
possible, using a planned, proactive approach.
City of Kitchener’sCollisionHistory
A review of the City of Kitchener’s historical collision data was conducted for the past five years.
This analysis was conducted usingcollisions that occurred on the roads under the jurisdiction of
both theCity of Kitchener and the Region of Waterloo. It should be noted that out of the 2,217
lane km of roads within the City of Kitchener, 1,569 lane km of roadway are under the jurisdiction
of the City of Kitchener, 499 lane km of the roadway fall under the jurisdiction of the Region of
Waterloo, and 149 lane km of roadway fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation.
For the purposes of this review, roadways that fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of
Transportation have not been included.
The results of theanalysison the roads under the jurisdiction of the City of Kitchener is
summarized in Table 1.The annual breakdown of the collisions is provided in Appendix A.The
results of the analysis on the roads under the jurisdiction of the Region of Waterloois
summarized in Table 2.
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Table 1 – Collision Analysis – Roads under the Jurisdiction of the City of Kitchener
Collision Analysis TypeResults
Mode of Travel
6,085totalcollisions
5,802 collisionsinvolving vehicles only (95.4%)
165 collisions involving pedestrians (2.7%)
118 collisions involving cyclists (1.9%)
Injury Type
4,999 collisionsproperty damage only (82.2%)
1,029 collisions minimal to minor injuries (16.9%)
50 collisions major injuries (0.8%)
7 collisions fatal injuries (0.1%)
Serious Injury and Fatal
A more in depth review of the data shows that while
CollisionsReview
collisions involving pedestrians or cyclists account for 5% of
total collisions in Kitchener, cyclists and pedestrians account
for 68% of all serious injuries. When looking at fatal
collisions, cyclists and pedestrians account for 57% of
fatalities. This shows that although the number of collisions
involving a pedestrian or a cyclist is comparatively low, their
likelihood of serious injury or death is much higher than
drivers.
Based on the data available to date, 38% of the drivers
involved in these collisions are reported to have disobeyed
the traffic rules. This includes improper turn, disobeying
traffic control, failedto yield to right of way, etc. Also the data
shows that 16% of the drivers were speeding when the
collisions occurred.
Table 2 – Collision Analysis – Roads under the Jurisdiction of the Region of Waterloo
Collision Analysis TypeResults
13,246 collisions
Mode of Travel
295 collisions involving pedestrians (2.2%)
232 collisions involving cyclists (1.7%)
10,182 collisions property damage only(76.9%)
Injury Type
3,055 collisions personal injuries (23.0%)*
9collisions fatal injuries (0.1%)
Note: The data shown in Table 2 is extracted from the Region of Waterloo’s 2018 Collision Report.
Further analysis on the severity of injuries and/or location of fatal collisions was not conducted as this
data is not readily available to City staff.
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City of Kitchener’s Ongoing Safety Programs
The City of Kitchenerhas invested in a number ofongoing transportation safety programs. These
programs and projects are listedunder the relevantcomponent of avision zero programin
Table 3.
Table 3 – City of Kitchener’s Ongoing Safety Programs
Vision Zero ComponentOngoing Efforts
Traffic data collection
Evaluation
Collision data usage
Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP)
Project impact evaluation
Reactive (complaint driven) safety evaluation
Complete Streets Guidelines
Engineering
40km/h Speed Limit Review
Separated Cycling Facilities pilot
Cycling and Trails Master Plan
Formal Traffic Calming
Seasonal Traffic Calming
School crossing guards
School Travel Planning and School route safety
Winter Sidewalk Maintenance Review
Construction/work site safety
Sidewalk Infill Policy
Enforcement
Waterloo Regional Police -2020 Road Safety Plan
Region of Waterloo – Proposed and upcomingAutomated
Speed Enforcement Program
Region of Waterloo –Red light camera enforcement program
Bike Kitchener
Education
Inter-municipal Partnership for Active Transportation
and
(IMPACT)
Engagement
Active School Traveleducational programs
Resident-led Traffic Calming
Cyclingand Trails Advisory Committee
Waterloo Region Road Safety Campaign for Short-Term
Construction
Your Community, Your Choice campaign
Regional Traffic Coordinating Committee
Project based engagement
Strategic Plan Engagement
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Potential Improvement Opportunities
There are significant road safety efforts being undertaken withinthe City of Kitchener by multiple
departmentsand agencies.Comparing these efforts against best Vision Zero practices provides
the opportunity to identify potential gaps and areas of potentialimprovement. Below is a high-
level summary of the identified gaps in each category of the “five E’s”.The purpose of the
following summary is to identify the general areasof improvement.Should Council choose to
recommend that staff develop a vision zero strategy, further analysis will berequired.
Evaluation
Collision analysis is currently undertaken on a reactive basis when reviewing complaints, traffic
calming inquiries and/or known concerns. This generallack of a systematic, proactive collision
analysis and evaluation process is a clear gap and area that should be consideredfor
improvement.A systematic approach such as an annual network screening program could help
toidentify problematic areas in a more proactive manner. This provides the opportunity to
prioritize safety interventions, such as traffic calming and police enforcement based on data and
allows foroptimalresourceallocation.
Engineering
The City of Kitchener is moving toward a more balanced transportation system thatincorporates
the needs ofall road users. This is reflected in the recently approved Complete Streets Guideline
as well asthe Strategic Plan (People Friendly Transportation) and in theplanning and piloting
ofa number of new initiatives targeted at creating a multi-modal network, such as the separated
cycling facilities pilot, neighbourhood speed limits pilot and sidewalk infill program.. It is essential
to continue planning, piloting and evaluating new safety related initiatives to better understand
the benefits and challenges and to improve the designs to fitthe context of the City of Kitchener.
Enforcement
Continuous partnershipand communicationwith the enforcement authorities is essential to the
success of any road safety related program. The City of Kitchener currently has a strong
relationship with the Region of Waterloo Police Services and the other local municipalities in
communicating the City’s safety concerns that require enforcement. Continuing and enhancing
this partnership is essential to the future success of the City’s safety initiatives.
Education
Currentlythe City of Kitchener’seducational programs regardingroad safety are limited,
primarily focused on active and safe routes to school and/or cycling education and information.
However, there are continued education efforts that also occur through the Region of Waterloo,
Public Health and/or the Waterloo Regional Police Services. The differing programs at multiple
levels of government by various stakeholders makes understanding the benefit of these
programs challenging. A comprehensivetraffic safety communications plan inclusive of all
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applicable education and engagement plans would enable campaigns to be appropriately
assessed and gaps in education determined.
Engagement
Current engagement effortsare typically project specific, though engagement surrounding the
Strategic Plan did offer the community an opportunity to voice their concerns related to the
City’s transportation system. That said, all vision zero strategies have proactive road safety
specific engagement.
Creating a strategic road safety committee consisting of members and representatives from
various internal and external related organizations is an example of ways to enhance
engagement efforts. Sharing and communicating the city’s efforts in the area of road safety to
the general public is another important area to expand on. One of the ways to achieve this is
through the development of interactive road safety related websites and open data portals.
Results and Recommendations
A successful Vision Zero plan is a multi-disciplined effort that, in the context of the City of
Kitchener, would require strong support and partnership with the Regional municipality and other
related organizations. Within Kitchener, generally roadways that are higher volume and higher
speed (roadways that are considered the most dangerous, especially for vulnerable road users)
are Regional roadways. That said, a Vision Zero Strategy can be established for the roads under
the jurisdiction of the City of Kitchener that incorporates evaluation, engineering, engagement
and education. Staff will continue to work collaboratively with Regional partners on enforcement
and education related efforts that impact roads under the jurisdiction of the City of Kitchener, but
are out of our span of control.
The intent of a City of Kitchener Vision Zero Strategy would be to ensure alignmentwith
the existing Region of Waterloo’s Road Safety Programand incorporate all of the elements
contained in a vision zero strategy.The strategy wouldbe developed by staff to ensure the
document is reflective of current conditions on our municipal roadways and would include
specific action items under each category of the “five E’s” with the objective of reducing road
fatalities and serious injuries on roads under the jurisdiction of the City of Kitchener.Staff
anticipate that this strategycan be developed and presented to Council in 2021.
It is worth noting that by ensuring that our strategy also alignswith the Region of Waterloo’s
Road Safety Program, the City of Kitchener would be in a strong position to formally support and
adopt any future programs that the Region of Waterloo may undertake, including Vision Zero.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN
This report and recommended Vision Zero Strategyaligns with the Council approved motionthat
st
was passed on October 21, 2019,at the City of Kitchener’sCommunity and Infrastructure
Services Committee Meetingas follows:
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“That staff be directed to bring forward a report to a future Community and Infrastructure Services
Committee meeting for consideration, related to what would be required to develop a plan to
become a Vision Zero community”
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The estimated costs for communications and engagement to inform, educateand engage
residents of theproposed road safety programis $20,000.Should council wish to proceed then
funding could be allocated from the traffic calming budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
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, General Manager
Development Services Department
Attached:
Appendix A – Collision Data Breakdown by Year – Roads under the Jurisdiction of the City
Appendix B – City of Kitchener’s Ongoing Safety Efforts
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Appendix A – Collision Data Breakdown by Year – Roads under the Jurisdiction of the City
Collision Breakdown by Mode
2014 - 2018
Total Collisions Involving Collisions Involving a Collision Involving a
Year
Collisions Vehicles Only Pedestrian Cyclist
2014 1268 1216 28 24
2015128112084231
2016128212124030
2017 1257 1199 37 21
2018 997 96718 12
6085 5802 165 118
Total
95% 3% 2%
Percentage
Collision Breakdown by Injury
2014 - 2018
Total Property Minimal Minor Major
Year Fatal
Collisions Damage Only Injuries Injuries Injuries
2014 1268 1054 13174 8 1
2015 1281 1046 13486 12 3
2016 1282 1006 16598 11 2
2017 1257 1051 11973 13 1
2018 997842 92 57 6
6085 4999 641388 7
Total 50
82% 11% 6% 0%
Percentage1%
Major Injury Collision Breakdown by Mode
2014 - 2018
Collisions Involving Collisions Involving Collisions Involving
Year Major Injuries
Cyclists PedestriansVehicles
2014 82 33
2015 12 1 74
2016 11 3 44
2017 13 7 51
2018 61 23
50 14 21 15
Total
Percentage 28% 42%30%
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Fatality Collision Breakdown by Mode
2014 - 2018
Collisions Involving Collisions Involving Collisions Involving
Year Fatal
Cyclists PedestriansVehicles
2014 10 0 1
2015 3 0 21
2016 2 0 11
2017 1 0 10
2018 0 0 0 0
7 0 43
Total
Percentage 0% 57%43%
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Appendix B – City of Kitchener’s Ongoing Safety Efforts
Vision Zero Ongoing Efforts
Component
Evaluation
Traffic data collection: Traffic data is collected on an annual basis to
determine the best locations to install traffic calming measures. Traffic
speed and volume data allow staff to make data-based
recommendations about traffic calming and other transportation
initiatives. Each year data is collected on approximately 300 roadways
andentered into a database.
Collision data usage: currently the collision data is mainly used to
prioritize traffic calming efforts. The data base is updated every year and
is used as a determining factor in the traffic calming scoring system.
Collision data is also used as the means to evaluate different safety
countermeasures on a reactive basis.
Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP): Representatives from
the Region of Waterloo, area municipalitiesand Waterloo Regional
Police Services staff hold regular meetings to review traffic and collision
data. In these meetings areas for targeted and increased enforcement
are discussed and selectedto reduce operating speeds andto enhance
safety.
Project impact evaluation: The impact of all safety related projects
including traffic calming projects, bike lane facilities, speed reduction
projects, and all other safety countermeasures implemented are
quantified and evaluated. Depending on the project objectives, the
impact evaluation plan details and timelines aredesigned and the
required data is collected before and after implementation.
Reactive (complaint driven) safety evaluation: Upon receiving a traffic
safety related complaint/concern, the necessary data is gathered and
evaluated to identify the underlying causes of the traffic safety problem.
Based on the evaluation results and available resources, a suitable
countermeasure is determined and implemented.
Engineering
Complete Streets Guidelines: “Designing for safety” is a primary goal for
the Complete Streets Guidelines, which provides extensive technical
guidance, based on industry best practices. Street design guidance
includes cross sections, intersections and street design features for each
of the four travel modes: pedestrian, cycling, transit and motor vehicles.
This guideline also provides related evaluation and education tactics to
support the design improvements.
40km/h Speed Limit Review: Staff have conducted a pilot project on
three neighbourhoods to reduce the posted speed limits from 50km/h to
40km/h in residential neighbourhoods and from 40km/h to 30km/h in
school zones. Staff will evaluate the effectiveness of this approach and
will report to Council in fall 2020.
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Separated Cycling Facilitiespilot: Staff have piloted separated bike lanes
on Belmont Avenue, Queen’s Boulevard and Water Street. Staff will
evaluate the year round benefits, challenges and the cost associated
with designing, implementing and maintaining these facilities. Staff will
report back to Council in fall 2020.
Cycling and Trails Master Plan: Staff are in the process of updating the
cycling and trails master plan to improve safety and convenience for
cyclists and pedestrians.
Formal Traffic Calming:Each year staffcomplete three formal traffic
calming projects. The three project locations are selected based on a
ranking system using criteria such as speed, volume, and collision
history. Formal traffic calming includes geometric changes to the
roadway such as speed humps, speed cushions curb extensions, raised
crosswalks, and pedestrian islands. The three locations that score the
highest are recommended for the formal traffic calming process. Through
this process local neighbourhoods are engaged to understand
challenges, opportunities and to develop the most appropriate traffic
calming approach for their roadway.
Seasonal Traffic Calming: Seasonal Traffic Calmingincludes in-road
flexible signs that are placed in the middle of the roadway to help calm
traffic. Thesein-road signs narrow the roadway and provide a visual cue
to drivers that slower speeds are appropriate. Seasonal traffic calming
also includes radar speed signs. The purpose of radar speed signs is to
slow cars down by making drivers aware when they are driving at speeds
above the posted limits. Transportation staff work with Ward Councillors
to determine the most suitable seasonal traffic calming locations each
year. Our seasonal traffic calming measures are installed in April and
removed in November before winter.
School crossing guards: To improve safety for students, typically JK to
Grade 6, the City assigns crossing guards at eligible locations using a
justification system. For locations which meet the criteria, staff will then
recommend a crossing guard to assist students in crossing the roadway
on their way to and from school.
School routesafety:School routes that require safety improvements are
identified on a complaints-driven basis. Based on data gathered by the
school travel planner, recommendations are made that prompt municipal
transportation staff to conduct a reviewto determine theappropriate
design improvements, which are then implemented as budget permits.
Winter Sidewalk Maintenance Review: A review is being conducted to
improve the winter sidewalk maintenance practices. This is to ensure a
safe and well connected pedestrian network during winter conditions.
Staff will report back to Council in spring 2020.
Construction/work site safety: Staff make sure that all the contractors
follow the road safety provisions for any construction/work site through
requiring the contractors to apply for a construction/work site permit. The
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permit requires the contractors to abide to the transportation safety rules
and standards.
Sidewalk Infill Policy: This policy provides a priority list for new sidewalk
locations based on a scoring system which aims to provide a safe and
connected network of sidewalks for pedestrians.
Enforcement
2020 Road Safety Plan: The Waterloo Regional Police Service has
launched a 2020 Road Safety Plan aimed at making our roads safe for
all users.The plan outlines the Waterloo Regional Police Service’s
commitment to reducing major injury collisions and fatalities on our roads
and will focus on enforcement and education on the Fatal Four offences:
impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding/aggressive driving, and
seatbelt use. As part of the plan, several initiatives will be carried out
throughout 2020, including an increased focus on rural enforcement and
the formation of Traffic Services Special Enforcement Teams. A focus
will be placed on increased RIDE programs, Selective Traffic
Enforcement Programs (STEP), high complaint areas, educational
campaigns and community partnerships.
Education
Bike Kitchener: Bike Kitchener provides educational campaigns, events
and
and materials regarding different cycling facilities and ongoing cycling
Engagement
projects. It also provides bike maps and bike parking locations to help
navigate cyclists through the safest and most convenient route. A
monthly e-newsletter provides regular information and updates on on-
going cycling projects and new cycling facilities to promote cycling and
educate all road users on best practices.
Inter-municipal Partnership for Active Transportation (IMPACT)
meetings: Regular meetings attended by representative from local
municipalities, Region of Waterloo Police, public health, school travel
planning, Canadian Automobile Association, Province of Ontario Ministry
of Transportation and post-secondary institutions to discuss and plan
educational campaigns to promote active transportation.
Active School Travel educational programs: Dedicated programs
managed by Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region that
elevate students'pedestrian skills and family traffic awareness.This
educational programming covers basic to more complex environments
such as crossingroundabouts and LRT tracks, and understanding the
implications of traffic at the school site;and it is delivered through various
models includingTrailblazers, Sidewalk Smarts, Drive to Five, etc.
Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region also supports the
implementation of safety programs managed and promoted by third party
entities to enhance students knowledge regarding safe behaviours as a
road user. These include Walking School Bus, Cycling into the Future,
CAA School Safety Patrol program, andChildren's Safety Village.
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Cycling and Trails Advisory Committee: This is a committee consisting of
residents with an interest in cycling and trails. Monthly meetings take
place with City staff to engage and receive feedback regarding planned
bike facility designs and educational campaigns. The aim is to
incorporate feedback from the user perspective in the design process,
educational materials, events and promotional campaigns.
Resident-led Traffic Calming: Resident-led traffic calming is a grassroots
approach where local residents can lead traffic-calming initiatives in their
neighbourhoods with the City’s guidance and support. There is also grant
money that might be available to fund resident-led initiatives. Resident-
led traffic calming helps build community awareness around the issue of
traffic safety.
Waterloo Region Road Safety Campaign for Short-Term Construction:
This road safety campaign is an ongoing public awareness initiative, that
aims to change driver behavior in construction zones across Waterloo
Region. This campaign raises awareness about the dangers of ignoring
construction signage, educates road users on the rules of the road
(specifically in construction zones), encourages compliance and works to
reach varied audiences to reduce injuries and fatalities and to promote
long-term behaviour change related to driving. This campaign runs during
the summer/fall construction season.
Your Community, Your Choice campaign: This campaign is run by the
Region of Waterloo Police. Through thismonthly road safety campaign,
entitled Your Community, Your Choice, the Service will focus on
encouraging all road users to play a part in ensuring our roads are kept
safe.
This campaign is run bythe Region of Waterloo Police Services and
focuses on educating and engaging all road users to make roads safer.
This campaign focuses on the four fatal offences of impaired driving,
distracted driving, speeding and aggressive driving, and seatbelt use.
Regional Traffic Coordinating Committee: Area municipalities, including
the Region of Waterloo, Waterloo Region Police Service, and Grand
River Transit meet on a quarterly basis to discuss traffic and
transportation related issues across the region. This forum provides an
opportunity for municipalities to update on ongoing efforts, strategize on
initiatives with regional impact, and review policy direction from
transportation institutions and other levels of government.
Project based engagement: Road safetyprojects in the City are
accompanied by an engagement campaign. This includes
comprehensive surveys to receive feedback, advocacy groups
engagement and stakeholders engagement of other public authorities.
These efforts are usually not continued and end with the conclusion of
the project.
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Strategic Plan Engagement:People-friendly transportation was identified
as one of the City of Kitchener’s five goals in its 2019-2022 Strategic Plan.
This goal, which aims to “transform how people move through the city by
making the transportation network safe, convenient, comfortable and
connected” was drawn form the year-long consultation process conducted
during the plan’s development. Transportation-related topics accounted
for three of the top seven priorities among Kitchener residents through a
statistically-valid Environics survey. Issues related to traffic safety and
road design were cited 210 times when the city’s advisory committees
tabulated the top issues brought to them by Kitchener residents. This led
to the inclusion of People-friendly Transportation as one of the City’s five
goals – subsequent consultations with council, Kitchener residents and the
Compass Kitchener citizen advisory committed reaffirmed that this goal
reflects the community’s feedback.
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