Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2021-177 - Neighbourhood Speed Limit ReviewREPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING:October 4, 2021 SUBMITTED BY:Cronkite, Barry, Director, Transportation Services, 519-741-2200, ext. 7738 PREPARED BY:Hosseini, Faranak,Transportation Planning Project Manager, 519-741-2200,ext. 7665 WARD(S) INVOLVED:All Wards (1-10) DATE OF REPORT:September 23, 2021 REPORT NO.:DSD-2021-177 SUBJECT:Neighbourhood Speed Limit Review RECOMMENDATION: That the speed limit in all residential neighbourhoods within the City of Kitchener be reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h; Thatthe speed limit in school zones and along signed and identified neighbourhood bikeways be further reduced to 30km/h within residential neighbourhoods; That the capital budget allocation required for implementation be referred to the 2022 budget process; and further, That the Uniform Traffic Bylaw be amended accordingly. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS: The purpose of this report isto summarize the results of the Neighbourhood Speed Limit pilot project which evaluated the effectiveness of lowering speed limits in a neighbourhood-wide context in three (3) residential neighbourhoods in Kitchener. This report also reviews the experience of other municipalitiesandoutlines thecurrent state of speed limits on Kitchener roads. The key finding of this report isthat by reducingspeed limits(coupled with education and engagement efforts)vehicle operating speeds were reducedby3km/h (7%) on average. The observed reduction is consistent with the experience of other municipalities reviewed in this report. The estimatedcapitalcost for signing the Neighbourhood Speed Limit Areas is $550,000.Thisincludesapproximately$475,000 for signage and installationand $75,000 for communications and engagement.This project is not expected to have a immediate impact on the operatingbudget, but it should be noted that regulatory signs are measured for reflectivity on an annual basis and must be replaced once reflectivity reduces beyond a certain threshold. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. Community engagement includedan online survey to gauge public support for lower speed limits in residential neighbourhoods. The survey showed that 57%of the participants are insupport. This report supportsthestrategic priority 3 (Safe and Thriving Neighbourhoods), strategy 3.2 (Create safer streets in our neighbourhoods through new traffic calming approaches), strategic action NB38 (traffic calming) of the City of Kitchener’s Strategic Plan. BACKGROUND: Speeding in residential neighbourhoods is one of the most common concerns raised by residents to Transportation staff and members of Council. In an effort to address this community wide concern, staff haveengagedwith local residents, community associations, ward Councillorsand other stakeholdersthrough a number of different initiativesto better understandhowthe community feels that Kitchener’s streets can be made safer for all road users. As a resultof continued input and concerns from the communitya neighbourhood speed limit review project was launched in 2019, throughcouncil’s support ofreport DSD-19-159 –Neighbourhood Speed Limit Review. This pilot projectresulted inthe speed limits being reduced in three Kitchener communities. The intent of the pilot project wasto assess the effectiveness of lowering speed limits onvehicle operating speeds.To better understand the impact of speed limit reduction in residential communities, staff also conductedbest practices review and researched theexperience of other municipalities. REPORT: Relationship Between Speed and Traffic Safety Vehicle operating speeds and safety are interconnected. Studiesconducted throughthe transportation engineering field haveshowna stronganddirect correlation between higher speeds and the likelihood of involvement in a casualty collision–a collision that results in 1 serious injury or fatality.Studies also show the likelihood of survival in a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian is approximately 15% when the vehicle is traveling at 50 km/h. However, the likelihood of survival increases to 70% when the vehicle is traveling at 40 2 km/h.Drivers travelling at lower speeds aretypicallybetter able to scan the roadway, and notice objects and unusual movement closer to their vehicle, which lowers the potential for a collision to occur.Reduced speedsalso increase opportunityfor eye contact between 3 road users, which can also play an important role in preventing collisions. Neighbourhood Speed Limit Approach On May 1, 2018, the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) was amended to allow municipalities to define speed limits by identified neighbourhood areas.In this approach, speed limitsare posted at the entry and exit points of a neighbourhood,eliminating the need to add signage to each roadway within the designated area 1 Driving speed and the risk of road crashes: A review, Letty Aarts, Ingrid Van Schagen, April 2005, Elsevier 2 Vision Zero 2.0 –Road Safety Plan Update, City of Toronto, 2019 3 Residential Speed Limit Review –Background Information, City of Saskatoon, 2021 Effectiveness of Reduced Speed Limits A number ofmunicipalities throughout Canada have already lowered speed limits throughout selected neighbourhoods.Table 1summarizes the experience of other municipalities on the effectiveness of reduced speed limits without making any road geometry changes / physical measures. Table 1–Experience of Other Canadian Municipalities with Lowering Speed Limits LocationDetails Saskatchewan, Speed limit on all local roads within Montgomery Neighbourhood was ONreduced from 50 km/h to 40 km/h in 2016. Changes were effective on some streets resulting in 1.4 to 4.9 km/h reduction in operating speeds. However,the speed limit changes were not evenlyeffective across the entire neighbourhood. Toronto, ONSpeed limits were reduced from 40 km/h to 30 km/h insomeresidential areas in 2015 and 2016. There was a 28% reduction in the collisions involving pedestrians and a 67% reduction in serious and fatal injuries because ofthe speed reduction. Calgary, ABSpeed limit was reduced to30 km/h in school zones and playground zones with fixed hours (7 am to 9 pm, 7 days a week) The mean traffic speed was reduced by 6 km/h from 36 km/h to 30 km/h. The number of collisions involving pedestrians decreased by 33% in playground zones. Edmonton, ABSpeed limits were lowered in six residential neighbourhoods in 2010. Operating speeds were reduced as a result of reducing speed limits. The operating speed reduction ranged from 4% to 11% depending on the community. Neighbourhood Speed Limit Pilot Results To assess the effectiveness of the reducedspeed limits on a neighbourhood-wide scale, City Council approveda pilot project that reduced the speed limits from 50 km/h to 40 km/h in three (3) residential neighbourhoods.The speed limits were further reduced to 30 km/h in school zones within these areas.To communicate this change and educate the public on Neighbourhood Speed Limit Areas, geotargeted social media content wasposted and post cards were sent out to all impacted residents.In addition, notifications were sent to local schools to make parents aware of the speed limit change within school zones.The three (3) residential areas piloted are as follows: Huron Area –This area is located in Ward 5 and is bounded by Fischer-Hallman Road, Huron Natural Area and Huron Road Doon South Area –This area is located in Ward 4 and is bounded by Homer Watson Boulevard, Conestoga College Boulevard, New Dundee Road, Reidel Road, Caryndale Drive, Stauffer Drive, Tilts Bush and Schneider Greenway Idlewood Area –This area is located inWard 2 and is bounded by River Road East, Ottawa Street North, Lackner Boulevard and Fairway Road North To better understand the effectiveness of increased enforcement on lowered speed limits, police presence was heightened in one of the three pilot areas during the data collection period.The area selected for heightened police presence was the Huron pilot area To assess the effectiveness of the pilot program, data was collected in May 2021 and compared with data collected inthe three years prior to the speed limit reduction.The results of the before-after study aresummarized in Table 2. Table 2–Before After Speed Study Results thth NeighbourhoodBefore Before After After 85# of Average85 th Average 85Average Percentile roadsDifference Percentile OperatingPercentile OperatingSpeedstudied(km/h)Difference SpeedSpeedSpeed(km/h)(km/h) (km/h)(km/h)(km/h) Huron Area43.9051.5439.1647.217-4.74-4.33 (-11%)(-8%) Doon South 46.4055.0345.9053.619-0.50-1.42 Area(-1%)(-3%) Idlewood Area48.0155.8443.3051.868-4.71-3.98 (-10%)(-7%) Reducingthe speed limitsin residential neighbourhoods has resulted in ain a1% to 11% reduction in vehicle operatingspeeds,depending on the neighbourhood. Staff feel that a key component of the reduction is also the education and engagement efforts that were undertaken. It is worth noting that heightened police presence may have also contributed to lower vehicle operating speeds in the Huron neighbourhood.The further reduction of speed limits in school zones showed the greatest impact in reduced vehicle operating speeds. Data collectedinschool zones showeda 12% (from 41.2 to 36.4 km/h) reduction th in the averageoperatingspeed and a 13% (49 to 42.4 km/h) reduction in the 85percentile speeds.Staff also conducted a detailed analysis of the data collected to gain a greater th understanding of the impact on higher operating speeds; the 15% that drive above the 85 percentile speeds. The data showed a greater reduction in speeds in this segment, which should lead to an increase in overall road user safety. Recommendations Based on the results described in the previous sections, staff recommend lowering speed limits from 50 km/h to 40 km/h in all residential neighbourhoods within the City of Kitchener. Further, staff recommend that, school zones’ and neighbourhood bikeways’ speed limits within the residential areas be reduced to 30 km/h. Similar to the pilot project, a gateway signage approach is requiredat all locations. Staff have developed a map sectioning the City into potential Neighbourhood Speed Limit Areas.These areasare mostly bounded by arterial streets and regional roads. This map is provided in Appendix A.As shown in the map, severalarterial roads and major collector roads intended to move and distribute large volumes of traffic are not included in the 40km/h zones. These include roads such as Block Line Road, Huron Road, Belmont Ave W, Queen’s Boulevard, Strasburg Road, etc. Staff will develop criteria to help prioritizeanimplementationscheduleover 2022 to 2024. These criteria include but are not limited tospeed related concerns from residents, school zones, pedestrian destinations, and operationalefficiency. Communications and Engagement Plan A number of initiatives to engage andinformthe public are proposed. Communication initiatives will include the following: Social media posts on City accounts, included geo-targeted posts for Neighbourhood Speed Limit Areas being implemented; Pamphlets and posters at cityfacilities; Direct mailings to residents within the project areas; Notifications sent home with students from local schools;and, Webpage for information, updates and ongoing feedback. STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT: Thisreport supports thestrategic priority 3 (Safe and Thriving Neighbourhoods), strategy 3.2 (Create safer streets in our neighbourhoods through new traffic calming approaches), strategic action NB38 (traffic calming) of the City of Kitchener’s Strategic Plan. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Capital Budget –The estimated cost for signing theNeighbourhood Speed Limit Areas project is $550,000including $475,000 for 40 km/h signage and installation, $75,000for communications and engagement to inform and educate residents of the proposed speed limit changes.This program is unfunded,and staffrecommend that this program be referred tothe 2022 Capital budget review.It is expected that this project would be implemented over 3 year timeframe (2022-2024). Operating Budget –The recommendation has no immediate impact on the Operating Budget, but staff do note that these signs will become part of the ongoing monitoring program and will need replaced at end of life (10+ years). COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM –This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. CONSULT –The City has conducted surveys to gauge public support for lower speed limits in neighbourhoods. The support for this type of initiative has generally been positive. COLLABORATE–An online survey wasconducted to gauge public desire for a review of neighbourhood speed limits. The survey showed that 57% of the respondents agree that lowering traffic speeds is a priority in their neighbourhood. 27% disagree with that statement, while 16% were neutral ornot sure. The top three priorities for speed limit reduction were: Commonly used school routes (78% of respondents), residential neighbourhood roads (72% of respondents), and pedestrian shopping and market areas (69% of respondents). More details about the survey is provided in Report DSD-19-159. PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES: Report DSD-19-159 APPROVEDBY: Justin Readman, General Manager Development Services Department ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A –Neighbourhood Speed Areas –Map *This map is for illustration purposes only. Some zones may be revised during implementation and based on operational factors.