Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2022-197 - Biehn Drive Traffic Calming Review - Implementation Approval Development Services Department www.kitchener.ca REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: June 13, 2022 SUBMITTED BY: Barry Cronkite, Director, Transportation Services 519-741-2200 ext. 7738 PREPARED BY: Steven Ryder, Traffic Planning Analyst, Transportation Services 519-741-2200 ext. 7152 WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 4 DATE OF REPORT: May 16, 2022 REPORT NO.: DSD-2022-197 SUBJECT: Biehn Drive Traffic Calming Review Implementation Approval RECOMMENDATION: That a speed cushion be installed midblock on Old Huron Drive between Battler Road and Maxwell Drive; and That a speed cushion be installed midblock on Biehn Drive between Maxwell Drive and Old Huron Place; and That a speed cushion be installed midblock on Biehn Drive between Old Huron Place and Carlyle Drive; and That a speed cushion be installed on Biehn Drive between Marl Meadow Drive and McLeod Court; and That a speed cushion be installed on Biehn Drive between Mitton Place and Kilkerran Crescent/Robertson Crescent; and That a speed hump be installed on Maxwell Drive between Calvert Close and Biehn Drive; and That improvements to the pedestrian crossing facilities at the intersection of Biehn Drive and Black Walnut Drive be implemented; and That the Uniform Traffic By-law be amended accordingly. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS: The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for the implementation of the proposed traffic calming plan for Biehn Drive. This traffic calming project was approved for initiation in 2020, via staff report DSD-20-036. The key finding of this report is that the proposed traffic calming plan is supported by the majority of affected residents that responded. The proposed traffic calming measures will help reduce automobile speeds and increase safety for all street users. The financial implications are approximately $45,000 which will be taken from the Transportation Services Traffic Calming capital account. Annual operational expenses are not anticipated from the recommended measures. Community engagement included notification via mailouts and temporary road signage for the virtual Public Information Centre (PIC) held in November 2021 for this traffic calming review. It also included an EngageWR project page to provide more information and updates at each step of the review. This report supports the delivery of core services. BACKGROUND: Traffic volume and speeding are safety related issues frequently raised by residents of affected neighbourhoods in the City of Kitchener. In response to these issues Council 14 and established an annual budget to address traffic management issues in residential neighbourhoods. The traffic calming policy outlines a number of evaluation criteria that provide a fair and consistent review of streets and communities, while defining and prioritizing the individual streets and/or communities that are most in need of traffic calming from a traffic safety perspective. In March 2020, Council received report DSD-20-036 - 2020 Formal Traffic Calming Reviews Initiation Approvalch staff recommended that a traffic calming review be initiated for Biehn Drive. Upon discussion and deliberation, Council approved the traffic calming review for Biehn Drive. Engagement with affected residents for this review, as well as the preliminary design of the traffic calming plan, took place throughout 2021. This traffic calming review used an EngageWR project page as the primary means for community engagement, with resident surveys being conducted via the Biehn Drive EngageWR project page. A virtual Public Information Centre took place over Zoom on November 23, 2021. The final resident survey to indicate support for, or against, the proposed traffic calming plans was circulated in March 2022. Staff is presenting this report to Committee and Council for approval to construct in Summer/Fall 2022. REPORT: Initiation In May 2021, Transportation Services conducted a resident survey for the initiation of a traffic calming review for Biehn Drive. The initiation survey results are summarized in the tables below: Initiation Survey Results Biehn Drive Total Study Area Number Percent In favor of initiating the traffic calming review 44 84.6% Opposed to initiating the traffic calming review 8 15.4% Total responses received from 232 addresses surveyed 52 22.4% Initiation Survey Results Biehn Drive Directly Fronting Only Number Percent In favor of initiating the traffic calming review 23 88.4% Opposed to initiating the traffic calming review 3 11.6% Total responses received from 115 addresses surveyed 26 22.6% This survey response rate for addresses directly fronting Biehn Drive was 22.6%, which did not meet the minimum required participation threshold (25%) for responses; however, this survey showed that 88.4% (23 of 26 responses) of directly fronting addresses who answered the survey supported the initiation of the traffic calming review. Staff also incorporated resident feedback collected in this survey when designing the preferred traffic calming plan. Review Process The Public Information Centre (PIC) was held in November 2021 over the Zoom platform. The intent of this PIC was to discuss the traffic calming review process, review resident feedback from the initiation survey and present a preferred traffic calming plan design in order to receive resident comments. Staff also answered both written and audio questions from residents in attendance. The preliminary preferred design included three (3) speed cushions, one (1) speed hump, one (1) traffic circle and some pedestrian improvements to the Black Walnut Drive intersection. The speed hump is located on Maxwell Drive and was not within the original scope of the review but was added to the preferred plan to deter potential cut-through traffic attempting to avoid traffic calming measures on Biehn Drive. Staff received some resident concerns on the preliminary preferred design after the PIC regarding a lack of traffic calming measures between Maxwell Drive and Battler Road, and the traffic circle proposed at Robertson Crescent/Kilkerran Crescent. The preliminary preferred plan was modified to include an additional speed cushion near Maxwell Drive and replace the traffic circle at Robertson Crescent/Kilkerran Crescent with a speed cushion. Affected agencies were also notified throughout the review and asked to provide feedback on the preferred traffic calming plan. Kitchener Fire did not express any concerns regarding the preferred traffic calming plan, while Grand River Transit confirmed that Route 16 would not be impacted. Final Survey Results In March 2022, Transportation Services staff mailed a final survey to all directly affected properties along Biehn Drive, and properties in the surrounding study area. The intent of the survey was to determine if there is sufficient support for the implementation of the recommended traffic calming measures. As per the City of Kitchener Traffic Calming policy, a minimum of 50% of directly fronting residents must respond to the survey and 60% of the respondents must support the recommended plan for staff to recommend installation of the proposed measures. The results of the final survey are as follows: Implementation Survey Results Biehn Drive Total Study Area Number Percent In favor of implementing the proposed traffic calming measures 88 64% Opposed to implementing the proposed traffic calming measures 50 36% Total responses received from 307 addresses surveyed ** 138 45% Implementation Survey Results Biehn Drive Directly Fronting Only Number Percent In favor of implementing the proposed traffic calming measures 49 86% Opposed to implementing the proposed traffic calming measures 8 14% Total responses received from 169 addresses surveyed ** 57 34% **Note: The number of addresses surveyed in the total study area and the directly fronting area increased from the initiation survey to the final survey. Maxwell Drive and several addresses on Old Huron Road were added to the scope of the review for additional traffic calming measures. Additionally, Robertson Crescent and some cul-de-sacs were also added to the study area based on resident request. The final survey response rate for addresses directly fronting Biehn Drive was 34%, which did not meet the minimum required participation threshold (50%) for responses; however, the final survey showed that 86% of directly fronting addresses who answered the survey support the implementation of the traffic calming measures. As a result, staff are recommending that the modified traffic calming plan be implemented, including an additional speed cushion near Maxwell Drive and replacement of the traffic circle at Robertson Crescent/Kilkerran Crescent with a speed cushion. The recommended changes are expected to create a safer environment for all street users. STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT: This report supports People-friendly Transportation. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Capital Budget The total estimated cost for implementing each traffic calming plan is approximately $45,000. The funds will be taken from the Transportation Services Traffic Calming capital budget account. Operating Budget The recommendation has no impact on the annual Operating Budget. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM Directly affected residentsand the neighbourhoodof the Biehn Drive traffic calming review have received information regarding this review since May 2021. Notification of the Public Information Centre (PIC) was provided through mail out, temporary road signage and via the EngageWR project page. Presentation materials were made available the EngageWR project page after the conclusion of the PIC. CONSULT The Biehn Drive traffic calming review began with an initiation survey in May 2021. A virtual PIC was held over the Zoom platform in order to answer resident questions and concerns about the traffic calming review process and the preferred traffic calming plan. Transportation Services staff mailed a final survey notification letter to all neighbourhood residents within the Biehn Drive study area to measure support for the preferred plan via a survey on the EngageWR project page. Residents were notified that hard copy surveys were available to those who preferred mail and paper format. PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES: DSD-20-036 2020 Traffic Calming Reviews Initiation Approval APPROVED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Department ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A Biehn Drive Proposed Traffic Calming Plan Attachment A: Biehn Drive Proposed Traffic Calming Plan Biehn Drive Old Huron Road to End of Biehn Drive 1. Speed cushion on Old Huron Road located west of the intersection of Old Huron Road and Maxwell Drive. 2. Speed cushion on Biehn Drive located west of the intersection of Biehn Drive and Old Huron Place. 3. Speed cushion on Biehn Drive located between #73 Biehn and #77 Biehn Drive. 4. Speed hump on Maxwell Drive located in front of Brigadoon Park. Attachment A: Biehn Drive Proposed Traffic Calming Plan Biehn Drive Old Huron Road to End of Biehn Drive 5. Pedestrian improvements at the intersection of Biehn Drive and Black Walnut Drive. 6. Speed cushion on Biehn Drive located between Marl Meadow Drive and McLeod Court. Attachment A: Biehn Drive Proposed Traffic Calming Plan Biehn Drive Old Huron Road to End of Biehn Drive 7. Speed cushion on Biehn Drive located between Mitton Place and Kilkerran Crescent.