Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2022-196 - Pioneer Tower Road 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: Faranak Hosseini, Project Manager, Transportation Safety 519-741-2200 ext. 7665 WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 3 DATE OF REPORT: May 16, 2022 REPORT NO.: DSD-2022-196 SUBJECT: Pioneer Tower Road Traffic Calming Review Implementation Approval RECOMMENDATION: That a segment of sidewalk be constructed on Pioneer Tower Road connecting Baxter Place to Grove Court; and, That a sidewalk widening from 0.9m to 1.8m be implemented on Pioneer Tower Road between Pioneer Grove Court and Marquette Drive; and, That a roadway narrowing be installed midblock on Pioneer Tower Road between Pioneer Grove Court and Marquette Drive; and, That a speed cushion be installed midblock on Pioneer Tower Road between Marquette Drive and Maple Manor Court; and, That a roadway narrowing be installed midblock between Maple Manor Court and Pioneer Ridge Drive; and That pavement marking and signage improvements be implemented at Pioneer Tower Road and Pioneer Ridge Drive; 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 Pioneer Tower Road. This traffic calming project was approved for initiation in 2020 through staff report DSD-20-036. The key finding of this report is that the proposed traffic calming plan is supported by affected residents. The proposed traffic calming measures will help reduce automobile speeds and increase safety for all street users. The financial implications are approximately $90,000 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 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 reviewed, u 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-20-0362020 Formal Traffic Calming Reviews Initiation Approvala traffic calming review be initiated for Pioneer Tower Road. Upon discussion and deliberation, Council approved the traffic calming review for Pioneer Tower Road. Engagement with the affected residents for this review, as well as the preliminary design of the traffic calming plan took place virtually throughout 2021. This traffic calming review used an EngageWR project page as a primary means for community engagement, with resident surveys being conducted via the Pioneer Tower Road EngageWR project page. A virtual Public Information Centre took place over Zoom on November 30, 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: Formal Traffic Calming Review Initiation In May 2021, Transportation Services conducted a resident survey for the initiation of a traffic calming review for Pioneer Tower Road. The survey results are summarized in the tables below: Initiation Survey Results Pioneer Tower Road Total Study Area Number Percent In favor of initiating the traffic calming review 22 92% Opposed to initiating the traffic calming review 2 8% Total responses received from 121 addresses surveyed 24 20% Initiation Survey Results Pioneer Tower Road Directly Fronting Only Number Percent In favor of initiating the traffic calming review 14 93% Opposed to initiating the traffic calming review 1 7% Total responses received from 52 addresses surveyed 15 29% This survey response rate for addresses directly fronting Pioneer Tower Road was 29%, which met the minimum required participation threshold (25%) for responses. This survey showed that 93% (14 of 15 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. Formal Traffic Calming Review Process The Public Information Centre (PIC) was held virtually 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 for resident comments. Staff also answered written and audio questions from residents in attendance. The preliminary preferred design included two (2) roadway narrowings, one (1) speed hump, pavement marking and signage improvements at Pioneer Tower Rd and Pioneer Ridge Dr and sidewalk improvements for two sections, between Baxter Pl and Grove Crt, and between Pioneer Grove Crt and Marquette Dr. Staff received some resident concerns on the preliminary preferred design after the PIC regarding impact of the proposed speed hump on fire and emergency services. As a result, the preliminary preferred plan was modified to replace the proposed speed hump with a speed cushion. A speed cushion is a traffic calming measure specifically designed for emergency response vehicles. Affected agencies were also notified throughout the review and asked to provide feedback on the preferred traffic calming plan. Staff incorporated the comments received from the agencies in the preferred design. Final Survey In February 2022, Transportation Services staff mailed a final survey to all directly affected properties along Pioneer Tower Road, 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 affected 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 this survey are as follows: Number Percent Implementation Survey Results Pioneer Tower Road Total Study Area In favor of implementing the proposed traffic calming measures 36 82% Opposed to implementing the proposed traffic calming measures 8 18% Total responses received from 121 addresses surveyed 44 36% Number Percent Implementation Survey Results Pioneer Tower Road Directly Fronting Only In favor of implementing the proposed traffic calming measures 18 78% Opposed to implementing the proposed traffic calming measures 5 22% Total responses received from 52 addresses surveyed 23 44% The final survey response rate for addresses directly fronting Pioneer Tower Road was 44%, which did not meet the minimum participation threshold (50%) for responses; however, the final survey showed that 78% 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. 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 the traffic calming plan is approximately $90,000. 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 residents and the neighbourhood of the Pioneer Tower Road 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 Pioneer Tower Road 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 neighbourhoodresidents within the Pioneer Tower Road study areato 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 Pioneer Tower Road Proposed Traffic Calming Plan Attachment A: Pioneer Tower Road Proposed Traffic Calming Plan Pioneer Tower Road King Street East to Pioneer Ridge Drive 1. A segment of sidewalk be constructed on Pioneer Tower Road connecting Baxter Place to Grove Court; and 2. A sidewalk widening from 0.9m to 1.8m as well as a road narrowing be implemented on Pioneer Tower Road between Pioneer Grove Court and Marquette Drive; and, 3. A speed cushion be installed midblock on Pioneer Tower Road between Marquette Drive and Maple Manor Court; and, 4. A narrowing be installed midblock between Maple Manor Court and Pioneer Ridge Drive; and, 5. Pavement marking and signage improvements be implemented at Pioneer Tower Road and Pioneer Ridge Drive.