HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2023-209 - Manchester Road Traffic Calming Review
Development Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: June 5, 2023
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 1
DATE OF REPORT: May 9, 2023
REPORT NO.: DSD-2023-209
SUBJECT: Manchester Road Traffic Calming Review
RECOMMENDATION:
That staff be directed to implement the proposed traffic calming plan as outlined in
Attachment A (Manchester Road Proposed Traffic Calming Plan) of report DSD-
2023-209.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for the implementation of the
proposed traffic calming plan for Manchester Road. This traffic calming project was
approved for initiation in June 2022, via staff report DSD-2022-251.
The key finding of this report is that the proposed traffic calming plan is supported by
the majority of affected residents. The proposed traffic calming measures are
expected to help reduce automobile speeds and improve safety for street users.
The financial implications are approximately $30,000 which will be taken from the
Transportation Services Traffic Calming capital account. Additional operational
expenses are not anticipated from the recommended measures.
Community engagement included notifications and surveys via mailouts, and a virtual
Public Information Centre (PIC) held in February 2023. It also included an EngageWR
project page to provide more information and project updates, and a single point of
contact for residents.
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, updated
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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 fairand consistent review of streets and communities, while defining and
prioritizing the streets most in need of traffic calming from a traffic safety perspective.
In June 2022, Council received report DSD-2022-251 -
Calming Review
review be initiated for Manchester Road. Upon discussion and deliberation, Council
approved the initiation of the traffic calming review for Manchester Road.
Engagement with affected residents for this review, as well as the preliminary design of the
traffic calming plan, took place throughout 2022 and early 2023. This traffic calming review
used mailouts and an EngageWR project page as the primary means for community
engagement, with resident surveys being conducted via the Manchester Road EngageWR
project page. A virtual Public Information Centre took place over Zoom on February 1, 2023.
The final resident survey to indicate support for, or against, the proposed traffic calming
plans was circulated in April 2023. Staff is presenting this report to Committee and Council
for approval to construct traffic calming measures by Q4 2023.
REPORT:
Initiation
In August and September 2022, Transportation Services conducted a resident survey for
the initiation of a traffic calming review for Manchester Road. The initiation survey results
are summarized in the table below:
Initiation Survey Results Manchester Road Total Study Area Number Percent
Total responses received from 68 addresses surveyed 56 (of 68) 82.4%
In favor of initiating the traffic calming review 56 (of 56) 100%
Opposed to initiating the traffic calming review 0 (of 56) 0%
This survey response rate for addresses directly fronting Manchester Road was 82.4% (56
of 68), which met the minimum required participation threshold (25%) for responses. This
survey showed that 100% (56 of 56 responses) of directly fronting addresses who answered
the survey were in support of initiating the traffic calming review. Staff also incorporated
resident feedback collected from this survey into the design of the preliminary preferred
traffic calming plan which was presented to the neighbourhood in February 2023.
Review Process
The Public Information Centre (PIC) was held in February 2023 over the Zoom platform.
The intent of this PIC was to discuss the traffic calming review process, review results of the
resident initiation survey and present a preliminary preferred traffic calming plan to receive
resident feedback. Staff also answered both written and verbal questions from residents in
attendance.
The preliminary design included five (5) speed humps. Staff reviewed resident feedback
received during and after the Public Information Centre (PIC) and determined that no
changes to the preliminary design were required and finalized the proposed traffic calming
plan.
Affected agencies were also notified throughout the review and asked to provide feedback
on the traffic calming plan. Kitchener Fire did not express any concerns regarding the
preferred traffic calming plan. Grand River Transit did not express any concerns as
Manchester Road is not a bus route.
Final Survey
On April 21, 2023, Transportation Services staff delivered a final survey notification letter to
all directly affected properties along Manchester Road. The intent of the survey was to
determine if there is sufficient support for the implementation of the preferred traffic calming
plan. 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. The results of the final survey are as follows:
Final Survey Results Manchester Road Total Study Area Number Percent
Total responses received from 68 addresses surveyed 37 (of 68) 54%
In favor of implementing the proposed traffic calming measures 34 (of 37) 92%
Opposed to implementing the proposed traffic calming measures 3 (of 37) 8%
The final survey response rate for addresses directly fronting Manchester Road was 54%,
which met the minimum required participation threshold of 50%. Additionally, the final survey
showed that 92% of directly fronting addresses who answered the survey support the
implementation of the traffic calming measures, which meets the minimum support threshold
of 60%.
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 $30,000. 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 Manchester Road traffic
calming review have received information regarding this review since August 2022.
Notification of the Public Information Centre (PIC) was provided through mailouts and via
the EngageWR project page. Presentation materials were made available the EngageWR
project page after the conclusion of the PIC.
CONSULT The Manchester Road traffic calming review began with an initiation survey in
August 2022. A virtual PIC was held over the Zoom platform in February 2023 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 Manchester Road 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-2022-251 Manchester Road Formal Traffic Calming Review Initiation Approval
APPROVED BY:
Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Department
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A Manchester Road Proposed Traffic Calming Plan
Attachment A: Manchester Road Proposed Traffic Calming Plan
Manchester Road: Nottingham Avenue to River Road East
1. Speed hump located between #144 and #150 Manchester Road
2. Speed hump located at the intersection of Wedgewood Drive
3. Speed hump located between #262 and #268 Manchester Road
4. Speed hump located between #336 and #364 Manchester Road
5. Speed hump located between #424 and #430 Manchester Road