HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2023-287 - Formal Traffic Calming 2023 Initiation ApprovalStaff Report
Development Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: October 2, 2023
SUBMITTED BY: Barry Cronkite, Director, Transportation Services,
519-741-2200 ext. 7738
PREPARED BY: Connor Payne, Traffic Technologist, Transportation Services
519-741-2200 ext.7374
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 10
DATE OF REPORT: September 12, 2023
REPORT NO.: DSD -2023-287
SUBJECT: Formal Traffic Calming 2023 Initiation Approval
RECOMMENDATION:
That a traffic calming review for Dumfries Avenue between Stirling Avenue North and
Edna Street be initiated in 2023.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
• The purpose of this report is to recommend Dumfries Avenue between Stirling Avenue
North and Edna Street for a Formal Traffic Calming review in 2023.
• The key finding of this report is that Dumfries Avenue between Stirling Avenue North
and Edna Street is currently ranked the highest priority of streets on the traffic calming
priority list.
• The financial implications include a budget of $72,500 for the planning, design, and
installation of one (1) formal traffic calming project.
• Community engagement will include residents located along Dumfries Avenue, and
those in the surrounding catchment areas who are directly affected will be engaged by
way of a public meeting, surveys, project webpage, and other forms of communication.
• This report supports the delivery of core services.
BACKGROUND:
The existing City of Kitchener traffic calming policy was adopted by Council in March 2014
(INS -14-042). The traffic calming policy outlines evaluation criteria that provide a fair and
consistent review to prioritize streets that are most in need of traffic calming from a traffic
safety perspective. Further, in December 2021 Council approved a Vision Zero Strategy
through staff report DSD -2021-210. This strategy targets the elimination of serious injuries
and fatalities resulting from vehicle collisions in the City of Kitchener.
Vision Zero focuses on areas identified as most in need of safety improvements through a
holistic data -driven approach and a hot spot improvement program. To fund these
improvements and to strategically advance engineering improvements in problematic areas
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through the Vision Zero program, Council supported the reduction in the number of annual
traffic calming reviews from three to one annually.
It is also worth noting that Transportation Services manages a traffic calming priority list.
This list includes all streets that have had requests for traffic calming measures, either
through a request from Council or Kitchener residents. The traffic calming priority list is
reviewed on an annual basis with respect to speed, volume, collisions, and other safety
factors. Attached is the current traffic calming priority list which has been filtered to display
warranted roadways (Attachment `A').
REPORT:
The intent of traffic calming is to reduce vehicle speeds, deter non-residential traffic from the
area and reduce the risk of collisions, thereby increasing safety for all users within the right-
of-way. The types of traffic calming measures selected depend on the issues being
addressed and the function of the street. Currently, there are a total of 19 locations on the
priority list that are warranted for traffic calming.
Dumfries Avenue (between Stirling Avenue North and Edna Street) currently ranks first on
the list due to the following:
• Ranked 1St on the warranted traffic calming list with 52 points;
• Designated as a Minor Neighbourhood Collector Street with a posted speed limit of
40 km/h;
• 2020 recorded 85th percentile speed (speed at which 85 percent of drivers travel at
or below): 57 km/h;
• 2020 recorded AADT (average annual daily traffic): 2938 vehicles.
• 10 collisions reported to the WRPS within the last 3 years
• Identified concerns include speeding, collisions and traffic volumes, which can be
addressed through the proposed traffic calming review.
Based on the information above, it is recommended that Dumfries Avenue (between Stirling
Avenue North and Edna Street) undergo a formal traffic calming review in 2023 with
installation expected in 2024.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR FORMAL TRAFFIC CALMING
In 2021 Transportation Services implemented a modified public engagement process as
approved in staff report DSD -20-036, 2020 Formal Traffic Calming Reviews — Initiation
Approval. The modified approach includes (1) public information centre with more focus on
collaborative design earlier in the process, rather than two (2) town hall style meetings. Staff
are planning a similar hybrid meeting that will still include a presentation followed by a public
design discussion facilitated by staff. The presentation will introduce the traffic calming
process, opportunities, and challenges, and provide opportunity to participate in design. Also
introduced in 2021 were dedicated Engage Kitchener project webpages for each traffic
calming review. Project webpages include a news feed with important updates, project
timelines, FAQs, project documentation, opportunity for ongoing feedback, and project lead
contact information. An Engage Kitchener project page will again be utilized for the proposed
Dumfries Avenue formal traffic calming review.
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STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Council has allocated $72,500 for the completion of one (1) formal traffic calming review in
2023. This budget will be applied to the planning, design, and installation of traffic calming
measures.
Operating Budget — The recommendation has no impact on the Operating Budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Residents located along Dumfries Avenue, and those in the surrounding catchment areas
who are affected, will be engaged by way of a minimum of one (1) public meeting, two (2)
surveys, and other forms of communication. The project will be assigned to a project
manager who will be a single point of contact for residents throughout the course of the
traffic calming review, and a dedicated project webpage will be developed and shared with
residents.
INFORM — This report has been posted to the City's website with the agenda in advance of
the council / committee meeting.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
• Report Number: INS -14-042 - Amendment to INS 13-106 - Traffic Calming Policy
• Policy No: MUN-STR-1235 -Traffic Calming
APPROVED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Department
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A — 2023 Warranted Traffic Calming Priority List
Attachment B — Dumfries Avenue Proposed Traffic Calming Study Area
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2023 Warranted Locations for Traffic Calming Review
Rank
Current
Year
Warranted
Street
Name
Road
Classification
Speed
Limit
85th
Percentile
Speed
Speed
Over
50km1h
Speed Points
Unrounded
Volume
Volume
Points
Rounded
(0.5)
Collisions
Length
km
Collisions
per km
coil/mil/km
Collision
Points
(Max 15)
Collision
Points
Rounded
(0.5)
Cycling
Sidewalks
Community
Destinations
Total
Points
Total
Points
Rounded
Classification
Eligible =0
Ineligible = 1
Ward
1
Dumfries Ave (Edna - Stirling)
Minor Collector
50
57
7
17.5
2,938
18.0
10.0
0.94
10.64
9.92
9.9
10.0
2.5
0.0
4.0
52.00
52
0
10
2
Old Country Drive
Minor Collector
50
55
5
12.5
2520
15.5
7.0
0.47
14.89
16.19
15.0
15.0
2.5
0
4
49.50
50
0
6
3
Karn Street
Local Road
50
56
6
15.0
1,275
19.5
3.0
0.83
3.61
7.77
7.8
8.0
2.5
0
4
49.00
49
0
8
4
Blackhorne Drive
Local Road
50
56
6
15.0
1,219
19.0
4.0
1.17
3.42 1
7.68
7.7
7.5 1
2.5
0
4
1 48.00
48
0
1 6
5
Black Walnut Dr
Minor Collector
50
58
8
20.0
3,066
18.5
1.0
0.45
2.22
1.99
2.0
2.0
2.5
0
4
47.00
47
0
4
6
Union St Lancaster - Margaret)
Minor Collector
50
58
8
20.0
2,399
14.5
2.0
1.10
1.82
2.08
2.1
2.0
5.0
0
5
46.50
47
0
10
7
West Avenue
Major Collector
50
56
6
15.0
3,856
14.5
8.0
0.58
13.79
9.80
9.8
10.0
2.5
0
4
46.00
46
0
9
8
Erinbrook Drive Rittenhouse - Rittenhouse Bottom Hal
Minor Collector
50
57
7
17.5
2,130
13.0
9.0
1.57
5.73
7.37
7.4
7.5
2.5
0
5
45.50
46
0
6
9
Thomas Slee Drive (between Robert Ferrie & South Creek)
Minor Collector
50
56
6
15.0
2,385
14.5
7.0
1.50
4.67
5.36
5.4
5.5
2.5
0
5
42.50
43
0
4
10
Apple Ridge Drive
Minor Collector
50
55
5
12.5
3,658
22.0
1.0
1.25
0.80
0.60
0.6
0.5
2.5
0
5
42.50
43
0
4
11
Carson Drive
Minor Collector
40
55
5
12.5
2,120
13.0
3.0
0.55
5.45
7.05
7.0
7.0
2.5
2
5
42.00
42
0
1
12
Windrush Trail
Minor Collector
50
55
5
12.5
1,158
7.0
2.0
0.38
5.26
12.45
12.5
12.5
2.5
0
4
38.50
39
0
4
13
Copper Leaf Street
Local Road
50
56
6
15.0
1,117
7.0
3.0
0.62
4.84
11.87
11.9
12.0
0.0
0
4
38.00
38
0
5
14
Eastforest Trail
Major Collector
50
57
7
17.5
3,039
11.5
0.0
0.83
0.00
0.00
0.0
0.0
5.0
0
4
38.00
38
0
7
15
East Avenue(Krug - Weber
Major Collector
40
55
5
12.5
2975
11.0
4.0
1.00
4.00
3.68
3.7
3.5
5
0
5
37.00
37
0
10
16
Guelph St (Lancaster - Riverbend)
Major Collector
50
55
5
12.5
1,332
5.0
3.0
1.18
2.54
5.23
5.2
5.0
5.0
4
4
35.50
36
0
10
17
Grand River Boulevard Morrison - River
Minor Collector
50
55
5
12.5
2,616
16.0
5.0
1.19
4.20
4.40
4.4
4.5
0.0
0
2
35.00
35
0
2
18
Mill Park Drive
Major Collector
40
55
5
12.5
1519
5.5
2.0
1.48
1.35
2.44
2.4
2.5
2.5
4
4
31.00
31
0
4
19
Autumn Ridge Trail
Minor Collector
50
56
6
15.0
1,030
6.0
1.0
1.32
0.76
2.02
2.0
2.0
2.5
0
4
29.50
30
0
4
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Proposed 2023 Traffic Calming Study Area
Dumfries Avenue between
Edna Street and Stirling Avenue North
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