HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-06-003 - Crossing Guard Facility Elimination: Belmont Avenue & Queen's Boulevard1
Kd LR
Development&
Technical Services
6 REPORT
Report To: Development & Technical Services Committee
Date of Meeting: January 9, 2006
Submitted By: John P. McBride, Director, Transportation Planning
Prepared By: Ronald K. Schirm, Supervisor
Crossing Guards
Ward(s) Involved: Ward #5
Date of Report: December 20, 2005
Report No.: DTS 06 -003
Subject: CROSSING GUARD FACILITY ELIMINATION: BELMONT
AVENUE & QUEEN'S BOULEVARD
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Crossing Guard Facility at the intersection of Belmont Avenue and Queen's
Boulevard be eliminated effective January 17, 2006
BACKGROUND:
The Crossing Guard facility at the intersection of Belmont Avenue and Queen's Boulevard has
experienced declining use over the past several years. This decline has reached a point at
which the facility is no longer required.
REPORT:
The Crossing Guard facility at the intersection of Belmont Avenue and Queen's Boulevard has
been in existence in excess of 20 years. For most of the life of the facility it has served two
schools, St. Francis Separate School and J.F. Carmichael Public School. This facility is located
at an intersection which features a fixed time traffic control signal. The signal cycles
automatically without needing to be actuated by vehicles or pedestrians.
Crossing Guard services are installed at locations where one or more of the following conditions
exist:
1. There is a significant conflict between pedestrians and turning traffic
2. There is a high number of school pedestrians who use the facility
3. The physical nature of the intersection creates site obstructions between turning
traffic and pedestrians
4. the physical size of the intersection is very large, meaning that pedestrians need
significant amounts of time to cross the road
None of these conditions exist at the facility on Queen's Boulevard and Belmont Avenue. The
volumes of turning traffic from Belmont Avenue on Queen's Boulevard are not significant. There
is not a large number of school pedestrians who cross there. Visibility at the intersection is
excellent and children only need to walk 16 metres to cross Queen's Boulevard, which is not
considered excessive.
There were 21 collisions at the intersection from 2002 to 2004. None of the collisions in this
reporting period involve pedestrians.
The Signal timing for crossing pedestrians is ample at this location. According to the crossing
guard warrant, children need 15 seconds to walk 16 metres of roadway in order to cross
Queen's Boulevard, which is four lanes at the intersection. The Traffic Control Signal is fixed
and the green time for traffic on Belmont Avenue is 17 seconds. All pedestrians would benefit
from a longer flashing don't walk phase and the Region of Waterloo Transportation Department
has been contacted with the recommendation of extending the flashing don't walk phase for
Belmont Avenue traffic to 14 seconds. Pedestrians who cross the east and west legs of the
intersection have ample time to cross as the green phase for Queen's Boulevard traffic is 41
seconds and crossing pedestrians need only walk 12 metres.
Queens Boulevard
Green
41 seconds
Walk
36 seconds
Amber
4 seconds
Flashing Don't Walk
5 seconds
All red
2 seconds
Belmont Avenue
Green
17 seconds
Walk
9 seconds
Amber
4 seconds
Flashing Don't Walk
8 seconds
All red
2 seconds
The closure of St. Francis Separate School in 2003 significantly reduced use of this facility. A
further reduction was observed in the current School Year when the Waterloo District School
Board established the balanced school day. The lunch hour service at this facility was
eliminated at the start of the 2005 — 2006 School Year as lunch hour use would be nil. Since the
start of the 2005 -2006 School Year no more than 4 students have used the facility per day.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The elimination of this facility means a cost saving of $5,300 in wages and benefits.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Penne Cruickshank, Principal of J.F. Carmichael School was consulted regarding this initiative
and is in agreement with Transportation Planning's findings. She will communicate the
elimination of the facility to the school community when appropriate.
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CONCLUSION:
Transportation Planning is confident that the traffic control signal at the intersection of Queen's
Boulevard and Belmont Avenue is more than adequate in assisting the remaining 4 school
children across both Queen's Boulevard and Belmont Avenue on their way to and from school,
and that the crossing guard facility at this location has become redundant and should be
eliminated.
Ronald K. Schirm, Supervisor
Crossing Guards
Transportation Planning
3
John P. McBride, Director
Transportation Planning
Development and Technical Services