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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-07-119 - School Traffic Safety At Williamsburg Public School1 K KR Development& Technical Services REPORT Report To: Development and Technical Services Committee Date of Meeting: August 13, 2007 Submitted By: John P.McBride Prepared By: Ronald Schirm Wards} Involved: Ward 4 Date of Report: July 10, 2007 Report No.: DTS 07-119 Subject: SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY AT WILLIAMSBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS: That an Adult Crossing Guard facility be established on Max Becker Drive at Isabella Street, effective September 4, 2007; and further, That the funds in the amount of $2,500 which are necessary to operate this facility until the end of this calendar year be considered an over expenditure of the 2007 Operating Budget; and further, That funds in the amount of $8,500 be included in the 2008 Operating Budget to cover annual operating expenses. BACKGROUND: The Waterloo Region District School Board will be opening a new elementary school on Commonwealth Drive in the Activa Subdivision on September 4, 2007. Further information regarding the opening of the new school was provided in DTS Report 07-088 and was presented to the Development and Technical Services Committee on May 28, 2007. REPORT: In September 2007 Williamsburg Public School will be opening in the South Ward. Most of the students attending the new school were at W.T. Townshend School on Activa Drive. Attendance at this Kindergarten to grade 6 school is anticipated to be 500 students, none of whom are eligible for bussed transportation. Max Becker Drive is classified as a Major Collector Road and traffic volumes are indicative of this road classification. The A.A.D.T. (annual average daily traffic) on Max Becker Drive in this area was approximately 3500 in June 2006. This amount of traffic is expected to increase as development continues in the area. 2 During a safety audit of the catchment area of Williamsburg School in April, 2007, attended by Transportation Planning staff, Waterloo District School Board staff, staff from the school and Waterloo Regional Public Health staff, it was determined that the optimal location for a crossing point that would serve virtually all students attending the school who need to cross Max Becker Drive would be at Isabella Street. Sight lines are adequate north of the intersection. Motorists and children are able to see each other from beyond the intersection of Max Becker Drive and Commonwealth Street, more than 200 metres. For traffic approaching the intersection from the south the Driver Stopping Site Distance and the Child's Visibility Distance is 165 metres, which is acceptable. A Gap Study indicates that the nature of traffic is such that an Adult Crossing Guard is warranted at this location. Gap Study Location: Max Becker Drive at Isabella Street Date: June 27, 2007 Time Period Required Gaps Gaps: Children: Max Becker Children: Isabella No. of Vehicles 8:15 a.m. 5 3 0 0 44 8:20 a.m. 5 3 0 0 34 8:25 a.m. 5 5 1 0 30 8:30 a.m. 5 2 0 0 46 8:35 a.m. 5 6 0 0 27 8:40 a.m. 5 6 0 0 38 8:45 a.m. 5 3 1 0 37 8:50 a.m. 5 6 0 0 34 Total a.m.: 40 31 2 0 246 3:20 .m. 5 5 1 0 30 3:25 .m. 5 9 0 0 25 3:30 .m. 5 3 1 0 43 3:35 .m. 5 5 0 0 36 3:40 .m. 5 4 0 0 37 3:45 p.m. 5 8 0 0 22 Total p.m.: 30 34 2 0 193 N.B. shaded areas indicate insufficient gaps in traffic for school pedestrian crossing, correctable with the installation of an Adult Crossing Guard. Williamsburg Public School will feature a balanced school day. This means that there will be two 40 minute breaks that divides the school day into equal thirds instead of the hour long break at lunch. Given this scheduling, it is anticipated that any children using the Adult Crossing Guard 3 facility on Max Becker Drive will have insufficient time to go home during these breaks and will stay on site at the school. Kindergarten students, who are dismissed at the traditional lunch times, must be accompanied by an adult care giver. As per the City's agreement with the Waterloo District School Board, Adult Crossing Guard services on collector roads for adult accompanied kindergarten students are not warranted. Therefore the Adult Crossing Guard service will be in the morning and after school time periods only. Pending the installation of the proposed facility, should there be a request for crossing assistance during one of the 40 minute breaks, the location will be reviewed to see if the demand exists for expansion of the service. Crossing Guard Schedule on Max Becker Drive at Isabella Street will be as follows: Crossing Guard Duty Times Max Becker Drive & Isabella Street 8 :20 a. m . - 9 :00 a. m . 3:20 .m.-3:50 .m. This is co-ordinated with the bell times at the school and represents the same level of service as is provided at all Adult Crossing Guard facilities City-wide. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The cost of the proposed Adult Crossing Guard facility on Max Becker Drive at Isabella Street for the remainder of 2007 will be $2500 and will be represented as over-expenditure in the 2007 Operating Budget. The annual cost, to be included in the 2008 Operating Budget, will be approximately $8,500. The cost of the installation of signs and crosswalk lines as well as a concrete pad will be $1500 and will be taken from existing sidewalk and sign maintenance accounts. COMMUNICATIONS: The Planning Department at the Waterloo District School Board and Fran Oppertshauser, Principal of Williamsburg Public School, have been notified of the recommendation for the new Adult Crossing Guard service. Parents and students of Williamsburg School will be notified, pending Council approval, of the new service at an open house at the school late in August. This facility will also be included in the School Route Maps, which will be distributed to each student attending Williamsburg Public School at the start of the School Year. Households adjacent to or near the proposed facility will be notified of its installation by a mail out. CONCLUSION: It is felt that by working with school staff and by being more proactive, students will be more likely to pursue more active forms of transportation to and from their new school. This will make the school site and surrounding area safer for all students attending the school as well as benefiting the neighbourhood in general by providing more on street pedestrian activity and help our environment by reducing vehicle kilometres driven. In that light, by providing the warranted Adult Crossing Guard service at the start of the new school year, it helps instil good walking habits in students and enhances the safety for all children attending Williamsburg Public School. Ronald K. Schirm, Supervisor Crossing Guards Transportation Planning RKS Attach. John P. McBride, Director Transportation Planning DTS Report 07-119 Williamsburg Public School Catchment Area Catchment Ares Proposed Crossing Guard Location Location of Williamsburg Public School Williamsburg Public School red Adult Crossing Guard Location 0 0 z J J Z W Z ISABELLA STREET. To Williamsburg Public School DTS Report 07-119