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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-08-145 - Traffic Calming - Kinzie Avenue1 ~~~-> KITt;HFNF.R Development& Technical Services REPORT Report To: Development and Technical Services Committee Date of Meeting: 2008 September 29 Submitted By: John McBride, Director of Transportation Planning Prepared By: Cameron Bevers, Traffic Technician Ward(s) Involved: Chicopee-Grand River (2) Date of Report: 2008 September 8 Report No.: DTS OS-145 Subject: TRAFFIC CALMING - KINZIE AVENUE RECOMMENDATION: That four (4) speed humps be installed on Kinzie Avenue between Weber Street East and River Road East. BACKGROUND: The City of Kitchener's traffic calming policy was adopted by Council in August 2004 (DTS 04- 125). This traffic calming policy provides the framework needed to prioritize locations that are most in need of traffic calming from a traffic safety perspective. The policy also outlines the methodology and evaluation criteria required for staff to provide an unbiased and uniform traffic calming review for individual streets and communities where traffic calming is appropriate. In January 2007, Council approved DTS Report 07-011 - `Traffic Calming Priority - 2007", which recommended that a traffic calming review be conducted for several streets in the City of Kitchener including Kinzie Avenue. Transportation Planning has received requests from residents of the Centreville-Chicopee Community on numerous occasions in the past to review the existing traffic conditions on Kinzie Avenue. According to the concerns indicated, traffic is using Kinzie Avenue as a short-cut between River Road and Weber Street East, and that this traffic is speeding, creating concerns regarding pedestrian safety. In response to these requests, the City of Kitchener has reviewed the existing traffic conditions on Kinzie Avenue and initiated a formal traffic calming review. Undertaking a formal traffic calming review for a project of this scale and nature is considered good municipal planning. It allows the City and stakeholders to understand all of the impacts, benefits and opportunities associated with any proposed traffic calming measures which may be considered to address traffic issues on Kinzie Avenue. REPORT Kinzie Avenue is a minor collector roadway which runs from King Street East to Veronica Drive, just north of River Road. The majority of Kinzie Avenue lies within the traffic calming study boundary. Generally, the function of Kinzie Avenue is to serve the abutting properties only, although it is intended to serve as an access road to other adjoining streets in the neighbourhood. Minor collector roadways are not intended to carry any significant volumes of through traffic. Land use along Kinzie Avenue is generally limited to single family homes and townhouse complexes, although there are some low-rise apartment blocks located along the street. While there are no commercial buildings located on Kinzie Avenue itself, there are many commercial properties which front onto Weber Street East near the intersection of Kinzie Avenue. Some of these commercial sites attract significant volumes of traffic. There is also an elementary school located at the northern end of Kinzie Avenue at River Road. The unposted speed limit is 50 kmlh as outlined within the City of Kitchener Uniform Traffic Control By-law No. 2007-138. On November 28, 2007 our study team held its first public meeting to discuss traffic issues and concerns on Kinzie Avenue and possible approaches to developing solutions. Traffic speeds, traffic volumes, cut-through traffic, collision rates and pedestrian safety were all identified by residents as their primary concerns. The existing traffic conditions as discussed in the first meeting are as follows: Automated Volume & Saeed Studies From May 8 -May 13, 2007, volume and speed studies were conducted on Kinzie Avenue at two separate locations. The following data was recorded: Traffic volumes are within the expected range for a minor collector roadway. However Kinzie Avenue does contain a significant element of medium and high density residential uses that can generate considerable traffic volumes. Additionally, the commercial land uses located along Weber Street East attract a significant number of vehicle trips from neighbourhoods lying to the east of River Road. Some of the traffic that is generated by commercial land uses on Weber Street utilizes Kinzie Avenue, since it forms a convenient link which bypasses traffic congestion along Fairway Road. The 85"' percentile speed, which is defined as the speed that 85% of vehicles are travelling at or below, is slightly higher than what would normally be expected for a roadway of this design. Collision Analysis A vehicle collision analysis was conducted for Kinzie Avenue between Weber Street East and River Road. There were 27 reported collisions on Kinzie Avenue over the three year analysis period from September 2004 to September 2007. Collision types included failure to yield right- of-way, loss of control and collisions involving parked vehicles. This collision history does not show a clear, identifiable collision trend, although it should be noted that the majority of the collisions occurred at intersections. Community Response Response received following the first public meeting indicated a slight preference for a moderate traffic calming approach. Out of 16 responses received from area residents, 52% favoured a moderate traffic calming approach to address speeding and other traffic problems on Kinzie Avenue. Residents expressed concerns over vehicle speeds, volume of traffic, traffic noise, heavy trucks, cut-through traffic and pedestrian safety. Based on the analysis of existing traffic, public input and the City of Kitchener's Traffic Calming Policy, five potential alternatives, comprised of a number of measures of varying degree, were considered, including `do nothing" (the `do nothing" alternative is required as part of any formal traffic calming review). These alternatives were then evaluated by the project team based on a number of social, natural and economic criteria to develop a preferred option. The following is a list of the alternatives considered: • A series of five speed humps -Speed humps are vertical deflections in the roadway that force vehicles to slow down to negotiate the humps. • Raised crosswalk with curb extensions and speed humps -Raised crosswalks are vertical deflections in the roadway, along with a narrowed roadway, that forces vehicles to slow down when negotiating the crosswalk. • Curb extensions, speeds humps and raised crosswalk -Curb extensions are horizontal deflections which narrow the roadway and reduces a driver's comfort level. thereby reducing speeds. • Full road closure -Closing Kinzie Avenue at from using the street. • Do nothing. River Road prohibits external through traffic A second public meeting was held on May 13, 2008 to present the alternatives, the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative, and to present the preferred alternative as determined by the steering committee. Attendees were asked to provide any comments before a recommended plan was developed. The preferred alternative was endorsed by most of the meeting attendees. On July 18, 2008, Transportation Planning mailed a survey to all residentslproperty owners that abut or are adjacent to Kinzie Avenue outlining the recommended plan. 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 residentslproperty owners must respond to the survey and 60% of the respondents must support the recommended plan, in order for any further consideration of the plan. There were a total of 185 properties surveyed within the boundaries of the study area. The results of the survey are as follows: In favour of the recommended plan 41 (91 %) Opposed to the recommended plan 4 (9%) Tota145 out of 185 responded (24%) Therefore, the Kinzie Avenue traffic calming study has not met the minimum required community support as outlined in the City of Kitchener Traffic Calming policy. However, a significant portion of the residents in this area live in higher density rental properties, where turnover is typically much greater and residents tend to take less "ownership" of the municipal issues in their neighbourhood. Many of the surveys sent to the high density apartments were returned to City Hall by the post office as being undeliverable, due to the large number of vacant apartments. There are 55 single detached and semi-detached homes along Kinzie Avenue. These properties are far more likely to be owner-occupied than renter-occupied. An analysis of the response rates from these 55 single and semi-detached homes indicate a strong support for the recommended traffic calming plan, with 25 responses in favour and 3 opposed to the plan. Therefore, out of the 55 single detached and semi-detached homes along Kinzie Avenue, a response rate of 51% was achieved, through which 89% were in favour of the traffic calming plan and only 11 % were opposed. The measures recommended for Kinzie Avenue can be considered good traffic engineering in that they address the concerns regarding speeding traffic and pedestrian safety. Therefore, while the minimum public input requirement was not met through this process, staff recommends that the proposed speed humps be implemented on Kinzie Avenue. As part of the traffic calming study the recommended traffic calming plan was distributed to all affected agencies for their commentslconcerns. Responses were received from The Region of Waterloo, Waterloo Regional Police Services, Grand River Transit, City of Kitchener Operations Services and City of Kitchener Fire Services. The following is a synopsis of their comments: • Waterloo Regional Police Services - No concerns. • Grand River Transit -Concerns with impact of vertical deflection measures on adherence to bus schedules. • City of Kitchener Operations -Concerns with icing at the base of vertical deflections which results in extra salting at the base of any vertical deflection. The curb extensions are difficult to plough around and will slow ploughing in the area. This extra attention required will add to the cost and time taken to conduct winter maintenance. • Emergency Medical Services - No concerns. • City of Kitchener Fire Services -Opposed to any vertical deflection due to increased response times and concerns regarding vehicle maintenance. Additionally, Fire advise that all roadways be designed to meet the requirements of the OBC (Ontario Building Code) and the City of Kitchener Urban Design Guideline Manual. 4 All measures proposed for traffic calming on Kinzie Avenue meet the requirements of the OBC and the City's Urban Design Guideline Manual. During the latter stages of this review, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board confirmed the closing of St. Patrick Catholic School, which affected our recommendation to install a raised pedestrian crosswalk across Kinzie Avenue at Burgetz AvenuelGrulke Street. The study team has considered the impact of the upcoming elementary school closure, and has determined that the installation of the raised crosswalk cannot be justified at this time, since pedestrian activity is expected to drop considerably once the school closes in 2010. Accordingly, this traffic calming measure has been removed from the recommended traffic calming plan for Kinzie Avenue. Should Council endorse the Recommended Plan, all proposed traffic calming measures are expected to be installed in the fall of 2008. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The cost to install the four (4) speed humps is approximately $10,000. This cost will be taken from the existing traffic calming budget. COMMUNICATIONS: Public involvement in this project has been extensive. Through the review process, there have been two public information centres, comment forms, surveys as well as direct mailings and electronic correspondence. CONCLUSION: The recommended plan, which prescribes the installation of four (4) speed humps, provides the most desirable technical solution to the problems investigated through the traffic calming study. While resident input did not meet the minimum policy requirement, those that did respond are in majority support of our proposal. Transportation Planning feels that the recommendations will improve traffic conditions on Kinzie Avenue, discourage cut-through traffic, in addition to improving pedestrian safety along Kinzie Avenue. John McBride, Director Transportation Planning Cameron Bevers, Traffic Technician Transportation Planning Ken Carmichael, C.E.T. Supervisor of Traffic and Parking CB Attach. KINZIE AVENUE -RECOMMENDED TRAFFIC CALMING PLAN FOUR (4) SPEED HUMPS CROSS SECTION OF PROPOSED SPEED HUMPS a~ ~~ 2.Om 3.Om 2.Om I SOmm NOTE: THIS DIAGRAM IS NOT TO SCALE EXISTING ALL-WAY STOP CONTROL AT TRACER AVE NOTE: ALL SPEED HUMP LOCATIONS ARE APPROXIMATE AND ARE MEANT FOR GENERAL ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY. 4 NEW SPEED HtJMPS 6