HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-09-016 - Traffic Calming - Greenbrook Dr - Follow-up ReviewI~TCx~~~
Development&
Techrrica~ Services
Report To: Development & Technical Services Committee
Date of Meeting: 2009 February 9
Submitted By: John McBride, Director of Transportation Planning
Prepared By: Jeramie Lewis, Traffic Technologist (741-2665}
Ward(s) Involved: Forest - Rockway -Ward 5
Date of Report: 2009 January 16
Report No.: DTS-09-016
Subject: GREENBROOK DRIVE -TRAFFIC CALMING
FOLLOW UP REVIEW
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the existing traffic calming measures (8 speed humps and a narrowing at Birchcliff
Avenue) on Greenbrook Drive from Stirling Avenue to Fischer Hallman Road remain in
place; and further
That an additional speed hump be installed on Greenbrook Drive between Ruskview Road
and Birchcliff Avenue.
BACKGROUND:
As per the recommendations in Report DTS-06-175, Transportation Planning has conducted a
review of the traffic calming measures (speed humps and one road narrowing) on Greenbrook
Drive. A key aspect of the review is obtaining resident input on the measures.
The City of Kitchener installed temporary traffic calming measures (chicanes) on Greenbrook
Drive, in March, 2006. The concept of the chicane traffic calming measures was expected to
reduce the speed of traffic along Greenbrook Drive, and discourage some of the "through traffic"
from using the street. As a result of the temporary measures (chicanes), both speeds and
volumes had decreased and no negative impacts on collision patterns were identified.
On October 27, 2006, Transportation Planning mailed a survey and information report to
residents/property owners of the Forest Hill Community on Greenbrook Drive and adjacent
streets, as well as anyone that had expressed an interest in the study. The intent of the survey
was to determine if there was support for the permanent installation of the temporary traffic
calming measures (chicanes) on Greenbrook Drive. There were a total of 768 residential
properties surveyed within the boundaries of the study area, of those residents that responded
to the survey, 78% were opposed to the permanent installation of the chicanes as traffic calming
measures.
The residents of the Forest Hill Community did not support the temporary traffic calming
measures (chicanes) on Greenbrook Drive. However, as an alternative to the chicanes it was
recommended, based on sound engineering principles and resident input, that a series of 8
speed humps be installed strategically along Greenbrook Drive. The 8 speed humps and a
narrowing at Greenbrook Drive and Birchcliff Avenue were installed in the spring of 2007.
REPORT:
As part of the review of the traffic calming measures along Greenbrook Drive, Transportation
Planning has compared speed, volume and collision data for the Forest Hill Community based
on pre-traffic calming conditions, post-chicane installation and post-speed hump installation.
The results are as follows:
~~~ ~
2005 Pre-
Traffic
Calming
2006
Chicanes
2005-2006
% Change
2008
Speed
Humps
% Change
Stirling to Lakeside (85th Percentile Speed) 54 49 -10%
Stirling to Lakeside Volumes (AADT) 8,364 7,251 -13%
Lakeside to Forest Hill (85th Percentile Speed) 62 45 -29%
Lakeside to Forest Hill (AADT) 7,603 6,854 -10%
Forest Hill/Villa e Road 85th Percentile S eed 63 54 -15% 48 -24%
Forest Hill/Villa e Road AADT 8,243 6,218 -25% 5,410 -34%
Westmount to Warren 85th Percentile S eed 62 50 -19%
Westmount to Warren (AADT) 5,304 3,967 -25%
Warren to Forest Hill Plaza (85th Percentile Speed) 54 53 -2%
Warren to Forest Hill Plaza (AADT) 4,946 4,350 -12%
Plaza Chicane/Speed Hump at Measure (85th Percentile Speed) 58 44 -25% 46 -22%
Plaza Chicane/Speed Hump at/on Measure (AADT) 3,934 3,543 -10% 3,114 -21%
Stonybrook to Birchcliff (85th Percentile Speed) 51 52 1%
Ston brook to Birchcliff AADT 4,650 3,825 -18%
Birchcliff and Fischer-Hallman near #498 85th Percentile S eed 58 61 5%
Birchcliff and Fischer-Hallman (AADT) 5,408 3,972 -27%
Birchcliff and Ruskview near #553 (85th Percentile Speed) 55 42 -23%
Birchcliff and Ruskview (AADT) 4,701 4,035 -14%
Compared to pre-traffic calming data (2005)
Note: 85t" percentile speed - 85% of vehicles travelling at this speed or less (km/h)
AADT -Average Annual Daily Traffic (veh/day)
Based on the data collected for Greenbrook Drive, in comparison to 2005, Greenbrook Drive
has experienced a decrease in both speeds and volumes. However, in the section of
Greenbrook Drive between Birchcliff Avenue and Ruskview Road we have had a slight increase
in the 85t" percentile speed by 2 km/h, which can be attributed to the distance between traffic
calming measures and the reduction in volume.
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Recommended New Speed Hump Installation
In order to address this area of higher speeds, Transportation Planning, is recommending a new
vertical measure (speed hump) in the area between Birchcliff Avenue and Ruskview Road.
The recommended spacing between measures is 125-150 metres, and as such the spacing
between the narrowing at Birchcliff Avenue and the speed hump near Ruskview Road
(approximately 350 metres) far exceeds the recommended distance outlined in the "Canadian
Guide to Neighbourhood Traffic Calming" Transportation Planning is recommending the
installation of the speed hump near 502 Greenbrook Drive, as this location is ideal based on
many factors including the following:
• Midway between the narrowing at Birchcliff Avenue and the curve along Greenbrook
Drive,
• Residential support from the review survey sent out November 2008, 12 of 21 residents
requested an additional speed hump be installed live in the area of the proposed
additional speed hump,
• Appropriate location based on guidelines from the Canadian Guide to Neighbourhood
Traffic Calming.
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Based on the side street volumes obtained this year in comparison to the data collected during
the pre-traffic calming and the post chicane periods, there has been a slight increase in volumes
on some of the side streets and only a single location where the 85t" percentile speed increased
by 1 km/h, or 2%. However, even with increased volumes on these streets, with the highest
impact being an additional 227 vehs/day on Lakeside Drive (2006 to 2008 comparison) the daily
volumes travelling these streets still fall well below the 2000 vehs/day threshold that is expected
for a local roadway, as defined in the City's Municipal Plan. The following table illustrates these
findings:
2005 Pre-
Traffic
Calming 2006
Chicanes 2005-
2006 %
Change 2008
Speed
Humps
Change
Birchciff Avenue 85th ercentile s eed 55 55 0% NIA N/A
Birchciff Avenue (AADT) 1528 1214 -21 % NIA NIA
Forest Hill Drive (85th Percentile Speed) 57 53 -6%
Forest Hill Drive (AADT) 773 914 18%
Gatewood Road (85Th Percentile Speed)) 57 56 -2%
Gatewood Road (AADT) 415 555 34%
Gra stone Avenue 85th Percentile S eed 51 47 -7%
Gra stone Avenue AADT 185 136 -26%
Lakeside Drive (85th Percentile Speed) 60 58 -3% 51 -15%
Lakeside Drive AADT 1273 1,181 -7% 1,408 11
Stoneybrook Drive (85th Percentile Speed) 51 52 2%
Stoneybrook Drive (AADT) 808 707 -12%
Village Road (85th Percentile Speed) 53 45 -16%
Village Road (AADT) 319 265 -17%
Warren Road (85th Percentile Speed) 54 49 -9%
Warren Road AADT 935 1,151 23%
Compared to pre-traffic calming data (2005)
Note: 85`h percentile speed - 85% of vehicles travelling at this speed or less (km/h)
AADT -Average Annual Daily Traffic (veh/day)
Based on this evidence of additional traffic on some of the area's side streets, Transportation
Planning will continue to monitor the traffic conditions on area streets and investigate possible
actions, should any concerns arise.
Collisions along Greenbrook Drive have decreased since the introduction of speed humps to
this area. The following is a summary of the collision history for the pre-traffic calming, post-
chicanes and present day speed humps:
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~ 1 ~ 1
Rear End Sin le Motor Vehicle Ri ht An le Sideswi e Total
7 6 4 3 20
Average collisions per month: 0.83
~1 ~ 1
Rear End Sin le Motor Vehicle Ri ht An le Sideswi e Total
5 2 4 3 14
Average collisions per month: 0.93
~- ~. 1-' 1 1 : 1
Rear End Sin le Motor Vehicle Loss of Control Total
6 3 2 11
Average collisions per month: 0.65
Based on the above findings, the reduced speeds along Greenbrook Drive have had a
noticeable effect on the collision rate. There has been a 22% decrease in the number of
collisions since the pre-traffic calming time period.
Greenbrook Drive is a major collector roadway and as outlined in the City's Municipal Plan, a
major collector roadway is expected to carry up to 8,000 vehicles per day. Greenbrook Drive is
currently carrying less than 8,000 vehicles per day and averaging 0.65 collisions per month,
which is lower than the pre-traffic calming collision rate.
As part of the speed hump traffic calming review on Greenbrook Drive, an information and
survey package was mailed out in November of 2008 to the residents of Greenbrook Drive and
the Forest Hill Community. This package outlined to residents the speed, volume and collision
data on Greenbrook Drive, as well as other Foresthill Community roadways, for conditions
before and after the implementation of the 8 speed humps and narrowing. A total of 291
responses were received from 912 surveys that were mailed out, and the results are as follows:
Total Survey Results:
Residents in support of maintaining the existing traffic calming 195 (67%)
Residents not in support of maintaining the traffic calming 96 (33%)
Total 291 of 912 (32% response rate)
Greenbrook Drive Residents:
Residents in support of maintaining the existing traffic calming 59 (87%)
Residents not in support of maintaining the traffic calming 9 (13%)
Total 68 of 154 (44% response rate)
Forest Hill Community Residents:
Residents in support of maintaining the existing traffic calming 136 (61 %)
Residents not in support of maintaining the traffic calming 87 (39%)
Total 223 of 758 (29 % response rate)
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It is clear that the residents directly affected by the traffic calming on Greenbrook Drive
(Greenbrook residents) and the residents of the Foresthill community are in full support of
keeping the existing traffic calming measures in place as they are effectively controlling the
speeds of vehicular traffic along Greenbrook Drive. These lower speeds have led to a reduced
collision rate.
Residents in the Forest Hill Community have acknowledged the need for an additional measure
to be installed on Greenbrook Drive between Ruskview Road and Birchcliff Avenue, in order to
reduce the speed in which vehicles are travelling between measures. As a result of the survey
conducted the following is a summary of those requests:
• 21 residents responded with a request for an additional speed hump to be installed
between Ruskview Road and Birchcliff Avenue,
• 12 of the 21 residents that responded with this request live between Ruskview Road and
Birchcliff Avenue,
• 3 of 21 live along Greenbrook Drive, and
• 6 of 21 are residents from the Forest Hill Community.
Therefore Transportation Planning is recommending that an additional speed hump be installed
in 2009 between Ruskview Road and Birchcliff Avenue as the spacing between vertical
measures far exceeds the recommended distance outlined in the "Neighbourhood Traffic
Calming Guide by Transportation Association of Canada" Furthermore, that the existing traffic
calming measures along Greenbrook Drive remain in place.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The approximate cost for installation of a speed hump is $4,000 which includes signing and will
be taken from the existing traffic calming budget.
John McBride, Director
Transportation Planning
Jeramie Lewis, Traffic Technologist
Transportation Planning
Ken Carmichael, C.E.T.
Supervisor of Traffic & Parking
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