TRAFFIC CALMING POLICY

Transcription

1 TRAFFIC CALMING POLICY # Commerce Parkway Richmond, BC, V6V 3A1 Phone: (604) Fax: (604)

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY...II 1.0 INTRODUCTION WHY & WHERE CONSIDER TRAFFIC CALMING? ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES MANAGING REQUESTS DEFINING AND PRIORITIZING AREAS FUNDING STAFF RESOURCES OTHER FORMS OF NEIGHBOURHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT DEVELOPING TRAFFIC CALMING PLANS PRINCIPLES OF TRAFFIC CALMING THE PROCESS SCHEDULE TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES MEASURES CONSIDERED FOR USE IN LANGLEY MEASURES NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN LANGLEY IMPLEMENTATION DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION & MONITORING DESIGN NOTES APPENDICES Appendix A Appendix B Expanded Traffic Calming Process Data Collection Guidelines This report is prepared for the sole use of the City of Langley. No representations of any kind are made by Urban Systems Ltd. or its employees to any party with whom Urban Systems Ltd. does not have a contract. Page i / September 2004 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

3 SUMMARY Neighbourhood traffic issues such as high traffic volumes, short-cutting, and speeding are a growing concern for many residents in the City of Langley. However, they are not typically addressed through any current functions of the City of Langley and require a comprehensive approach to develop workable solutions beyond spot treatments. In response to a growing number of requests from the community for traffic calming, the City chose to develop a comprehensive strategy to address neighbourhood traffic management through a. The Policy provides the City with a made-in-langley approach to managing and preparing traffic calming plans within the community. It is anticipated that this approach may evolve over time as residents experience with traffic calming grows. The describes the City s approach to: Administration of traffic calming to ensure a fair and equitable approach to managing this issue that also reflects the available resources of the City. The Policy outlines the City s approach to dealing with key issues, such as resident requests for traffic calming, defining and prioritizing neighbourhoods in which to prepare plans, and funding the development and implementation of traffic calming. Development and implementation of successful traffic calming plans, based on the experiences of other communities and what will work best for Langley. The Policy outlines the City s approach to the preparation and implementation of traffic calming plans, and describes what devices will and will not be considered in the City. Administration The following discussion highlights the City s approach to managing the process of traffic calming. Responding to public requests. Even with a commitment to developing neighbourhood traffic calming plans, the City has chosen to define a customerfriendly process for informing the community on how neighbourhood traffic issues are to be dealt with and on the process of traffic calming. In general, the recommended process provides residents with a clear means of defining neighbourhood traffic issues and monitoring how and when these concerns may be addressed. Figure 1 below illustrates this process. Page ii / September 2004 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

4 Figure 1: Managing Public Requests for Traffic Calming Not considered for traffic calming at this time No Receive & Record Request Traffic Calming Issue? Yes Respond to Request Meet Traffic Calming Criteria? Yes Initiate Traffic Calming Process over time No Identify those responsible to address Operations Planning Other Respond to Request Defining and prioritizing study areas. Upon consideration of all identified traffic calming concerns and requests, the City will define neighbourhood study areas, as necessary, in which to undertake full traffic calming studies. Study boundaries will be carefully defined to include those identified neighbourhood traffic issues and any corresponding areas that will also be impacted by a potential traffic calming plan. As the number of requests grows, the City will want to objectively prioritize neighbourhoods on an annual basis according to the following criteria: Request locations the number of locations within an area in which traffic calming concerns have been identified. Reported collisions the number of reported collisions within each neighbourhood. Availability of sidewalks and pedestrian areas the presence, or lack thereof, of sidewalks in key pedestrian zones. Poor road geometry locations in which neighbourhood traffic issues have been raised and the road geometry is known to be poor. Pending road network improvements any changes to the major road network that may alleviate some of the neighbourhood concerns and therefore delay the need to develop a traffic calming plan. Road rehabilitation programs any planned rehabilitation of neighbourhood streets that may accelerate the ability to address concerns and combine the implementation of traffic calming measures. Page iii / September 2004 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

5 Funding. As the City does not currently have a Traffic Calming Program, additional resources will be needed for: Plan development using internal and/or external resources that will involve the community in addressing neighbourhood traffic concerns. Implementation of approved measures, which includes design and construction of neighbourhood traffic calming measures. Monitoring programs to measure the effectiveness of the traffic calming solutions that are implemented, and to make adjustments as necessary. Operations and maintenance requirements that may increase slightly as a result of traffic calming measures. Based on experiences in other communities, personnel and funding requirements can be extensive, and the City s commitments need to be managed in this regard. The additional costs to develop, implement, monitor, and maintain neighbourhood traffic calming in the City of Langley will be supported through the appropriation of general tax revenues, which will be reviewed on an annual basis. Development and Implementation The recommended approach to developing and implementing traffic calming in the City of Langley is briefly described below. Study process. Recognizing the extent of neighbourhood traffic issues today and the resources of the municipality, the City will use a streamlined process with extensive community involvement for developing plans. This three-phase process is illustrated in Figure 2 and briefly highlighted below. Page iv / September 2004 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

6 Figure 2: Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Process STAGE 1 Gauging Community STAGE 2 Developing STAGE 3 Plan Initiate Traffic Calming Plan Yes Collect Data Submit Plan to Council Refine Plan Community Letter/ Questionnaire Potential Solutions Community Letter Council Approval? No Community Support? Yes Community Support? Yes Yes Implement Plan No Respond to Request(s) Major Changes No Refine Plan Minor Changes Gauging community support This phase of the process involves preparatory activities and initiatives to increase awareness of the study, as well as gauging community interest in developing a plan. Developing the plan This phase of the process involves a thorough review of all identified neighbourhood traffic concerns, data collection, and plan development with input and feedback from the community. Plan approval The final plan is presented to Langley City Council for approval and funding. Additional revisions may be necessary to address outstanding concerns. Traffic calming measures that may be considered for Langley are identified based on experience in other communities and the desires of staff and Council. Table 1 below summarizes the potential applicability of desired traffic calming measures, as well as special considerations, such as transit and emergency response routes. As shown in the table, some measures may be suitable for local and/or collector roads, but may not be suitable for use if those roads are designated as emergency response routes and/or transit routes. Page v / September 2004 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

7 Table 1: Applicability of Traffic Calming Measures in Langley Road Classification Local Roads Collector Roads Other Considerations Emergency Response Transit Routes Routes Vertical Deflection Speed Hump X X X Raised Crosswalk X X X Sidewalk Extension X X Textured Crosswalk Horizontal Deflection Curb Extension Curb Radius Reduction X X On-Street Parking Raised Median Island Traffic Circle X X Road Diets Obstruction Directional Closure X X X Raised Median Through Intersection Right-In/Right-Out Island X X X Signage Traffic Calmed Neighbourhood Key - suitable X not suitable Implementation of the approved plan involves the phasing and design of traffic calming measures, as well as defining a monitoring program subsequent to the installation of measures. It is recommended that temporary measures be considered where possible to confirm their effectiveness and that monitoring programs be put in place to examine the performance and impact of the measures. Page vi / September 2004 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

8 1.0 INTRODUCTION As the population of the City of Langley continues to grow, residents are indicating increasing concerns regarding neighbourhood traffic issues. In particular, residents in some areas of the City have become concerned about the impacts of frequent occurrences of speeding and short-cutting traffic on the quality of life within the community. In an effort to discourage undesirable traffic patterns and/or unsafe travel behaviour, many municipalities have responded to similar concerns by implementing traffic management strategies, some of which have included the provision of various traffic calming measures. Although traffic calming is viewed as a favourable and effective strategy to manage neighbourhood traffic issues in most communities, some municipalities have only created more problems for themselves in the process of trying to apply traffic calming on their streets. These problems may stem from not verifying or fully understanding the nature of the problems or implementing traffic calming measures on a street-by-street basis, which can have negative impacts on adjacent streets due to spillover effects. The City has chosen to develop a as a proactive means of administering, preparing, implementing, and maintaining neighbourhood traffic calming. Other communities have found that the Policy lays the framework that may evolve as the City s experience with (and potentially the community s demand for) traffic calming grows. Without a clear Policy, fundamental issues are difficult to manage, ranging from which neighbourhoods are considered for traffic calming to dealing with issues of liability through standard design practices. This document is separated into six sections, as follows: Section 1.0 Introduction. This section identifies the primary rationale for the preparation of the and highlights the contents of the document. Section 2.0 Why & Where Consider Traffic Calming? This section of the Policy outlines the general reasons why traffic calming should be considered for the City of Langley, as well as some of the specific objectives of traffic calming for neighbourhood streets. Section 3.0 Administrative Issues. This section provides the administrative framework for the management of the traffic calming process in the City of Langley. It identifies an approach for dealing with residents requests for traffic calming measures and presents recommendations for the identification and prioritization of selecting areas for traffic calming, and suggests how traffic calming planning and implementation should be funded within the City. Page 1 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

9 Section 4.0 Developing Traffic Calming Plans. This section outlines a three-stage process for the preparation of neighbourhood traffic calming plans in the City of Langley, based on a number of guiding principles set out in Section 4.1. Section 5.0 Traffic Calming Measures. This section of the Policy discusses the applicability of various traffic calming measures to meet the needs and conditions of the City of Langley. The section also includes a discussion of those traffic calming measures not recommended for use in Langley. Section 6.0 Implementation. This section describes the activities involved in the implementation and monitoring of traffic calming measures. The Canadian Guide to Neighbourhood Traffic Calming was prepared for the Transportation Association of Canada and the Canadian Institute of Transportation Engineers, and provides consistent guidelines for the implementation of traffic calming measures throughout Canada. Rather than replicate the information contained in the Guide, the provides additional information specific to conditions in Langley, such as objectives for traffic calming, the applicability of various traffic calming devices to conditions in Langley, approaches to implementing traffic calming measures, and a means of soliciting community input regarding traffic calming. The is also intended to update some of the information from the Guide pertaining to recent innovations and the latest treatments. Although the Policy contained within this document has been developed for the successful planning and implementation of traffic calming solutions specifically within Langley, it was developed based on a review of similar traffic calming policies and programs in the following BC and US communities: Kamloops Whistler Vancouver North Vancouver City North Vancouver District Delta Coquitlam Saanich Kelowna Seattle, WA Bellevue, WA Portland, OR Berkeley, CA Ventura, CA Boulder, CO Fairfax, VA Page 2 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

10 2.0 WHY & WHERE CONSIDER TRAFFIC CALMING? Before undertaking traffic calming, the City should consider the reasons that traffic calming is being considered. As well, the City will need to set out where traffic calming will be considered. This section describes the primary reasons that traffic calming is undertaken in many communities, and describes several specific objectives of traffic calming as a traffic management technique. This discussion provides the basis for other components of the, described in subsequent sections. In many communities, traffic calming is undertaken for two primary reasons that are of concern to residents, City staff, and other community members: Safety. Traffic calming can make the streets safer for everyone, including all road users pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and others. Many neighbourhood conflicts are the result of excessive speeds and motorist inattention the very problems that traffic calming can correct. Research has shown that specific traffic calming devices can reduce collision rates by as much as 90%. Livability. Traffic calming can help to preserve and enhance the livability of the community by minimizing the negative impacts of traffic noise, pollution and visual intrusion. Attractively designed and landscaped traffic calming devices can also enhance the streetscape, enhancing livability as a result. It is intended that these broad goals be pursued in a manner that is consistent with the. This means that traffic calming measures would be applied to improve safety and livability, while maintaining the effectiveness of the road network particularly arterial and collector roads for transporting people and goods. To address the above community issues, the specific objectives of traffic calming include: Minimize conflicts. Reducing conflicts between road users reduces the likelihood of a collision occurring, thereby improving safety, particularly for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users. Reduce vehicle speeds. Speeds that are suitable for one type of road a major arterial road, for example may be considered excessive on a residential collector road or local street. Measures that decrease vehicle speeds help to reduce the likelihood of a collision occurring, as well as the severity of collisions. Reducing vehicle speeds also helps to improve the livability of a community by reducing noise and other negative impacts of traffic. Page 3 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

11 Discourage through traffic on local residential streets. Local streets are primarily intended for access to properties, rather than for accommodating through traffic. Reducing through traffic helps to improve safety by reducing the potential for conflicts, and helps to improve livability by reducing noise and other negative impacts of traffic. Establish an ongoing process to address problems. New roads, additional development and other changes may result in changes in traffic patterns and may contribute to new traffic problems in the future. Establishing municipal policies and procedures to monitor and review conditions will help to ensure that problems are corrected as they occur. Establishing proactive policies to consider traffic calming in the design of new roads and neighbourhoods will help to ensure that problems are avoided in the first place. Allocate funds cost-effectively. Ensuring that the costs of traffic calming are minimized and that the most cost-effective solutions are implemented will mean that traffic calming initiatives can be pursued as quickly as possible throughout the community and that other transportation improvements will not be unnecessarily deferred as a result of traffic calming plans. In some municipalities, there are programs to undertake traffic calming on major roadways (arterials) and within local neighbourhoods. The implementation of traffic calming on major roads is usually designed to address different issues than those found within neighbourhoods. As well, the process and traffic calming measures used for major roads is different. To date, neighbourhood concerns with safety and livability are a more pressing issue in Langley. In this regard, the for Langley provides a process for undertaking traffic calming programs within local neighbourhoods of the City, and does not provide a process with regard to major roadways. Page 4 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

12 3.0 ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES Prior to the preparation of any neighbourhood traffic calming plans, the City will want to establish a clear administrative process that provides guidance on: Managing requests. How the City deals with requests for traffic calming from residents has an important effect on the success of the overall program. The City will want to have a process for managing requests that is clear and fair, and ensures that requests are handled promptly and objectively. To help with this task, the City will use a set of speed and volume criteria to establish which areas are appropriate for traffic calming. Only those locations that meet or exceed the criteria will be considered for traffic calming. Defining and prioritizing areas. The municipality will not be able to implement traffic calming measures City-wide all at once. Over time, the City will receive requests for traffic calming from residents around the community and will need to allocate funds to implement plans within specific areas of the community based on priorities that are equitable and objective. Funding. The City will need to establish clear policies on how traffic calming plans and measures will be funded as the program is undertaken, subject to City Council approval. As one of the important ingredients in the overall, a clear and consistent administrative process that addresses all of the above topics will contribute to the long-term success of the traffic calming program in Langley. This section addresses each of the above issues in more detail. 3.1 Managing Requests One of the biggest frustrations for residents can arise after they submit a request for improvements, and the City does not acknowledge that request. Because not all residents will be familiar with the traffic calming process, the City needs to establish a process for managing public requests for traffic calming that is fair, prompt, and objective. This will ensure that the process is: Oriented to customer service Clear on the status of residents requests Designed to ensure that the issue(s) being raised can be addressed through traffic calming, or that the issue can be dealt with through other programs Page 5 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

13 Figure 3.1 outlines the recommended process for the City to follow when handling incoming neighbourhood concerns that are traffic-related. Figure 3.1: Managing Public Requests for Traffic Calming Not considered for traffic calming at this time No Receive & Record Request Traffic Calming Issue? Yes Respond to Request Meet Traffic Calming Criteria? Yes Initiate Traffic Calming Process over time No Identify those responsible to address Operations Planning Other Respond to Request The first step in the process involves the identification of traffic problems or issues within the City. In all cases, this action will be initiated by one or more concerned residents requesting that a specific traffic problem be addressed by the City, potentially through the installation of traffic calming devices. Although residents may make their concerns known in a number of ways, the City should encourage residents to document them in a written letter or a standard request form that would ensure all issues are clearly described. For each request, the following information should be collected: Resident s name Resident s address Contact information (phone, fax, ) As accurately as possible, the location of the problem (street(s) name, nearest street address, intersection, etc.) Detailed description of the issue Typical time(s) of occurrence of the issue(s) (peak period(s), night, all day, specific season, weekend/weekday, etc.) As well, any related information regarding the conditions or potential solutions may be identified by the individual(s) and should also be documented. Page 6 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

14 City staff should maintain a database or spreadsheet of traffic-related concerns that would allow the issues to be sorted by geographic location (e.g., street, neighbourhood, school catchment, etc.), type of issue, or date of request. As requests are received, the City will need to evaluate each concern to determine whether the issue(s) is best addressed through the traffic calming program or through other programs or agencies (e.g., Operations, Planning, TransLink, Police, etc.). It is important that each concern be considered carefully so that only problems that can actually be addressed through traffic calming solutions are referred to the neighbourhood traffic calming program. For example, residents often identify the lack of sidewalks or transit operations as traffic-related issues. However, both of these concerns may be able to be addressed through other programs or agencies. Table 3.1 below summarizes some of the common issues raised by residents during previous traffic calming reviews in other municipalities and categorizes them according to whether they should be considered as traffic calming issues. The task of distinguishing traffic calming issues from other concerns will not always be easy. Some issues may require discussions with other agencies or departments to determine the appropriate course of action. Table 3.1: Examples of Issues Raised Through Traffic Calming Studies Traffic Calming Issues Speeding on local streets Short-cutting on local streets Intersection safety for pedestrians and cyclists Non-Traffic Calming Issues Lack of sidewalks or crosswalks Roadway geometry Intersection safety Incompatible land uses Transit operational issues Once an issue has been identified and the appropriate course of action has been determined, the next step in the process is to: forward the concern to the appropriate department or outside agency and respond to the request, or respond to the request, apply the traffic calming criteria and potentially move forward with a traffic calming process In either case, it is important that the City respond to each submission and inform the resident of the process and the status of their concern. This will reassure residents that their concerns are being taken seriously and will be addressed in some form. Maintaining open lines of communication with residents will contribute to the long-term success of the traffic calming program. If a request is deemed to be a traffic calming issue, the City will use a set of traffic calming criteria to determine which neighbourhoods are prioritized for initiation of a Page 7 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

15 formal traffic calming plan. Many municipalities use similar criteria to help determine if the neighbourhood s concerns warrant the development of a traffic calming plan or not. In the City of Langley, the following three criteria must be met or exceeded before a formal traffic calming study may be initiated: Table 3.2: Traffic Calming Criteria Criteria Threshold 1. Road classification The road is designated as a collector or local road 2. Traffic volume The average weekday traffic volume is greater than 3,000 vehicles per day for collector roads and greater than 1,000 vehicles per day for local roads 3. Vehicle speed and short-cutting Must satisfy at least one of the following: a) short-cutting volume greater than 100 vehicles per hour or comprises more than 30% of total traffic volume, or b) 85 th percentile speed is greater than 10 km/h over the posted speed limit (i.e. greater than 40 km/h in a reduced 30 km/h zone and greater than 60 km/h in a 50 km/h zone) If criteria #1, #2 and either #3a or #3b above are satisfied, then the City will consider traffic calming for this location and the neighbourhood will be added to the City s database of requests. If the criteria are not met, then a traffic calming study should not be initiated for the neighbourhood at this time. If requests persist, however, traffic conditions should be monitored as they may change over time. 3.2 Defining and Prioritizing Areas Over time, traffic issues will be identified by residents of the City on a given street or in a given area. In some cases, several streets within a given neighbourhood may be problematic. Alternatively, the solutions for a given location may affect conditions on adjacent streets and the people living within the immediate area. In simple terms, neighbourhood traffic issues can rarely be treated in isolation. In this regard, the City will want to collect, monitor, and combine traffic issues as appropriate at a neighbourhood level. The definition of these neighbourhood areas should be based on the issues identified, as well as the potential streets and residents that would be affected by addressing those neighbourhood issues. This is in contrast to prescribing neighbourhood areas based strictly on geographical features that may not appropriately reflect the scope of issues and their potential solutions. Page 8 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

16 In some cases, traffic calming may be considered throughout the defined area. In others, it may be simply a matter of identifying a smaller area of residents that could be affected by the solutions to involve them in a traffic calming process. Although the number of neighbourhoods/streets where traffic calming exists in Langley today is modest, the City should be prepared for increased demand for measures through greater awareness of traffic calming and after the implementation of additional measures in some neighbourhoods. Rather than dealing with the squeaky wheel in terms of prioritizing neighbourhood concerns, the City will want a means of selecting priorities i.e., which neighbourhood gets traffic calming first through objective evaluation criteria. Consideration should be given to the following factors. Request locations. The number of locations within a community at which traffic calming concerns have been identified should be summarized. For example, if speeding and short-cutting have been identified along three streets within a neighbourhood, this would represent three request locations. This approach removes bias toward neighbourhoods where many people identify issues at the same location. Areas with more request locations would be considered higher priority for traffic calming. Reported collisions. Once the data is made available to the City, the number of reported collisions within each neighbourhood, not including the arterial road system, should contribute to prioritizing neighbourhoods. As part of the Safer City process, updated collision data will be provided to the City through claims information and police records. Areas with relatively higher collision occurrences would be considered higher priorities. Availability of sidewalks in pedestrian areas. The presence, or lack thereof, of sidewalks in key pedestrian zones, such as recreational, institutional and commercial areas, should be identified. Areas where there are no sidewalks within the pedestrian areas in which traffic calming issues have been identified may be rated higher. Conversely, the presence of sidewalks in areas where traffic calming issues are identified may result in a lower rating for this criterion. Poor road geometry. Where traffic calming issues have been identified and, in addition, the roadway geometry is known to be poor (such as with limited horizontal and/or vertical profiles), a higher rating may be given. Although road geometry itself is not to be considered a traffic calming issue, it may be a complicating factor at that location and therefore a location with poor road geometry in addition to neighbourhood traffic issues would be a higher priority for traffic calming measures. Conversely, a lower rating may be given to those areas where the road geometry at the individual locations is generally considered reasonable. Page 9 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

17 Pending road network improvements. Changes to the arterial system surrounding a community may help to divert some community traffic back to the major road network thus addressing some of the initial concerns. In cases where minor or major capital projects are committed, it might be preferable to delay preparation of a neighbourhood traffic management plan until after changes have been made. Consequently, a neighbourhood with pending changes would receive a lower rating. Road rehabilitation programs. Combining the timing of any road rehabilitation with the development of a neighbourhood traffic calming plan will generally provide an overall cost savings for the City. In this regard, those areas where road rehabilitation projects are planned within the next two years would be rated higher, and rated lower for anything beyond. 3.3 Funding There are four main funding strategies that the City of Langley could consider for planning and implementation of traffic calming. There are, however, significant advantages and disadvantages to each of these options, some of which are described below. The following funding strategies were considered in the development of this Policy: 1. Appropriation of Funds from General Revenues. This strategy would require Council s vote to allocate funds from general tax revenues to fund traffic calming in a particular area as part of the City s annual budget. The clear advantage of this Policy is that the traffic calming plan is funded in a way that is similar to other road and transportation improvements throughout the City. This approach is generally accepted by most communities as a fair and equitable method for funding neighbourhood traffic calming improvements. 2. Dedicated Reserve Fund. Council members would vote to establish a traffic calming program extending through their mandate to which they would allocate reserve funds. This strategy still makes use of general tax revenue to fund the improvements, yet involves the allocation of monies towards a special reserve fund that is available only to fund traffic calming priorities. 3. Specified Area (Initiative Plan). Adopting a specified area initiative plan, Council would vote on a bylaw that would establish an annual specified area tax on properties deemed to benefit from the implementation of a traffic calming plan. Under this approach, only if more than 50% of property owners in the area oppose the tax is the bylaw to adopt a traffic calming plan defeated. This approach is similar to the concept of negative billing, where residents will pay for something unless a majority oppose the plan. Page 10 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

18 4. Specified Area (Petition Plan). The petition plan would see Council implement a project based on a petition that is organized and presented by property owners. If at least two-thirds of the property owners, representing more than half of the assessed value, were in favour of paying for the traffic calming plan, then the petition would succeed. In this funding strategy, benefiting property owners are still bearing the cost of the improvements. However, the difference in this case is the clear support of the community that is needed in order for the project to be approved. Although the method of funding may vary between communities, most municipalities that have City-wide traffic calming policies fund their programs through the appropriation of general revenues, as described in #1 above. The basic rationale for this practice is that most other road and transportation improvements are typically funded in this way and, often, the traffic problems experienced in a neighbourhood are the result of City- or region-wide traffic issues and are not necessarily specifically tied to a particular community alone. It should be recognized that a specified area approach for large-scale neighbourhood traffic calming has not been successful in those communities that have attempted this funding approach, but is more commonly used for street-specific strategies. To best meet the needs of the Langley community, it is recommended that the development of neighbourhood traffic management plans and the implementation of traffic calming measures be funded through the City s general tax revenues. The City should note however, that funding through the specified area approach is always available under the Municipal Act as part of a local improvement program. Based on the history of traffic requests received in Langley, it is not anticipated that the demands for the development of neighbourhood traffic calming plans will be significant in the short term. It should be noted, however, that the implementation of a City-wide Traffic Calming Policy in other municipalities has raised the community s awareness and, as a result, requests for improvements have increased substantially. 3.4 Staff Resources Undertaking a Traffic Calming Program requires a commitment of staff resources to administer the program and to oversee the preparation of plans. Although the preparation of plans can be undertaken by outside agencies, City staff will still be involved throughout the process. The following table summarizes key aspects of the Traffic Calming Program in which City staff will be involved. Page 11 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

19 Table 3.3: Staff Involvement in Traffic Calming Pre-Study Respond to requests Screen requests Initial review and apply criteria Confirm issues Respond to requests Initiate plan process During Studies Manage process Collect data Public consultation Review and approve plans Present plans to Council Implementation Review and approve designs Secure funding Monitor construction Ensure and approve completion Monitoring Collect data Identify issues/problems Correspond with public/stakeholders Address issues if necessary 3.5 Other Forms of Neighbourhood Traffic Management Traffic calming devices are only one aspect of neighbourhood traffic management. In addition to the physical traffic calming devices outlined in this Policy, the following measures should also be considered for their potential to improve some neighbourhood traffic problems. Typically, these three approaches work best when used in combination with physical traffic calming devices. However, their importance and potential for impact should not be overlooked. In fact, the City will want to consider these three measures initially as potential solutions for some neighbourhood traffic issues prior to initiating a full traffic calming study. Enforcement. Although enforcement is not encouraged to be used as a specific traffic calming measure, there are some neighbourhood traffic concerns that do not fall into the scope of traffic calming because they are actually enforcement concerns that should be handled by other departments or agencies. Education. For some neighbourhood traffic concerns, embarking upon a community education campaign may prove to be an effective means of control. There are already many public education initiatives through the RCMP and ICBC related to traffic and road safety that may prove to be effective for some neighbourhood concerns. Awareness. In combination with educating the community, awareness can be a significant factor to mitigating some neighbourhood traffic concerns. In some areas, community groups or volunteers have worked together with the local police force to implement neighbourhood speed display stations where volunteers help monitor and display passing drivers speeds. Page 12 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

20 4.0 DEVELOPING TRAFFIC CALMING PLANS The process of developing traffic calming plans is typically dependent on the size of the neighbourhood, as well as the scope of traffic-related issues. In general, however, the principles that guide the development of those plans should remain consistent. As well, most of the activities involved in preparing a plan will remain consistent regardless of the scale of the study. The scope of the tasks, as well as the scope of community involvement, will be tailored to suit the neighbourhood being reviewed. This section describes the principles that should guide the traffic calming process, as well as the key activities that would be undertaken in the preparation of a typical traffic calming plan, whether the plan is prepared by City staff or consultants. 4.1 Principles of Traffic Calming This section of the Policy outlines the overall principles that the City of Langley should follow when undertaking the traffic management process for its neighbourhoods and streets. The approach that is outlined below does not attempt to define any rules or thresholds that can be used to establish when speeds, traffic volumes and other conditions are no longer acceptable and become a problem that must be addressed. The problem with this type of approach is that it is difficult to define thresholds that would be applicable to all conditions within the community. Inevitably a problem would arise that may not exceed the specified thresholds, but that would genuinely be a problem or be perceived to be a problem by residents and members of the community. There are several general principles that the City should follow when developing a traffic calming strategy for any of its neighbourhoods. The application of these principles will help to ensure that a thorough and objective process is followed, and that appropriate traffic calming measures are selected to meet the needs of the community and minimize the negative impacts of traffic in the area. Involve the community. Residents, business operators, and others who live and work in a community must have input in the identification of traffic problems and the selection of traffic calming measures. Involving the community builds support for traffic calming, and enhances the credibility of the resulting recommended measures. It also minimizes the potential influence of special interest groups who might otherwise unduly influence the outcome. If the community is not adequately involved, residents and others in the community might oppose the traffic calming measures regardless of their technical merit because they feel that they were not properly consulted, or that the recommended measures do not recognize the unique circumstances of their neighbourhood. Page 13 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

21 Identify the real problem. Frequently, the perceived nature of a traffic problem is substantially different from the real problem. In some cases, the difference is so great that a solution intended to eliminate the perceived problem might make the real problem worse. For example, residents often mention traffic volume and speeding as problems on their streets, but in many cases the problem is one or the other. It is important to identify the real problem, so as to select the appropriate measure. If the real problem is speeding, for example, a measure that significantly reduces the traffic volume on a street might inadvertently encourage speeding if fewer cars remain on the street to slow traffic. Quantify the problem. Some problems are more significant than other problems. Some problems are all-day problems, whereas other problems occur only at certain times, in certain seasons, or in certain directions. Some reported problems are not really problems that can be addressed by traffic calming. For example, two or three speeders a day would not be addressed through traffic calming. In order to ensure that appropriate traffic calming measures are implemented, it is essential that the extent of each problem be quantified. This means collecting data, including traffic volumes, accident data, counts of pedestrians and cyclists, measures of delay and other data as appropriate. Use self-enforcing measures those that maintain a 24-hour presence, and do not require police enforcement to be effective. For example, traffic circles should generally be used instead of four-way stops, speed humps should be used instead of speed restrictions, and directional closures and diverters should be used instead of turn prohibitions. Measures that can be circumvented such as a turn prohibition or a directional closure should be used only at intersections with major roads, where visibility and the presence of traffic discourage motorists from circumventing these measures. Minimize access restrictions. Generally, residents and other members of the community will be more supportive of traffic calming measures that do not restrict their access into and out of a neighbourhood. Diverters, barriers, and closures restrict access for people who live or work on a particular street, and support for such measures is directly related to the severity of traffic problems. Where problems can be addressed with other traffic calming measures that are not as restrictive to access, these should be considered instead, or residents should at least be given a choice of measures. Consider effects on other streets. In considering measures to resolve a traffic problem in one location, the City should also consider any potential effects on adjacent streets. These effects might be caused by traffic diverted to other streets, motorists who speed up further down a street from a traffic calming measure, or changes in turning movements that increase delays at an intersection. If these effects are not considered in advance, a traffic calming measure might fail to solve a problem and at the same time create new problems or exacerbate existing problems elsewhere in the neighbourhood. Page 14 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

22 Target automobiles and trucks only. The purpose of implementing traffic calming measures is to affect automobiles and trucks, not other modes. Consequently, traffic calming devices should be designed to permit transit buses, cyclists, and pedestrians to pass through, while obstructing automobiles and trucks. Similarly, traffic calming devices should be located and designed to minimize impacts on emergency and service vehicles. 4.2 The Process This section lays out a general process for undertaking traffic calming plans within the City of Langley. As stated in the introduction, the process partly depends on the size of the neighbourhood under consideration, the scope of the traffic problems, and the resources available to manage and implement traffic calming plans. In the City of Langley, the current scale of issues, neighbourhoods, and resources available are modest compared to some other communities. Consequently, a more streamlined process for developing traffic calming plans in the community is outlined in this section. A similar streamlined approach is successfully used in several other communities in BC. It is important to recognize that this Policy will likely evolve as the City gains experience in traffic calming and that the process used to develop traffic calming plans may change to meet the needs of the community. Figure 4.1 below illustrates the various activities involved in developing a traffic calming plan from study initiation through to approval. The public involvement activities that are shown are typical for a more streamlined approach. A larger-scale plan would generally involve more extensive public consultation. A process involving additional consultation is presented in Appendix A. Page 15 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

23 Figure 4.1: Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Process STAGE 1 Gauging Community STAGE 2 Developing STAGE 3 Plan Initiate Traffic Calming Plan Yes Collect Data Submit Plan to Council Refine Plan Community Letter/ Questionnaire Potential Solutions Community Letter Council Approval? No Community Support? Yes Community Support? Yes Yes Implement Plan No Respond to Request(s) Major Changes No Refine Plan Minor Changes Stage 1 Gauging Community Support If a neighbourhood satisfies the above criteria and a traffic calming study is initiated, the City will want to canvass the broader community early in the process to determine whether there is support for the preparation of a plan. This is a critical stage in the traffic calming process, as it determines early on whether others in the community have similar concerns and whether they want to consider traffic calming measures. In some communities, this early gauging of community support was not undertaken and significant effort and resources were invested in plans that were ultimately defeated because the majority of residents in the neighbourhood were not supportive of traffic calming in the first place. To determine the community s opinions early in the process, it is recommended that the City develop a newsletter/questionnaire to be distributed to all residents in the neighbourhood that describes: The study area for the plan The traffic-related issues that have been identified by members of the community or City staff Page 16 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

24 The purpose of traffic calming and some potential measures that could be implemented The process to be undertaken to develop a plan, if the community chooses to proceed The questionnaire should ask residents to respond to a direct question, such as Are there neighbourhood traffic issues that you think the City needs to address and Do you want the City to consider traffic calming for your neighbourhood? As well, residents should be given an opportunity to identify additional traffic-related issues that are of concern to them. In addition, residents should be requested to provide their name and address for confirmation that they live within the study area. If two-thirds of the respondents representing at least 50% of the assessed property value within the neighbourhood wish to proceed with a traffic calming plan, then the preparation of the plan can move forward to Stage 2. If this level of support is not achieved, the City will want to respond by sending a letter to all residents outlining the results of the survey and confirming that a traffic calming plan will not be undertaken without community support. Stage 2 Developing the Plan With community support established early in the process, preparation of the traffic calming plan can be undertaken. Once a study has begun, it is essential that all traffic and transportation issues in the area be identified and quantified. The list of issues will include those already identified through the City s recorded concerns and requests, but also any additional issues identified during Stage 1 of the process. The objective at this stage is to ensure that the most comprehensive list of issues has been compiled to minimize the potential for significant concerns to arise late in they study process. As discussed in Section 3.1, many issues will be identified during Stage 1 that do not necessarily fall within the scope of a traffic calming plan. Regardless, all of the issues should be documented as part of the traffic calming process, and the appropriate ones forwarded to other agencies as necessary for further action. Specific activities to be undertaken during this stage of the process include: Collect data. To verify the nature and magnitude of reported problems, and to ensure that the real problems are addressed, data must be collected. These data include reported collisions, vehicle speeds, traffic volumes, pedestrian volumes and other data relevant to the reported problem. Where possible, traffic data should be collected using automatic counters, for a minimum of 168 hours (seven complete days), and should be collected during times when problems are reported to occur. Similarly, manual data collection efforts (such as traffic counts and licence plate traces) should be undertaken at times when problems are reported to occur. Page 17 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

25 Existing data may be available from a variety of sources for many locations throughout the municipality. Additional information will need to be collected at locations for which municipal data are not available (such as speed data and vehicle classification counts). Detailed information regarding the level of data collection that may be required for traffic calming studies is included in Appendix B. Develop potential solutions. Potential traffic calming measures that would address the neighbourhood s concerns should be identified and incorporated into a preliminary plan. It is recommended that only a single preliminary traffic calming plan be developed, with optional measures for specific locations as required. Options should only be considered where two or more measures would be equally effective. Neighbourhood preference would then determine the preferred option, based on the relative advantages and disadvantages of each (unless cost differences are of such magnitude that City staff should also have input). Optional measures should also be considered where a specific measure might be controversial this permits residents and others who might oppose the specific measure to indicate support for the entire plan without supporting the specific measure. Community letter/survey. The purpose of the community letter/survey is to determine the level of support for or opposition (or neutrality) to the proposed plan, and to select optional measures. Words such as ballot and vote should be avoided when describing the community survey. It is important that residents and other community members understand that it is a survey intended to measure community support for the proposed plan, and is not a binding referendum. Consequently, it is important to explain that, following the survey, there will still be an opportunity to refine and improve the plan if there are any significant outstanding concerns. The proposed neighbourhood traffic calming plan and any optional measures should be explained clearly, in non-technical language and with as much visual material as possible. The letter should include a map of the neighbourhood, illustrating the plan and options, and sketches of various traffic calming measures. Where appropriate, background information should be included describing the nature of specific problems (such as observed traffic volumes or speeds on specific streets). Respondents should be given three choices for each question. They should be asked to indicate whether they support the plan, do not support the plan, or are neutral. The neutral choice is important. Some people might hesitate to actively support a plan, but might not want to condemn it either with a vote of no support. A third option allows them to say, in effect, I do not care strongly one way or another. Without the neutral option, the number of persons who do not support a plan might appear to be significantly higher than the actual number, and might make it difficult to identify those who have legitimate concerns with the plan. Page 18 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

26 The letter should be distributed to every residence (property owners and tenants) and business in the neighbourhood. One response is permitted per address. To maximize response rates, convenient locations in the neighbourhood should be designated for people to drop off their completed questionnaires. These can include community centres, schools, and stores. Although response rates will typically vary with the size of community, it is recommended that the City expect response rates that are in line with the typical voter turnout for municipal elections. The key consideration for the Policy is to set a minimum level of support for finalizing the traffic calming plan and seeking Council support during Stage 3. Although this minimum level could be as low as 50% plus one, it is recommended that a higher level of support be required to ensure solid support for and minimum opposition to the plan. A minimum of 67% support is recommended. As well, it is recommended that an upper limit be established for do not support responses. Ideally, fewer than 20% of respondents would not support the plan. Typically, many respondents who do not support a plan do so because of a single concern, and it is often possible to make minor changes to the plan to address these outstanding concerns, thereby reducing the proportion of opposition within a neighbourhood. If the required level of support is not achieved, the plan should be revised in an attempt to address the concerns of residents. If the public s concerns and the resulting changes are significant, a second community letter/survey should be distributed to canvass the public for the opinions on the revised plan. If the changes are less significant, a revised plan can be submitted to Council for approval in Stage 3. Stage 3 Plan Approval The third stage of the planning process is intended to get City Council s approval of the final traffic calming plan. The following activities are included in Stage 3: Present the plan to City Council. The refined plan should be presented to Langley City Council for approval and allocation of funding. It may also be desirable to invite members of the public to attend the presentation to speak on behalf of the plan. In general, the plan will be approved by Council based on the support received from the community through the survey process in Stage 2. Revise the plan if necessary. In some cases, Council may request minor revisions to the plan. Typically these revisions can be made without returning to the community for support by way of a letter/survey. Upon approval of the traffic calming plan, the City can move forward with implementation, which is described in Section 6.0. Implementation will be dependent on the availability of funding and the timing of the capital budgeting process. In some cases, Page 19 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

27 implementation may have to be delayed because funding is not available within the current capital budget. 4.3 Schedule The preparation of a traffic calming plan using this process will likely require a period of two to three months. A longer time period may be necessary where the work occurs around Christmas or the summer months, as public consultation is not advisable when a large number of residents may be on vacation. For this reason, it is generally best to initiate a traffic calming plan in September or January, as it can then be concluded and approved before Christmas or the summer. The more extensive process outlined in Appendix A would require a time period of four to five months. Following this schedule, design and construction of traffic calming devices can be undertaken in the spring and summer, respectively, when schools are not in session and traffic volumes on neighbourhood streets are often lower. If temporary devices are used, construction of permanent devices can occur the following spring or summer. Page 20 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

28 5.0 TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES This section of the Policy identifies which traffic calming measures are appropriate for use within the City of Langley, and also identifies which measures should not be used. Information regarding the applicability of traffic calming measures is also provided to supplement existing published information. 5.1 Measures Considered for Use in Langley The Canadian Guide to Neighbourhood Traffic Calming identifies a total of 25 measures that are commonly used in Canada for traffic calming, as listed in Table 3.1 of the Guide. However, the Guide notes that not all of these 25 measures are appropriate as traffic calming measures. Some measures such as stop signs and maximum speed signs, for example should not be used for traffic calming purposes. Although effective for other purposes, these measures have proven to be less effective for traffic calming purposes. This section of the Policy identifies those measures that are appropriate for the City of Langley based on input from staff and experience in other municipalities. The traffic calming measures identified in Table 5.1 below are recommended for use in Langley. Based on discussions with City staff, some traffic calming measures may be considered for both locals and collectors, whereas others should be used only on one type of roadway. Other factors affecting the applicability of traffic calming measures in Langley include access for emergency vehicles, transit service, and ongoing maintenance of roadways. Measures that should are not suitable for primary emergency response and transit routes are identified in the table. Page 21 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

29 Table 5.1: Applicability of Traffic Calming Measures in Langley Road Classification Local Roads Collector Roads Other Considerations Emergency Response Transit Routes Routes Vertical Deflection Speed Hump X X X Raised Crosswalk X X X Sidewalk Extension X X Textured Crosswalk Horizontal Deflection Curb Extension Curb Radius Reduction X X On-Street Parking Raised Median Island Traffic Circle X X Road Diets Obstruction Directional Closure X X X Raised Median Through Intersection Right-In/Right-Out Island X X X Signage Traffic Calmed Neighbourhood Key - suitable X not suitable Those traffic calming measures recommended for use in Langley are briefly summarized as follows: Vertical Deflection This section describes traffic calming measures that cause a vertical deflection of the vehicle. The following measures are recommended for use within the City of Langley as summarized in Table 5.1. Speed humps. Speed humps are not the same as speed bumps used in parking lots and designed in many communities. Speed humps may be 4m or 7m long for local and collector roads, respectively. At moderate vehicle speeds, speed humps gently rock a car, whereas at higher speeds, there is more of a jolt. The result is that motorists will slow down to approximately 35 km/hr travelling over the speed hump. The City prefers that speed humps be considered for use only on local roads only, unless those roads are part of a primary emergency response route or transit route. Page 22 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

30 Raised crosswalks. A raised crosswalk is essentially a speed hump combined with a crosswalk. It provides the same benefits as a speed hump in slowing vehicles at the crossing. It also improves pedestrian safety by increasing the visibility of the crosswalk, and conveying a message that pedestrians have priority at the crossing. The City does not wish to consider raised crosswalks on collector or arterial roads. Except on roads that are part of an emergency response or transit route, they may be considered for local roads. Sidewalk extensions are intended for use on local streets. The primary purpose of a sidewalk extension is to indicate that pedestrians on the sidewalk have priority over vehicles approaching on the roadway. Sidewalk extensions are only considered along or crossing a local road. Textured crosswalks are appropriate for use on all roadways. A textured crosswalk incorporates a textured and/or patterned surface that contrasts with the adjacent roadway surface. The primary benefit of textured crosswalks is that they better define the crossing location and can further enhance other measures such as raised crosswalks and/or curb extensions Horizontal Deflection This section describes traffic calming measures that cause a horizontal deflection of vehicles. These types of measures discourage short-cutting or through traffic to varying degrees and may also reduce vehicle speeds, reduce conflicts and enhance the neighbourhood environment. Curb extensions improve pedestrian safety by reducing the distance that pedestrians must cross a roadway, and by improving the visibility of pedestrians for approaching motorists, and the visibility of approaching vehicles for pedestrians. Curb extensions can be used at intersections and at midblock locations, and can be used alone or in Page 23 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

31 combination with a raised crosswalk and/or a median island. In addition to their pedestrian safety benefits, curb extensions on one or both sides of the roadway also help to reduce vehicle speeds. For this purpose, curb extensions may be built on either urban or rural roadway cross sections. In the City of Langley, curb extensions may be considered along all road classes including transit and emergency response routes. Curb radius reduction is the reconstruction of an intersection corner to a smaller radius. This measure effectively slows down right-turning vehicle speeds by making the corner tighter with a smaller radius. A corner radius reduction may also improve pedestrian safety to a certain degree by shortening the crossing distance. This type of measure is acceptable on most classes of roadway, but its use is often limited to specific situations where the existing intersection geometry would allow the reconstruction. In addition, curb radius reductions should not be used on transit routes. On-street parking is a practical way of decreasing the effective road width by allowing vehicles to park adjacent and parallel to the road edge. This type of measure is applicable on most classes of road, but may not be that effective on rural cross-sections, unless obstructions are placed at the roadside to prevent vehicles from parking too far off of the roadway. The primary benefit of allowing on-street parking as a traffic calming measure is the reduction in vehicle speeds due to the narrowed travel space. In Langley, this type of measure may prove to be effective for older residential neighbourhoods closer to the City Centre. Raised median islands are installed in the centre of an arterial or collector road to slow traffic without affecting the capacity of the road. Raised median islands are particularly useful at unsignalized crosswalks on higher-volume roads, as they increase motorists awareness of the crosswalk and permit pedestrians to cross half the road at a time. Raised median islands can be combined with curb extensions and/or raised crosswalks to further improve pedestrian safety. These measures may be considered on all classes of roadway. Page 24 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

32 Traffic circles should only be used at intersections of local residential streets, and intersections of local streets and minor collector roads where traffic volumes are balanced. They should not be used on industrial collector or arterial roads, even where these roads intersect local residential streets. Experience in other communities has shown that, where traffic circles are located on major roads, traffic entering the traffic circle from the major road often fails to yield to traffic that has already entered from the local street, creating a safety concern. Traffic circles should not be confused with a similar traffic control device the modern roundabout Road diets are a new technique used to better define roadspace for various users and to encourage motorists to slow down. In many cases, wide local and collector streets do not have pavement markings (other than a centre line in the case of collectors) to clearly indicate where motorists should drive. Road diets involve the addition of pavement markings to define driving space, parking space, and, in some cases, bicycle facilities. More clear definition of driving space can induce drivers to reduce their speed. Road diets also refer to the technique of Parking Lane Two Marked Travel Lanes reducing four-lane arterial roads to two- or three-lane arterials with bicycle facilities and/or on-street parking. Road diets can apply to any type of road in Langley Obstruction This section describes those traffic calming measures that obstruct specific vehicle movements. These types of measures are typically implemented at intersections, but may also be applied at some mid-block locations. The primary benefit of obstruction measures for traffic calming is that they effectively calm traffic behaviour without compromising bicycle or pedestrian movements. Although these types of measures are effective at discouraging short-cutting and through traffic to varying extents, they are only recommended for use when horizontal or vertical deflection measures would not be effective or appropriate. The following obstructions are appropriate for use in Langley, as per Table 5.1. Sidewalk Park Space Page 25 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

33 Directional closures are applicable for use only on local residential streets, but at intersections with other road classes such as collectors and arterials. A directional closure is a curb extension or other barrier that extends into the roadway, approximately as far as the centreline. This device obstructs one side of the roadway and effectively prohibits vehicles travelling in that direction from entering. Directional closures are especially useful for controlling non-compliance of one-way road sections and are compatible with other modes such as bicycles. At all directional closures, bicycles are permitted to travel in both directions through the unobstructed side of the road, however, some directional closures have a pathway built through the device specifically for bicycles. Raised median through intersection. These devices are used on the centrelines of twoand four-lane roadways to prevent left-turn and through movements to and from intersecting streets. This type of device is appropriate for use on all classes of road in Langley and is especially effective at preventing short-cutting and through traffic while providing some secondary pedestrian safety benefits. In the City of Langley, raised medians through intersections are appropriate for use on all classes of roadway. Right-in/right-out islands are raised triangular islands located on an intersection approach to limit the side street to right turn in and out movements. Similar to a raised median through an intersection, this device is used primarily to restrict movements to and from an intersection roadway. In Langley, right-in/rightout islands may be considered only for use in locations where local residential streets intersect another roadway of any class Signage Signage prohibiting turns and through movements should only be used as an alternative in situations where appropriate traffic calming measures cannot be used. The use of signage without accompanying physical traffic calming devices should be avoided where Page 26 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

34 possible, as this can create an enforcement problem and, as a result, can be costly in terms of police resources. There is, however, one type of signage that can be used to complement the physical devices installed through a traffic calming plan. Traffic-calmed neighbourhood signage is used to notify motorists and other road users that they are about to enter a neighbourhood that has been calmed by the installation of various traffic calming measures. Although this signage alone does not have any significant impacts on driver behaviour, it aims to make the motorist aware of the conditions they are about to enter and could potentially act as a deterrent for motorists looking for a short-cut. 5.2 Measures Not Recommended for Use in Langley Through discussions with City staff, the following traffic calming measures are not recommended for use in Langley: Raised intersections are not readily visible to motorists and other roadway users. Consequently, their effects on vehicle speeds and traffic volumes are minor, at best. Given the high cost of retrofitting raised intersections on existing roadways, it is recommended that raised intersections not be used in Langley as a traffic calming measure. Rumble strips are typically used on high-speed rural roadways at approaches to unsignalized intersections. Because this situation does not exist within the City, and because rumble strips create concerns for maintenance, snow clearing, and particularly cyclists, they are not recommended for use in the City of Langley. One- and two-lane chicanes are not recommended for use in the City of Langley. Although one-lane chicanes have proven to be somewhat effective at reducing vehicle volumes, maintenance concerns have been identified. Two-lane chicanes have generally not proven to be effective and are also not recommended for use in Langley. Diverters are only used where significant short-cutting problems exist and should only be considered in extreme circumstances, as they severely restrict access for residents and transit and emergency vehicles, unless pass-through facilities are provided. Given the existing scope of traffic calming issues being raised within the City, diverters are not recommended for use at this time. Page 27 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

35 Intersection channelization is used to delineate specific movements at or through an intersection. They typically restrict access to and from cross-streets and therefore impact access to neighbourhoods for residents and emergency vehicles. In addition, they are costly to implement. For these reasons, intersection channelization is not recommended as a traffic calming technique at this time. Full closures are typically only considered as a last resort, as they completely restrict access for residents and others travelling to and from locations within a neighbourhood. They also restrict emergency and transit access. Less restrictive measures should be considered first, as in most cases these can achieve the same results, without the severe impacts associated with a full closure. Signage. As mentioned in the previous section, signage that prohibits turning and through movements should only be considered when other methods of traffic calming are not effective or appropriate. Experience in other communities has shown that signage alone to prevent vehicle movements, control traffic, or restrict speeds is generally not effective and must be provided in combination with other physical traffic calming measures. In the City of Langley, it is not recommended that signage alone be considered as an appropriate traffic calming device. Page 28 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

36 6.0 IMPLEMENTATION This section of the Policy outlines the recommended approach to the implementation of traffic calming plans after they are approved by Council. 6.1 Design, Construction & Monitoring Once approved, traffic calming measures can typically be implemented immediately following design, but may be phased over time. As well, temporary measures may be installed to test their effectiveness and to identify potential adjustments to the plan or the measures themselves to reflect actual conditions. Implementation activities are illustrated in Figure 6.1 and are discussed below. Figure 6.1: Implementation Process Implement Plan Yes Install Temporary Devices Design Phasing if necessary Consider Temporary Devices? No Construct Permanent Devices Monitor Effectiveness Design. To ensure that traffic calming measures are constructed properly, designs should be prepared for most devices based on accurate survey information. However, it is usually not necessary to prepare designs for individual speed humps and raised crosswalks instead, a standard design can be used and a map prepared illustrating the exact location. Designs should be implemented based on information in the Canadian Guide to Neighbourhood Traffic Calming, and supplementary design information contained in Section 6.2 of the Policy. Phasing. Desirably, traffic calming measures should be implemented all at once. However, in some cases it may not be possible or desirable to implement all traffic calming measures at the same time. Instead implementation might be phased over a Page 29 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

37 period of two or more years. If implementation is to be phased, priorities for implementation should be determined using the following criteria: Safety improvements should be given priority. These might include traffic calming measures to reduce vehicle speeds and reduce conflicts at intersections, as well as pedestrian and bicycle facility improvements. Low-cost measures should be given priority. Generally, it is preferable to implement several low-cost measures rather than one higher-cost measure. Lowcost measures might include signage, pavement markings, speed humps and crosswalks, for example. Measures should be implemented in groups. For example, measures on two parallel local streets should be implemented at the same time, so as to avoid diverting traffic from the street with a measure to the street without a measure. Temporary devices. Where possible, traffic calming devices should be first implemented on a temporary basis. After a period of six months to a year, if it has been determined that a device has achieved the intended results, it should then be constructed on a permanent basis. This avoids the risk of removing or modifying a permanent installation that was constructed at a much higher cost than a temporary installation. It also provides an opportunity to alter the geometrics of a device or make other changes prior to permanent installation. Guidelines for temporary devices are included in Section of the Policy. Construction. Guidelines for the construction of traffic calming devices are also included in Section 6.2. Monitoring. Data collected during the preparation of the traffic calming plan represents before data. Following implementation of the plan, after data should be collected at the same locations and in the same conditions to determine whether desired results have been achieved. 6.2 Design Notes The following information regarding the design of traffic calming devices is intended to supplement or replace information presented in Section 4 of the Canadian Guide to Neighbourhood Traffic Calming. These guidelines reflect experience and new techniques developed since the Guide was published. Page 30 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

38 6.2.1 Design Guidelines This section presents improved and modified designs for several traffic calming measures. These changes address deficiencies of the designs presented in the Guide, and reflect proven practices in BC. Speed humps and raised crosswalks. To achieve the desired profile, speed humps and raised crosswalks should be constructed with two lifts of asphalt. Experience in other communities indicates that it is much easier to achieve the desired profile if a first lift of half-height is constructed, followed by the final lift, rather than attempting to form the entire hump to the desired profile in one lift. Table 6.1 provides measurements for the first and second lifts along the length of the cross-section. The simplest way to ensure that each lift conforms to the desired profile is to construct a template from plywood, and pass this across the lift, shaping the asphalt as necessary to conform to the template, as illustrated in Figure 6.2. Table 6.1: Speed Hump Profile Distance From Finished Height (mm) Edge of Hump (m) First Lift Second Lift Page 31 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

39 Figure 6.2: Shaping a Speed Hump With a Template Curb extensions. The minimum dimensions indicated in the Guide for curb extensions (Section of the Guide) are excessive, and might unnecessarily reduce opportunities for on-street parking. Figure 6.3 indicates minimum dimensions appropriate for conditions in Langley these dimensions are used for curb extensions in Vancouver and other municipalities in BC. Page 32 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

40 Figure 6.3: Minimum Dimensions For Curb Extensions in Urban Areas Traffic circle. Landscaping should be included in the centre of a traffic circle to enhance visibility and aesthetics, rather than a hard surface or a planter. Specific guidelines regarding landscaping include: Asphalt should be removed from the centre of the traffic circle prior to landscaping. 150mm of pavement should be left along the inside edge of the traffic circle curb, so as to provide stability for the concrete curb. The traffic circle should be filled with clean fill material. This should be covered by 75mm of topsoil, which should in turn be covered with 50mm of planting mulch. A maximum slope of 3:1 should be used for material within the traffic circle. Plant material should be selected which requires minimum irrigation during summer months, and minimum maintenance. Trees may be placed within the centre of traffic circles. Circles less than 5m in diameter should include one tree placed in the centre of the circle. Circles larger than 5m in diameter can incorporate up to three trees, each of which is located at least 1.25m back from the curb face of the circle. Trees must be watered weekly for one hour during the first two years after planting. Raised median islands. The minimum dimensions indicated in the Guide for raised median islands and raised median islands through intersections (Sections Page 33 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

41 and of the Guide, respectively) are excessive, and might unduly impact traffic operations and on-street parking on some streets. Figure 6.4 and Figure 6.5 indicate minimum dimensions appropriate for conditions in the City these dimensions are used for raised median islands in Vancouver and other Lower Mainland municipalities. Figure 6.4: Minimum Dimensions For Raised Median Islands Page 34 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

42 Figure 6.5: Dimensions for Raised Median Islands Through Intersections Directional closure. The designs for directional closures illustrated in the Guide (Section 4.4.1) can cause problems for cyclists where vehicles are parked against the back side of the closure, and can increase maintenance efforts as a result of debris accumulated in the bicycle channel. An alternative design of directional closure was developed in Vancouver to address these problems, as illustrated in Figure 6.6 and Figure 6.7, and is recommended for use in Langley. Page 35 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

43 Figure 6.6: Directional Closure (No Entry) Figure 6.7: Directional Closure (No Exit) Right-in/right-out island. The design of a right-in/right-out island should be based on two design vehicles a passenger car and an SU-9 single-unit truck. As illustrated in Figure 6.8, the width of the roadway through the device should only be sufficient to accommodate the design passenger car. A sloping concrete apron (similar to that used on traffic circles) should be incorporated at a width sufficient to accommodate the design truck. This approach to the design of right-in/right-out islands helps to discourage motorists in passenger cars from attempting to circumvent the device by turning left or travelling straight through the intersection. If the width of the roadway through a right-in/right-out island is constructed so as to accommodate a Page 36 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

44 single-unit truck, it is very easy for a motorist in a passenger car particularly a compact car to circumvent the device. This reduces the effectiveness of the device and creates an enforcement problem. Figure 6.8: Right-In/Right-Out Island Roads without curbs. In most cases, all traffic calming measures can be implemented along roads with rural cross-sections without special provisions recognizing that site specific provisions for drainage, grade and other factors are always required. Speed humps and traffic circles, however, do require special provisions along roads without curbs. In the case of speed humps, no additional design features are required. As illustrated in Figure 6.9 and Figure 6.10, the hump should extend beyond the asphalt roadway approximately 0.5 m. Despite concerns that motorists will drive around the hump, or drive with the righthand wheels off the hump, in practice very few motorists attempt to do so. Placing speed hump signs adjacent the hump on both sides is sufficient deterrent to driving around the hump. If necessary, a 15x15 cm treated wooden post 1.0 m high (with reflectors) can be installed within 1.0 m of the edge of the hump to further deter motorists from driving around the hump. Page 37 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc

45 Figure 6.9: Speed Hump Construction on Road Without Curbs in Delta Figure 6.10: Speed Hump on Road Without Curbs in Delta Page 38 U:\Projects_VAN\1125\0009\01\Wp\207th TC\TC Policy\ doc