Minutes of the Abbotsford Traffic Safety Advisory Committee meeting held Wednesday, May 19, 1999, at 3:07 p.m. in Room 530 of Abbotsford City Hall Committee Present: Chairman - Councillor M. Warawa; Councillor M. Gill; School District No. 34 - V. Sills; I.C.B.C. - A. Shibata; Central Fraser Valley Cycling Club - G. Harder; Speed Watch Program - T. Jamieson; Federal Superannuates - R. Fleming; Upper Fraser Valley Health Unit - R. Nickel; Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce - R. Walker Staff Present: Abbotsford City Police - Cst. Bergman; Engineering Technician - F. Gledhill; and Records and Information ManagerlRecording Secretary - S. Kowalchuk Guests Present: B. Toews (part) 1. Call to Order The Chairman called the meeting to order at 3 :07 p.m. 2. Approval of Agenda B. Toews, 2242 Foothills Court, was in attendance to address a dangerous comer on Whatcom Road. Moved by R. Walker, seconded by V. Sills, that the agenda for the Abbotsford Traffic Safety Advisory Committee meeting of May 19, 1999, with the addition of the delegation ofb. Toews, be approved. 3. Minutes - April 21, 1999 4. Delegation CARRIED. Moved by T. Jamieson, seconded by R. Nickel, that the minutes of the Abbotsford Traffic Safety Advisory Committee meeting held April 21, 1999, be adopted. CARRIED. 4.1 B. Toews, 2242 Foothills Court - Whatcom Road B. Toews expressed his concern about the danger to pedestrians who walk along Whatcom Road, just north of the Highway No. I overpass. He stated that the road is narrow, there is no sidewalk or shoulder on the inside, and a gravel shoulder on the outside of the road. The members were advised that when Whatcom Road is extended, improvements will be made; however, the timing was unknown.
Minutes of the Abbotsford Traffic Safety Advisory Committee meeting held Wednesday, May 19, 1999, at 3:07 p.m. in Room 530 of Abbotsford City Hall Page 2 The Committee discussed possible interim solutions, including: placing no-post barricades on the shoulders; and topping the trees to improve visibility and lighting. Moved by T. Jamieson~ seconded by V. Sills that B. Toews' presentation be received, and the Engineering Department report on the timing of extending Whatcom Road and interim solutions to improve the safety at the comer, north of Highway No.1. B. Toews left the meeting at 3:20 p.m. 5. Business Arising from Minutes.1 Laburnum Avenue - Traffic Calming Devices CARRIED. A. Shibata distributed notes! of the public information meeting held with residents of the Laburnum Avenue area to discuss traffic speeding and calming devices on Laburnmll Avenue. The meeting held May 4, 1999, at Robert Bateman Secondary School, was attended by approximately 30 residents. The consensus of the Committee members was that there was not much support from the residents for traffic calming devices, but that some other form of traffic calming be implemented, i.e., more stop signs and lower speed limits. The predominant concern was the area of Palfy Park, where it was suggested that the existing walkway be moved inside the fence to protect pedestrians from speeding traffic. The Engineering Department recommended that: (1) the Committee request the Parks Department to replace the existing fence at Palfy Park with something lower; (2) a letter be sent to Township Transit regarding the allegation of buses speeding on Laburnum A venue; and (3) the Engineering Department review the placement of speed zone signs through the park. Moved by V. Sills, seconded by G. Harder, that it be recommended to City Council that, as recommended by the Engineering Department: (1) the Parks Department be requested to replace the existing fence at Palfy Park with something lower; (2) a letter be sent to Township Transit regarding the allegation of buses speeding on Laburnum Avenue; and (3) the Engineering Department review the placement of speed zone signs through the park. CARRIED.
Minutes of the Abbotsford Traffic Safety Advisory Committee meeting held Wednesday, May 19, 1999, at 3:07 p.m. in Room 530 of Abbotsford City Hall Page 3 The issue of placing three-way stops at Laburnum A venue and Latimer Street, and Laburnum A venue and Exbury Avenue, was discussed. It was agreed that forcing motorists to stop too many times would only increase driver frustration. It was suggested that signs be placed, similar to those used in Toronto, advising that the street is a "traffic calming area". Moved by V. Sills, seconded by R. Nickel, that the Engineering Department investigate and report on the use of additional signing, and the placement of three-way stops at the intersections of Laburnum Avenue and Latimer Street, and Exbury Avenue and Latimer Street. CARRIED..2 Mayfair A venue - Speeding Moved by T. Jamieson, seconded by V. Sills, that the request to review the speed limit on Mayfair Avenue, east of McCallum Road, be deferred until R. Morice is in attendance to report on the results of the speed watch campaign conducted on Mayfair Avenue. 6. Correspondence None. 7. New Business.1 Pauline Street and Hazel Street - Street Lighting CARRIED. Councillor Gill reported that there is no street light at the comer of Pauline Street and Hazel Street. Moved by T. Jamieson, seconded by R. Fleming, that the Engineering Department request B.C. Hydro to install a street light at the comer of Pauline Street and Hazel Street. CARRIED..2 Huntingdon Road, Clearbrook Road to McCallum Road - Speed Limit Councillor Gill advised that he had been approached to have the speed limit on Huntingdon Road, between Clearbrook Road and McCallum Road, reduced from the existing 70 kmih to 60 kmih due to school children walking on the side of the road from South Poplar
Minutes of the Abbotsford Traffic Safety Advisory Committee meeting held Wednesday, May 19, 1999, at 3:07 p.m. in Room 530 of Abbotsford City Hall Page 4 Elementary School. Cst. Bergman advised that speeding results from bad driver habit and 60 kmih is not easily enforceable for the design of the road. The Committee members felt that 70 kmih is a safe speed for this area. It was mentioned that it is planned to replace the four-way stop at Huntingdon Road and McCallum Road with a two-way stop for motorists on McCallum Road. Moved by R. Walker, seconded by V. Sills, that the Committee recommend to City Council that the four-way stop at Huntingdon Road and McCallum Road be retained.. 3 Hazel Street - Road Markings and Signing CARRIED. F. Gledhill reported that the Engineering Department is presently investigating road markings and signing on Hazel Street, just east of Cyril Street, to improve traffic flow. 8. Next Meeting The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 16, 1999, in Room 530 of Abbotsford City Hall. A. Shibata advised that Sandra Jones of I.C.B.C. would be attending to present the "walking school bus program", which requires support from school parent advisory committees and the community to implement. 9. Adjournment Moved by T. Jamieson, seconded by V. Sills, that the Abbotsford Traffic Safety Advisory Committee meeting be adjourned. (4:20 p.m.) CARRIED. OllL... Chairman ~~~ OEPUTY CITY CLERK t=~;~ ~ TH COTE INotes attached to, and form part of, these minutes
PUBLIC FORUM ON SPEEDING AND TRAFFIC CALMING For Laburnum Avenue, Abbotsford Committee Members in Attendance: Held at Robert Bateman Secondary School Hosted by the Traffic Safety Committee May 4, 1999 Councillor Mark Warawa (chairperson) Art Kastelein - Engineering Roy Morice - Speedwatch Tim Jamieson - Speedwatch Gary Harder - Fraser Valley Cycling Club Aileen Shibata - JCBC Road Safety (recorder) Speedwatch Presentation: Roy and Tim showed a Speedwatch video which they recorded on March 24, 1999, between 2:20 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Laburnum Street at Palfy Park, where the playground speed zone of 30 kmlh was in effect. The average speed was 25 to 50 kmlh. A lot of - vehicles were clocked at approximately 30kmlh, and some were between 36-43km1h, with a few in the 50kmlh range. Roy stated that Speedwatch has covered this area quite a few times. Recent statistics show of214 vehicles; 61 were clocked at 30kmlh, 8 at 40kmlh and 6 over 50kmlh. Their experience tells them that people do slow down when they see a Speed Reader Board. Comments: Lynn Breaky, 34941 Exbury Avenue Who determines where and when SRBs are placed? Roy Morice of Speedwatch This volunteer group which works out of the Community Police Office takes requests from school administrators and/or parent groups. Statistics are provided to JCBC and the Abbotsford Police for their use. Warning letters are sent to motorists to remind them to please slow down in a school zone (not used as an enforcement tool).
Theresa Dike, 3540 Latimer Street Latimer Street is being used as a drag racing strip. Byron Oneil, 3641 Latimer Street Potential problem at Laburnum and Latimer is a vehicle coming up the hill causing a crash; there is a slight turn and motorists are travelling so fast they have to brake. Engineering Presentation Art Kastelein showed a video clip which provided a visual description and purpose of different types of traffic calming devices. These included rumble strips, chicanes, chokers, traffic circles and diagonal diverters. He outlined the possible benefits and drawbacks of these devices from an engineering, transportation and community perspective. Traffic calming devices can either reduce the volume of vehicles in areas where the site is being used as a 'shortcut' for drivers, or can reduce conflict, meaning the number or severity of crashes. Suggestions: Replace four-way stops with traffic calming device on Laburnum so that traffic keeps movmg Iffour-way stops are used, speeding occurs because drivers tend to speed between the stops to make up for lost time Speed humps are objected to by BC Transit because the buses are 'low riding' for handicapped persons. Kent Rhymer, 3511 Latimer Street Will Old Clayburn Road be extended to Robert Bateman School? Art Kastelein - Engineering Laburnum will connect with Old Clayburn eventually.
Kathy Riley, 34961 Miller Crescent, below Exbury No stop signs so children can't safely cross the road. What are the plans for a middle school in the area? Steve Carleton - principal of Robert Bateman Secondary No direct plan right now. Long range plan is for a middle school in three to four years on the east side. The Augustan area is a possibility. Kathy Riley, 34961 Miller Crescent, below Exbury What would be the reaction of high school students to traffic calming devices? Steve Carleton - principal of Robert Bateman Secondary School Police Liaison Officer would work with, and educate students on, use of the devices. Steve has recommended to Council that a stop sign be placed at the corner of Exbury and Laburnum. Unidentified Male A three-way stop at the corner of Latimer and Laburnum will slow drivers down. Unidentified Female Residents need a safe crosswalk on Latimer that can be seen, ie. with lights etc. Byron Oneil, 3641 Latimer Street Traffic island or circle and speed hump would be most effective. Hesitant to recommend this though because of the bus issue. If no passengers exit the bus at Exbury, then the buses are speeding too. Christine Abbs, 34986 Laburnum A crosswalk by the park is needed (on Laburnum, by the walkway at the end of the park)
Ron Carrier, 3636 Latimer The problem lies with traffic enforcement. He has called the Abbotsford Police three times and spoken with Traffic Division and the Dispatcher. When radar was placed just before the park, traffic slowed down for the following four weeks. At Latimer and Morrow approximately three weeks ago, a car failed to stop at the stop sign at a four-way stop. There was a fully marked police car sitting on the other side; the officer did nothing. He has offered his driveway for surveillance to the Police. He wants more radar enforcement. At the stop sign on Latimer at Laburnum, there is racing and constant squealing of tires on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings between 10:00 p.m. and 1 :00 a.m. Ticket these drivers! Mr. Carrier works out of his house so he is able to hear and see this traffic regularly. Rob Murray, 34994 Laburnum He attended a traffic safety committee meeting in October and the following day, radar was set up. Issue oflack of police enforcement and manpower has not been brought up. Kurt Klassen, 3729 Latimer Resident lives half-way up the hill by Miller Crescent. He hears the squealing of tires up and down the hill on a constant basis. He can hear vehicles coming around the comer from his house. Answer to this problem is concentrated Police enforcement. It is the same motorists who go up and down the hill. He knows who the drivers of these vehicles are. He waves to them to slow down and questions what more he can do to give drivers the message, i.e., a spikebe1t? Eleanor Toews, 34980 Centaur Court (property backs onto Laburnum) If the principal of the Secondary School is called because a resident has witnessed poor driving or speeding, what happens at the school? She has done this when a license plate has been recorded. Steve Carleton - Principal of Robert Bateman Secondary The complaint is taken ~seriously. The incident is followed up by the School Police Liaison Officer. The resident has to make a complaint and identify the vehicle and driver. If possible, charges are laid. The school has acted on each and every phone call on this issue to date and, if a student is the driver, the principal, police and teachers are very
aggressive about it. The student would be prohibited from bringing a vehicle to school in the future if any infractions are reported. Lynn Brady, 3491 Exbury Regarding speeding on Laburnum, the comer of Exbury and Latimer encourages speeding because of its design which is very dangerous. It is hard to tum left off of Exbury onto Latimer; motorists have to pass the stop sign to see oncoming traffic. When drivers see that no one is there, they often accelerate leaving tire marks. Across the street on the walkway to the park and Swift School, motorists can't see pedestrians because there is no crosswalk. Problem area is in the design. Also, the bus is empty the majority of the time. Roley Acher, 3585 Latimer Road (old part) When Laburnum is put through to Old Clayburn, residents should beware because it will become a route to Highway 11. Last year there was a head-on collision in the middle of Latimer. When Police visited the site at 3 :00 a.m., they came in and made the statement "You've got a freeway out there!" If there is no Police present to enforce then it invites crime. Education and enforcement are what is needed - where are our tax dollars going? Theresa Dike How do residents request a crosswalk and give input for the location? What is needed in this area is a pedestrian-activated crosswalk with overhead signage. Linda Murray, 34994 Murray Street Resident commended Cst. Dixon, School Police Liaison Officer, and Steve Carleton, Principal of Robert Bateman Secondary, for an excellent job in responding to neighbourhood concerns of speeding by students. Recommendation for speedbumps or traffic circles - all they are trying to do is prevent someone from being killed due to vehicles speeding. The 30kmlh speed zone at the park is in the wrong place - it should be at the park entrance and not in the middle of the park. There have been 52 signatures collected in support of the recommendation to lower the speed limit to 30kmlh in the residential area of Latimer and Laburnum. Resident has spoken to Cst. Dixon and it was suggested that there would be enforcement if the limit was changed to 30kmlh.
Peter Gilleman, 3732 Miller Court Better posting of the speed limit is needed. The intersection of Latimer and Laburnum should be redone somehow so that drivers are forced to slow down. Right now, Latimer is built for high speed ie. wide road, blacktop etc. Is there a reason - will it be a link to the Mission Highway rather than a residential street? It must be changed so that it is not a drag strip or raceway. Wendy Beggs, 34967 Miller Crescent Problem is in the area of Palfy Park; it is very difficult to walk along the sidewalk with young children. Can the sidewalk be made wider and something be done with the fence? The peak time is when walking children to and from school at 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Art Kastelein - Engineering Some solutions may be to move the sidewalk away from the road or create a buffer strip with trees. Also, the fence could be replaced with boulders or posts to keep vehicles off the grass, but allow pedestrians a refuge area. Janice McKim, 34980 Laburnum Let's start with the least intrusive way such as speed enforcement or changing the speed SIgns. Unidentified elementary student The fence should go on the other side of the sidewalk. Lindsay Lapierre, 34986 Laburnum At the corner of Exbury and Latimer there is a forced turn; therefore, a speed hump as a traffic control would create a better flow of traffic. A possibility is to close off a road somewhere so you can't get through. Forced turn at the intersection of Latimer and Laburnum. Michelle Klassen, 37J9 Latimer (house in front of Miller) Move sidewalk to other side of the fence. What about a cement barrier? Resident does not walk there anymore with her children because of this problem. There is traffic roaring
up and down all the time. There is no Police enforcement. Resident is disappointed with the Police as she has called numerous times with no response to her traffic concerns. On one occasion an Officer sat there for five minutes and said 'no problem here' and left the vicinity. Stuart Riley, 34961 Miller Crescent Residents who care about the neighbourhood are in attendance; although 80% of the problem originates from their neighbourhood. This discussion starts to make him think about himself as a driver. People don't care that much about what happens in their own community. Resident does not want chicanes or traffic circles as these will turn their neighbourhood into a mini indy racetrack. Unidentified Female Traffic volume is created by parents themselves. You can see as many parents as children after school in the area. Linda Murray, 34994 Murray Avenue 200 homes in the area were distributed flyers for the evening forum. Jay Cavanaugh, 35063 Laburnum Resident just moved into the neighbourhood. Squealing of tires can be heard in the middle of the night. Resident has seen a 4 x 4 truck do a 360 degree turn on the road in front of his house. The solution is more enforcement - he wants more policing. If traffic islands are put in, he feels this would re-route the traffic. There is a concern of an extension of Laburnum. Rob Murray Recommendation to traffic safety committee to decrease the speed limit to 30kmlh and request more policing in the area.
*Comments shared after the forum discussion include: Lack of neighbourhood attendance may be due to the specific mention of Laburnum Avenue on the invitation, rather than the neighbourhood of Laburnum, Latimer and Exbury, or even extend the invitation to all residents of the Robert Bateman catchment area There was a concern expressed by a resident that City staff did not offer any viable traffic calming solutions for the problem of speed and dangerous driving. The response was that, even though from an engineering/transportation or enforcement view, certain calming devices are not recommended, this does not prevent community needs identifying a specific traffic calming solution. The recommendation was then made for traffic circles or speed bumps for the area.
ACTION LIST FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING DATE -MAY 19, 1999 It be recommended to City Council that: 1. The Engineering Department report on the timing of extending Whatcom Road and interim solutions to improve the safety at the comer, north of Highway No. 1. 2. The Parks Department be requested to replace the existing fence at Palfy Park with something lower. A letter be sent to Township Transit regarding the allegation of buses speeding on Laburnum Avenue. The Engineering Department review the placement of speed zone signs through Palfy Park. The Engineering Department investigate and report on the use of additional signing, and the placement of three-way stops at the intersections of Laburnum A venue and Latimer Street, and Exbury A venue and Latimer Street. 3. The Engineering Department request B.C. Hydro to install a street light at the comer of Pauline Street and Hazel Street. 4. The four-way stop at Huntingdon Road and McCallum Road be retained.