Traffic Calming Review Max Becker Drive Thursday, November 30, 2017 Presentation at 7:00 p.m. WT Townshend Public School
Agenda 1. Introductions 2. Traffic Calming Review Process 3. Study Area & Existing Conditions 4. What is Traffic Calming? 5. Resident Feedback Summary 6. Exploring the Alternatives / Preferred Alternative 7. On-Street Parking Restrictions 8. Addressing Your Priorities 9. Next Steps 10.Questions
Introductions City of Kitchener Project Team Ken Carmichael, Interim Director of Transportation Services Barry Cronkite, Interim Manager of Transportation Planning Aaron McCrimmon-Jones, Transportation Planning Project Manager Steven Ryder, Traffic Technologist Ryan Krantz, Transportation Engineering Support Eric Bentzen-Bilkvist, Traffic Student
Traffic Calming Review Process Phase 1: Problems and Opportunities Establish context, collect & review data/ information Public Information Centre #1: Issues & opportunities Review / summarize resident and agency feedback Phase 2: Exploring the Alternatives Identify alternative traffic calming measures Summer 2017 Develop and evaluate preliminary recommendations Phase 3: Design Develop design concept Fall 2017 May 2017 Public Information Centre #2: Design concept input *We are here Phase 4: The Preferred Solution Review / summarize input & finalize design December 2017 Resident survey January 2018 Committee /Council approval March 2018 Phase 5: Implementation Potential traffic calming measure implementation Summer / Fall 2018
Study Area Max Becker Drive, between Activa Avenue and Fischer Hallman Road Study Area
Existing Traffic Controls
Traffic Speeds & Volumes Between Activa Ave & Bridlewreath St. August 2016 AADT Eastbound 2,001 vehicles/day AADT Westbound 1,971 vehicles/day 85 th Percentile Speed 55 km/h Between Isabella St & Commonwealth St. August 2016 AADT Eastbound 2,896 vehicles/day AADT Westbound 2,830 vehicles/day 85 th Percentile Speed 52 km/h AADT Annual Average Daily Traffic Between Copper Leaf St & Isabella St. August 2016 AADT Eastbound 2,796 vehicles/day AADT Westbound 2,652 vehicles/day 85 th Percentile Speed 50 km/h 85 th Percentile Speed at which 85% of drivers travel at, or below.
Collision History Chart 3-Year Collision Summary Collision Type 2014 2015 2016 2017 (to May) 2017 (June to Present) Total by Type Angle 2 0 3 0 1 6 Approaching 0 0 2 0 0 2 Rear End 0 1 3 0 0 4 Single Motor Vehicle 2 4 2 2 0 10 Turning Movement 1 1 0 0 1 3 Totals 5 6 10 2 2 25
Collision History Map
What is Traffic Calming? Physical measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use and alter driver behaviour. Improve conditions for non-motorized street users. Traffic Calming measures can involve changes in traffic signage and/or physical changes to the road: Vertical Deflection Horizontal Deflection Vertical traffic calming measures will typically not be considered on Emergency routes, Transit Routes or Major Collector Roadways. The City of Kitchener endorses traffic calming as a means to reduce speeding, through traffic and collisions in residential neighbourhoods.
What is Traffic Calming? Required Support Traffic Calming Initiation City requires 25% support from affected residents to initiate traffic a calming study. Response Rate of Affected Homes 29% Total Yes 26% Total No 3% Implementing the Preferred Plan Once the Traffic Calming study is complete, a minimum of 50% of the affected residents must respond, with 60% support of the recommended plan for it to proceed.
Resident Feedback Summary
Resident Feedback Summary
Resident Feedback Summary Table #1: General Comments from Resident Feedback All Way Stop at Copper Leaf St. 8 Speed Humps 7 Pavement Markings / Signage 5 Reduce Speed Limit 3 Median Island / Pedestrian Refuge Island 3 Police/By-law Enforcement 2 Raised crosswalks 2 Narrow Road/Curb Bump-outs 2 Textured Pavement for Crosswalks 2 Traffic Circle 1 No Traffic Circles 1 Raised crosswalk @ Isabella 1 Pedestrian safety near businesses/goodlife Fitness 1 Crosswalk from parking lot to Goodlife Fitness 1 Permanent Speed Radar Signs 1 TOTAL 40
Resident Feedback Summary The Top 3 List Your top 3 concerns: 1) Speeding 2) Volume of traffic 3) Pedestrian / Child safety Your top 3 solutions: 1) All way stop at Copper Leaf 2) Speed humps 3) Pavement markings / signage
Preferred Alternative (#1) ALTERNATIVE #1
Preferred Alternative (#1) ALTERNATIVE #1 (west)
Preferred Alternative (#1) ALTERNATIVE #1 (east)
ALTERNATIVE #2 Other Alternatives (#2)
Other Alternatives (#2) ALTERNATIVE #2 (west)
Other Alternatives (#2) ALTERNATIVE #2 (east)
ALTERNATIVE #3 Other Alternatives (#3)
Other Alternatives (#3) ALTERNATIVE #3 (west)
Other Alternatives (#3) ALTERNATIVE #3 (east)
Addressing Your Priorities Your top 3 concerns: 1) Speeding speed hump, narrowed intersections 2) Volume of traffic Major Collector Roadway 3) Pedestrian safety Narrowed intersections, one-sided narrowing at school crosswalk Your top 3 solutions: 1) All way stop at Copper Leaf Study was conducted All way NOT warranted at this time instead, narrowed intersection to improve sightlines for drivers 2) Speed humps Speed humps between Activa & Bridlewreath along straightaway 3) Pavement markings, signage centre lines through narrowed sections, centre line from roundabout to Commonwealth; appropriate signage
Next Steps Public Information Centre #2 design concept input Agency circulation design concept input Finalize design based on resident and agency input Neighbourhood survey Committee presentation Council presentation Installation Follow-up Review *Jan 2018 *Mar 5, 2018 *Mar 19, 2018 *Summer/Fall 2018 *Summer/Fall 2019 *We are here *Dec 2017
QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION
All-way Stop Control Warrants All-Way Stop Controls are meant to safely alternate the right-ofway to opposing traffic flows; In order for an All-Way Stop Control to be warranted, a significant amount of traffic must exist on both streets; If there is little traffic on the side street, drivers who regularly use the major street will start anticipating that they will not have to yield to anyone and may disobey the stop signs; Unwarranted All-way Stop Controls are often disobeyed by drivers; Pedestrian safety can be compromised; Unnecessary increase in traffic noise as vehicles slow down, stop and then accelerate again; Stop signs increase air pollution and waste fuel; Adding new stop signs usually increases overall vehicle speeds, as drivers attempt to make up for lost time spent at a stop sign;