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Pages tagged "speed limits"


August 3, 2016 community meeting: Speed bumps?

Posted on Blog by Virginia Ridley · August 03, 2016 10:19 PM

Minutes:

Ward 10 Community Meeting

Speaker Discussion
Virginia Ridley
Councillor
Ward 10
General discussion to gain input on what concerns are found
within the Ward as it relates to traffic and traffic calming.

Edward Soldo
Director, Roads & Transportation
Power Point Presentation regarding Traffic Calming, within the
City and other options that are / have been considered.

Question Answer
Traffic lights at Wonderland Rd S and
Pine Valley Drive are not long
enough, causing east/west traffic to
run lights.
Also, there is not enough time for
pedestrians to cross the road.
Traffic on Wonderland Rd has met capacity. The traffic lights
are reviewed every six months for timing adjustments on
Wonderland Road. As traffic is heavier on Wonderland Road,
the traffic light times on Pine Valley Dr will be affected,
causing shorter green lights.
Pedestrians must push the cross walk button before the light
turns green. This indicates to the timing of the lights that a
pedestrian is crossing the road, and additional time will be
provided for pedestrians to safely cross the road.
Commissioners Rd at
Andover/Beachwood will be closed –
what calming measures will be taken
on surrounding residential streets
(that are not part of the detour)?
At this time, no calming measures will be taken on additional
surrounding residential streets. Detour routes are well
signed and most traffic will re-route based on the signage. It
is unavoidable to deter traffic from using alternate routes to
get to their destination.
As the closure will be for a limited number of days, it would
be ineffective and a poor use of resources to install
temporary calming measures
During road construction, would it be
a possibility to have temporary stop
signs put in place on surrounding
residential roads?
The City examines potential construction impacts for all
major projects on arterial roadways. Detour routes are
developed for temporary closures that are signed and
advertised. For longer term projects, local temporary traffic
calming solutions are reviewed and implemented if
warranted.
Is it possible to permanently remove
speed humps / bumps during road
reconstruction?
The removal of traffic calming measures must follow Policy,
which indicates that
- Residents can request removal 2 years after
installation
- A survey will be sent to affected home owners
- A minimum of 25% support must be received for the
removal of the devices
McMaster is currently being repaved,
would it be possible to remove the
speed bumps permanently? Many
residents in the area do not want
them re-installed.
It is standard practice to reinstall everything that is on the
roadway, ex. School crossings, curbs, etc.
Should residents wish for the traffic calming devices to be
removed, a request can be sent to the Transportation
department (see question and answer above).
What types of traffic calming
measures are used?
Horizontal Traffic Calming Measures
- Speed cushion
- Raised intersection
- Raised crosswalk
- Speed table
- Speed hump
- Curb radius reduction
- Neighbourhood traffic circle
- Centre island median
- Lateral shift
- Roundabout
Physical Obstruction
- Directional closures
- Raised median through intersection
- Right-In / Right-Out
- Diverter
- Full closure
Passive & Mitigating Measures
- Education
- Community entrance signs
- Textured pavement
- Targeted speed limit enforcement
- Speed Display (PEEP Board)
- On street parking
- Road watch program
- Road diet
What measures are most effective to
calm traffic?

Traffic Calming measures that are physically impeding to
drivers are the most effective. For example,
- Directional closures
- Raised median through intersection
- Right-In / Right-Out
- Diverter
- Full closure
- On Street Parking

Speed humps
Speed cushions and raised intersections are of the most used
and effective within the City of London.

Who pays for the installation of the
traffic calming measures?
Specifically, do the residents that
have requested the traffic calming
measures pay for the installation?
The City of London Roads and Transportation department
absorbs the cost of installation and removal of the traffic
calming measures.
Is there any possibility that the
residents who request the traffic
calming measures be responsible for
the cost of installation, similar to that
of the street light local
improvement?
While this has been considered in the past, traffic calming is
not included as an item under the City’s local improvement
policies. Traffic calming provides benefits to residents
(walkers, cyclists, etc.) beyond those that front onto the
roadway.
There is a Council approved budget to address traffic calming
capital infrastructure needs. The Traffic Calming Policy
requires community consensus to justify making changes to
established neighbourhoods. Support from the majority of
adjacent property owners, not the capita cost, is typically the
biggest obstacle for the traffic calming proposals.
Curb extensions are in favour of the
pedestrians, in that there is minimal
road way to cross, however there is
concern for the safety of cyclists as
the road narrows, not allowing
enough room for a bicycle and
vehicle.
Yes, curb extensions are beneficial for pedestrian crossing. A
cyclist has the right to a full lane of the road per the Ontario
Traffic Act, therefore when a cyclist approaches the curb
extension, they should take over the lane and proceed
through the area. Further, bicycles are considered a vehicle
under the Ontario Traffic Act, and therefore have a right to a
full driving lane.
Could rumble strips be used within
the City as a traffic calming measure?
While rumble strips do bring attention to the speed in which
drivers are travelling, this measure is used most often in rural
areas. The reasoning for this is that a constant hum would be
heard in urban areas where traffic is constant, and this would
be detrimental to residential quality of life.
Why was a stop sign installed at Pine
Valley & Viscount Rd if stop signs are
not considered traffic calming
measures?
After numerous complaints, a traffic volume count was
complete. The count found that there was a high enough
vehicle and pedestrian volume with the required split in
traffic to meet the required warrant, the stop signs were NOT
installed as a traffic calming device, but to control right-ofway
at the intersection.
When will Wonderland Rd be
widened?
Wonderland Road has met capacity, and staff are constantly
reviewing the traffic lights for any adjustments so that traffic
may flow easier.
The widening of Wonderland Rd is included with the City of
London 20 year road network plan, which indicates that
Wonderland Rd will be widened to six (6) lanes.
Considering speed humps are a
permanent fixture, how does this
impact snow plowing?
Speed humps do not impact snow clearing. To learn more
about the snow clearing procedures, and when you can
expect your street to be cleared, visit London.ca and search
for Winter Maintenance.
Is there a mandate for road
construction jobs indicating what
kind of notice and signage is
required?
Yes, contractors are aware of the requirements. If you have
concerns or do not see signage of the road construction
project, please contact the Environmental Service staff at
es@london.ca or by calling 519-661-4570
As the new Southwest Community
Center is being constructed shortly, it
would make sense for Southdale
Road to be widened at the same time
– two projects at once resulting in
less disruptions to residents.
At this time, it is not in the budget to expand Southdale Road,
nor does the volume of traffic meet requirements for
expansion.
Further, the developer owns the land until the City of London
assumes the land, meaning that the City of London cannot
construct on private property.
It is anticipated that an Environmental Assessment will take
place late 2016 / early 2017. During this assessment, road
requirements will be reviewed; the public will also be
consulted during this phase to gain user input.
What is an Environmental
Assessment?
An Environmental Assessment is an assessment/review of the
need to expand and how to fulfil this need.
Environmental Assessments are required for large
construction projects, such as the Southdale Road widening
that is coming up.
Part of the Environmental Assessment is public consultation,
during this time the public is encouraged to provide input,
concerns, and learn on how the project will impact them
directly.
What kind of data is collected during
a speed and volume study and how is
this considered when considering
traffic calming for a residential area?
Point system; min. number of cars are required to be on the
street for consideration; speed; volume; short cutting traffic;
collisions; presence of sidewalks; number of pedestrians.
Please refer to page C-1 of the Traffic Calming Policy.
Are “Local Traffic Only” signs
effective?
No, these signs are not effective. Drivers will maneuver
around the sign to gain access to the road.
When will Windermere Road be
completely open again?
It is anticipated that the bridge work will be done by the fall.
We are anticipating that the bridge will be open within the
month of October.
I heard that red light cameras were
rejected in London – why?
This is misinformation. Red Light Cameras were approved by
Council in January, for the period of 2017-2021.
Traffic volumes on Andover Dr have
increased, and speed is a problem. It
is requested for a traffic calming
study on Andover.
A speed a volume study has been scheduled for this fall to
determine if the street qualifies for traffic calming. The study
will take place between Elmgrove Cres and Viscount Rd.

 


My notes on decreasing speed limits for Civic Works Committee on May 20, 2015

Posted on Blog by Virginia Ridley · May 21, 2015 9:51 PM
Posted on May 21, 2015

Most of the time, I will prepare and make notes for meetings.  Sometimes they are quick pencil-and-paper jot notes of points I want to make and I will cross them off as my colleagues speak to them first. Sometimes I will create a more comprehensive speech, which I still use as a guide when speaking.  At the Civic Works Committee, I did skip over some parts as I felt they may have added more details than required, or may not have received warm reception.  Here are my notes as I referenced them yesterday.  I will in the next few days try to clean this up as more of a proper blog post.

 

 

Notes from Civic Works Committee – May 20, 2015 – 1pm

On decreasing Speed limits in school zones

I want to start by thanking our staff for preparing the report that is before us today.  This issue has been raised in the past and has fallen flat.  I’m not sure why.  Actually I have some ideas why, but I hope that this committee is able to see the bigger picture and how this fits into it.

We are really dealing with two issues when we look at decreasing speed limits in school zones. I’m going to start with the micro level issue. We need to increase the sense of safety for pedestrians, especially children around schools.  Over and over the most common thing I heard on doorsteps and at my ward meeting is that speed on streets, especially around schools, is an issue.

In fact, our staff recently conducted a speed study on Viscount Road after hearing repeated concerns from residents.  This Intersection, where children are expected to cross to school every day, had some really interesting results.  Based on the 24 hour volume of 3500 cars, 15% of the vehicles were travelling more than 15 kms OVER the speed limit. 525 cars were travelling at speeds which could kill someone.  That is one car every 3 minutes.  I get it.  It is things like this which leave parents saying it’s not safe for my kids to walk to school

Parents feel that there are too many cars and that safety is an issue.  So they drive these cars.  Do you see the problem here? Most parents are concerned about safety, and a common response is to drive their kids.  This creates more traffic and congestion which decreases safety.  SO where does it end and what role do we have to play? We as a committee and as a council need to implement many strategies which shift the culture for pedestrians.  We are looking at strategies across many areas – we want walkable communities.  We need to consider creating the safe culture for pedestrians around school areas.

I’ve heard some comments about whether or not there is a problem. I can tell you that just recently a child was hit near a Thames Valley school.  These injuries, unless fatalities do not often hit the paper. I can also tell you, that to the parents of a child who has been hit, one injury is one too many.  We have an opportunity to save lives through the support that we give this report today.

Since 2008 there have been 34 collisions within 150 metres of schools.  These numbers are from a review of accidents in school zones was completed by our Roadway Lighting & Traffic Control Division Manager.  There was one fatality, and 32 injuries.  One collision was property damage only.  These are only the collisions, not the near misses which are reported anecdotally on a regular basis.

A London Free Press article dated July 15, 2013 CITES THAT there were 351 collisions in 2012.  200 of these involved pedestrians and 151 involved cyclist.  Over 91% of these collisions caused injuries.

If we go outside of London and look to some Canadian information, I can share that in a SafeKids Canada report with regard to child pedestrian injuries the following key facts and stats are reported:

Child pedestrian injuries are a leading cause of injury related death for Canadian children aged 14 years or younger.

  • Pedestrian-related injuries contribute almost 15 per cent of all injury-related deaths of children younger than 14 years.
  • On average, 30 children pedestrians younger than 14 years old are killed and 2,412 are injured every year.
  • Children aged 10 to 14 years have the highest risk of pedestrian injuries and deaths

The safe kids Canada report on child pedestrian injuries recommends a 3 pronged approach –

1) reduce driver speed (traffic speed to 40/30km/h

2) encourage guided practice to teach pedestrian safety

3) make communities more walkable.

A coroner’s review of pedestrian deaths in 2010 urged the province to allow municipalities to lower the default speed limit to 40 km/h in school zones.

According to the coroner’s review of pedestrian deaths – p11 of the executive summary indicates that 67% of deaths occurred on streets with speeds beyond 50km/h, and only 5% on roads with less than 50km/h.

The coroner makes several recommendations – a complete streets approach, – (p13 – that municipalities consider 30 km/h on residential streets and 40km/h on other unless otherwise posted.)

The World Health Organization has found that pedestrians hit by a car or truck travelling at around 45 km/h have a 50 per cent chance of being killed.

But those struck by a vehicle going 30 km/h or slower have a 90 per cent survival rate.

According to Speed Management: A road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners

Geneva Global Road Safety Partnership 2008 p. 8. Research has been conducted internationally and speed limit reduction research in south Africa, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, new Zealand, the united states and the united kingdom have concluded that when speed limits were reduced, road crashes decreased between 8 and 40 per cent.

The province of BC has a mandatory law of 30km/h in school zones.  Every school, in every municipality.

Guelph has decreased speed limits.

Toronto has decreased speed limits and many small communities have implemented (this lowered speed limit?)

You will have heard the health unit speak about their support for this motion, and I agree with them.  Decreasing speed limits will create a safer way for children to be more active getting to and from school and it must be coupled with other things – such as education and complete streets.

The schools are very interested in supporting this reduction and I have no doubt that they will be encouraging children to get to and from school actively and talk about the benefits of the environment, and the safety, as well as their own health and wellness.  As you may know I have 2 children at home, (who now walk to and from school at ages 6 & 7) and they are very much interested in being active and healthy.

That leads me into the macro level – which I promise will be shorter.

We’ve talked about wanting to create walkable communities.  We know that walkability is a huge factor in strengthening neighbourhoods.  We also know that we are spending millions of dollars each year widening our roads.  We can’t sustain this rate of widening.  WE have the ability, through our policy, to affect and promote change on an entire generation.  The change including the ability to create those active and healthy habits like walking – and walking to school is a first step.

Decreasing speed limits alone will not create the change, I know this, but it is one part of the overall picture.  This partnered with the October In Motion challenge by the Child & Youth Network), the Safe and Active Routes to school by Public Health, the Walking school buses that are gaining popularity in each individual school will assist with the change I, and parents alike, hope to see.

When I reflect on my school days in the early 90’s I remember the implementation of the blue box, and how it was brought into the schools.  Can you imagine that just 20 years ago everything went to our landfill? Now we separate and make environmentally sound choices.

What if we have the ability to change the mindset of how people move about their city for an entire generation?  A group of children who will grow up and use transit (perhaps rapid transit), who will walk and cycle and who will choose not to use a vehicle. It is through this kind of change that we can see decreased costs in road widening and positive long term effects.

I believe that decreasing the speeds in school zones has the potential to increase the sense of safety for parents and children and be the start of a SHIFT in how the next generation gets around the city.  It is just one of the tools in our tool box to effect positive long-term change.


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