Report to/Rapport au :

 

Council / Conseil

 

Submitted by/Soumis par :

R.G. Hewitt, Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint,

Public Works and Services/Services et Travaux publics

 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Michael J. Flainek, M.Eng., P.Eng., Director/directeur

Traffic and Parking Operations/Circulation de stationnement

613-580-2424 x 26882, Michael.Flainek@ottawa.ca

 

Ward 21

Ref N°: ACS2007-PWS-TRF-0001

 

 

SUBJECT:

Bridge Street and south river drive – new traffic control signal

 

OBJET :

Chemin Bridge et promenade South River – nouveau feu de circulation

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

 

That Council receive this report for information when considering the 2007 Capital Budget.

 

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Conseil reçoive, à titre informatif, le présent rapport lors de l’examen du budget d’immobilisation de 2007.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

At its 11 October 2006 City of Ottawa Council meeting, the following motion was carried:

 

Moved by Councillor G. Brooks

Seconded by Councillor D. Thompson

 

WHEREAS for years, the community of Manotick has had to contend with significant traffic problems, especially on and around Bridge Street;

 

AND WHEREAS the preferred solution of the community, to extend Van Vliet Street, would cost upwards of three-quarters of a million dollars;

 

AND WHEREAS the proposed solution by staff will substantially improve the traffic situation on Bridge Street at a cost of only $250,000;

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that staff include the Bridge Street intersection improvements in their 2007 workplan;

 

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the required funds of $250,000 be taken from general reserves.

 

MOTION

 

Moved by Councillor J. Stavinga

Seconded by Councillor D. Holmes

 

That the Brooks/Thompson motion be REFERRED to the 2007 budget process, to be accompanied by a staff report.

 

                                                                                                      REFERRAL CARRIED

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

Bridge Street, between Arthur Crescent/West River Road and North River Road, is located in Manotick, as illustrated in Document 1.  This roadway is a two-lane, 40 km/h arterial road with curbs and sidewalks on both sides of the road.  A left-turn lane is present at the signalized intersection of Bridge Street and Long Island Drive.  All other roads that intersect Bridge Street within this section are stop control.  It is also noted that this section of Bridge Street is on an island and is the only road that allows residents to the north and south of Bridge Street to exit off the island.  Document 2 illustrates the existing conditions within this section of Bridge Street.

 

Residents of Manotick have indicated that traffic movements to/from the southern portion of the island community are difficult and unsafe due to combination of high traffic volumes on Bridge Street and lack of controlled access opportunities.  In particular, northbound left-turn movements from Arthur Street, Richard Street and South River Road onto Bridge Street are problematic during the peak periods when eastbound and westbound volumes are high and available gaps are limited.  Traffic counts conducted at these three (3) unsignalized intersections indicate that warrants for installing a traffic control signal have not been met (15% met at Arthur Street, 29% met at Richard Street and 57% met at South River Drive).

 

Within the corridor in question, twenty-one (21) collisions were reported in the period between January 2003 and September 2006.  The majority of the collisions were rear end (15 of the 21).  There were no angle collisions for northbound vehicles entering Bridge Street at any of the three intersections that lead to the southerly portion of the island.

 

In view of the concerns raised by the residents, a consultant was retained in the spring of 2006 to review a range of alternative solutions to assist residents on the southerly portion of the island to access Bridge Street and to recommend a preferred solution.  The alternative solutions included: do nothing; install a new traffic control signal on Bridge at one of the intersections that leads to the south portion of the island; re-align North Riverside Drive and South Island Park Drive to form a 4-way intersection and install a traffic control signal; and, extend Van Vliet Road to Bridge Street at Long Island Drive.

 

The report concluded that the preferred solution was to extend Van Vliet Road to Bridge Street at Long Island Drive.  This extension improves the access to areas south of Bridge Street, provides minimal increase in delay to motorists on Bridge Street, and consolidates controlled accesses on south side of Bridge Street to a single location.  However, this solution would cost approximately $750,000 for the acquisition of property and construction of required road works.

 

The alternative solution to install a traffic control signal at the intersection of Bridge Street and South River Drive was not deemed to be the preferred solution as it is only 75m from the existing traffic control signal at Bridge Street and Long Island Drive, there is a sight line limitation imposed by the crest of the bridge crossing of the Rideau River, and, this additional signal would increase the delay to through motorists on Bridge Street.

 

Should Council wish to approve to approve funds to address the existing delays for residents living on the southerly portion of the island, an unwarranted traffic control signal could be installed at the intersection of Bridge Street and South River Road.  To deal with the sight line limitations imposed by the bridge crossing of the Rideau River, that installation would have to be supplemented with a "traffic signals ahead” warning sign - augmented with flashing amber beacons – on the westbound approach.  In total, the estimated cost to signalize the intersection and install the required warning devices would be approximately $250,000.

 

Further, if Council approves funding for this project, this intersection will be “jumping the queue”.  This is because the funding envelope currently provided for the New Traffic Signal Program falls short of that which is required to signalize all locations that currently meet the installation warrants for traffic control signals.  This particular intersection only satisfies those warrants to the extent of 57%.

 

 

CONSULTATION

 

No consultation was undertaken in preparing this report.

 

 

TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN

 

Not applicable.

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The recommendation is to have the Bridge Street and South River Drive New Traffic Signal requirement estimated at $250,000 to be considered during the 2007 Capital Budget deliberations.  Should this project be considered it would form part of the New Traffic Control Signal program.

 

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1 – Key Plan

Document 2 – Existing Conditions

 

 

DISPOSITION

 

Should Transportation Committee and Council approve the funds for the installation of a traffic control signal at the intersection of Bridge Street and South River Drive, it would be installed in the summer of 2007.

 


Document 1

Key Plan


Document 2

Existing Conditions