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2. Area
Traffic Management Considerations within the Approved Term-of-Council
2011-2014 Priorities Plan points à examiner
relativement à la gestion de la circulation locale dans le cadre du plan
approuvé des priorités du mandat du COnseil de 2011-2014 |
That Council
receive the implementation details of the Neighbourhood Traffic Improvement
Program, including cancellation of the Area Traffic Management process, as
outlined in this report.
Recommandation du ComitÉ
Que le Conseil prenne connaissance des détails du Programme
d’amélioration de la circulation dans les quartiers, y compris l’annulation du
processus de gestion de la circulation locale, comme il est expliqué dans le
présent rapport.
DOCUMENTATION
1.
Transportation Committee report dated 22 September
2011 (ACS2011-ICS-PGM-0189)
2.
Extract
of draft Minutes 11,
Transportation Committee meeting of 5 October, 2011
Report to / Rapport au:
Transportation Committee
Comité des transports
and Council / et au Conseil
22 September
2011 / le 22 septembre 2011
Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City
Manager, Directrice municipale adjointe, Infrastructure
Services and Community Sustainability, Services d'infrastructure et Viabilité des
collectivités
Contact
Person/Personne resource:
John L. Moser, General Manager/ directeur general,
Planning and Growth Management/ Urbanisme et Gestion
de la croissance
(613)580-2424 x28869, John.Moser@ottawa.ca
John Manconi, General Manager, Directeur général / Public Works / Travaux publics
(613)
580-2424 x 21110, John.Manconi@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Transportation
Committee recommend that Council receive the implementation details of the
Neighbourhood Traffic Improvement Program, including cancellation of the Area
Traffic Management process, as outlined in this report.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité des
transports recommande au Conseil de prendre connaissance des détails du
Programme d’amélioration de la circulation dans les quartiers, y compris
l’annulation du processus de gestion de la circulation locale, comme il est
expliqué dans le présent rapport.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In accordance with the Council Approved 2010-2014 Term of Council Priorities, this report provides the implementation details of the Neighbourhood Traffic Improvement Program (NTI). This program replaces the Area Traffic Management process (ATM), which saw resident requests for traffic management measures like speed humps, turning restrictions, and narrowed intersections studied, prioritized and listed for funding in the yearly capital budget. Funding decisions have resulted in a backlog of 462 recommended projects, and 79 outstanding requests for studies with six studies currently underway. Some of the recommended projects are more than 15 years old, in total all the recommended works would cost about $7 million to complete, and there is no funding available for any of the projects or further studies
The NTI Program recognizes that Ward Councillors are in a unique position to prioritize area traffic management spending and each Councillor will have responsibility for the allocation of their share ($30,000 per ward) of the overall budget for ward-specific traffic management. Lists of projects developed under the ATM process will be drawn up and distributed to each Councillor for possible funding (see attached Documents 2-4).
The balance of this report outlines the background and decision making that has led to this recommendation, and puts forward details on how the NTI program will be implemented
RÉSUMÉ
Conformément aux priorités approuvées pour le
mandat du Conseil pour 2010-2014, le présent rapport donne les détails de la
mise en œuvre du Programme d’amélioration de la circulation dans les quartiers.
Ce programme remplace le Processus de gestion de la circulation locale (GCL),
qui permettait d’étudier, de prioriser et d’inscrire aux fins de financement
dans le budget des immobilisations annuel les demandes des résidents en matière
de gestion de la circulation comme la mise en place de dos d’âne, des
restrictions de virage et le rétrécissement des intersections. Les procédures
ont permis de les étudier, de le prioriser et de les inscrire pour financement
dans le budget des immobilisations annuel. Les décisions de financement ont
entraîné une accumulation de 462 projets recommandés et de 79 demandes d’étude
en attente, dont six sont en cours. Certains des projets recommandés remontent
à plus de 15 ans et au total, tous les travaux recommandés coûteraient environ
7 millions de dollars à réaliser. De plus, aucun financement n’est disponible
pour ces projets ou d’autres études.
Le Programme d’amélioration de la circulation
dans les quartiers tient compte du fait que les conseillers sont les mieux
placés pour prioriser les dépenses en
gestion de la circulation locale et chaque conseiller sera chargé
d’allouer sa part (30 000 $ par quartier) du budget global à des
mesures de gestion de la circulation spécifiques à son quartier. Des listes de
projet déposés dans le cadre du GCL seront préparées et distribuées à chaque conseiller
pour financement possible (voir les Documents 2-4 ci-joints).
Le reste du présent rapport décrit le contexte
et le processus de prise de décisions qui a mené à la présente recommandation
et donne des détails quant à la manière dont le programme d’amélioration de la
circulation dans les quartiers sera mis en œuvre.
BACKGROUND
Council approved the current Area Traffic Management (ATM) Guidelines in 2004, as a process and set of measures to ensure streets within neighbourhoods are used appropriately. The primary goals were to ensure the impact of motorized vehicles was minimized and to improve safety and quality of life. ATM is essentially a study and implementation process, considering a full range of traffic management solutions, where broad stakeholder consultation and consensus building are seen as important considerations in determining the appropriate solution. Study initiation and solution implementation were dealt with in order of problem severity through an approved city‑wide prioritization process.
The ATM program has had a substantial, on-going backlog of previously approved measures from various studies requiring approximately $7M for implementation. Some are from studies approved 15 years or more ago. The program also has more than 70 requests from across the city for the initiation of new studies. Obtaining funding for the program has been an on-going challenge. All previous studies/recommendations and materials will be retained for reference purposes.
In 2008, Council provided direction to staff to devise a method to streamline the consideration of simple traffic calming measures.
More recently Council approved the 2011-2014 City Strategic Plan, including Strategic Initiative TM3-13 – Neighbourhood Traffic Improvements, which is a program that provides funding allocation equally by Ward to address community needs relating to improving traffic operations. As stated in the Strategic Plan, funding from this initiative provides capacity to implement a range of warranted traffic improvements such as stop signs, speed limits adjustments, turn restriction, etc. Capital funding for this has been set at $690,000 for each of 2012, 13 and 14, or $30,000 per ward per year. This represents the full extent of Capital funding available for area traffic management solutions, but is also intended for other types of neighbourhood traffic improvements. Individual Councillors will have final say on the most appropriate use of this funding. At the time of Transportation Committee’s consideration of the Transportation Committee component of this plan on 29 June 2011, staff committed to reporting back with further details on how this new program would be managed.
DISCUSSION
Strategic Initiative TM3-13 – Neighbourhood Traffic Improvements Program
Public Works and Planning and Growth Management staff will work with
the Ward Councillors to implement measures that will improve traffic operations
on residential streets within their communities. Proposed measures will
be reviewed by staff to determine whether they meet existing guidelines through
existing traffic programs and budget. Measures
that do not fit into current programs and budgets but are priorities for the
local community and Ward Councillor will be implemented
using this program. Examples of
these measures include but are not limited to the installation of multi-way
stops on two local streets, information signage indicating you are entering a
community and to slow your speed, centerline pavement markings on local
streets, speed humps, minor roadway/intersection narrowings or turn
restrictions.
The following list provides approximate costs for installation of
various traffic improvements once approved:
Note that this is not an exhaustive list and other measures not listed
above can be determined along with the Ward Councillor.
It is also important to note any measures that may impact an adjacent
ward will only be considered for implementation with the adjacent Ward Councillor’s
concurrence. For example, if a turn
prohibition were to be proposed and the impact of this prohibition would be
that traffic may be diverted onto another road in the adjacent ward, this
measure would not be implemented without consultation and concurrence from the
impacted Ward Councillor.
Going Forward – Responding to Area Traffic Management / Traffic Calming Requests
Given the recent approval of Strategic Initiative TM3-13, individual Ward Councillors will decide on low-cost traffic solutions. In light of this, the ATM process is being discontinued. It is also recommended, given the limited funding available for traffic solutions, that the City discontinue the initiation of community traffic studies that consider traffic calming-type solutions, unless specific funding for implementation is identified.
The value of continuing the utilization of a City wide ATM process for responding to individual requests within Wards would be limited given Strategic Initiative TM3-13. Decisions on how to address individual requests would best be made on a Ward-by-Ward basis through discussions with the individual Councillor for the Ward. This recognizes that Ward Councillors are in a unique position to determine priorities within the entire Ward when deciding how best to utilize available funding.
The value of undertaking community traffic studies to address concerns that come forward is also limited given the level of funding available for implementing solutions. Where broad stakeholder consultation and consensus building were seen as important considerations in determining an appropriate solution, individual Ward Councillors are seen as being best suited to determining the most appropriate means of obtaining such input. There may, however, still be specific cases where the City will need to undertake comprehensive studies, but only where potential funding for implementation has been identified, such that the resulting plan can be better tailored to being implementable within a reasonable timeframe. A good example of this would be Council’s recent direction that staff undertake an ATM study of Albion Road, with funding for both the study and implementation being derived from City reserve funds generated from the proposed new gaming tables at the Rideau Carleton Raceway.
As the former ATM process focused on dealing with serious issues in order of problem severity, it was not particularly effective for addressing simple or non-controversial problems or requests, even if such requests received significant levels of public support. Such requests were generally either screened-out entirely, or simply remained near the bottom of the priority list of requested studies.
An alternative to dealing with requests in order of problem severity, which individual Councillors may want to consider when recommending allocation of the available $30,000 annual funding, would be to utilize a separate process for specific types of requests for traffic calming measures that better recognize and/or reflect community desires or expectations, as opposed to problem severity. This could be particularly appropriate for measures that are generally accepted as providing benefits while having relatively minor secondary (or negative) impacts. A speed hump petition process, as further described below, would provide Councillors and members of the public with a ‘fast track’ alternative when dealing specifically with speeding concerns on local streets.
This speed hump petition process is intended to apply only to local streets. While there may be specific situations where speed humps may be appropriate along collector roads, given the intended primary function of collector roads (to serve neighbourhood travel between local and major collector or arterial roads), such requests often require more careful consideration of the potential for measures on these streets to divert traffic onto local streets, and to consider the potential impacts on the intended service functions of such streets.
While not always the only available solution to address concerns related to speed, in most local street situations, a speed hump installation is likely to result in an overall positive net impact for residents of the street and the community (i.e. positive benefits outweigh the negative impacts). The suggested speed hump petition process is further described in Document 1. Of note, given that individual Councillors will have the final say on the most appropriate use of the available funding within the Neighbourhood Traffic Improvements Program, this is being brought forward as a suggested tool only, as opposed to a recommendation. Doing this allows Councillors to decide whether or not to utilize this tool when considering requests from within their individual Wards.
As part of this speed hump petitions process staff can provide details of existing conditions and determine the most appropriate speed hump locations along particular streets – with the requestor (with the involvement of the Ward Councillor) assuming responsibility for obtaining public consensus. This would mean, however, that no detailed assessment would be undertaken to: verify concerns; consider alternative solutions; consider, in detail, potential impacts; or to ensure broader community wide support.
The recommended minimum level of support for speed humps requested through this petition process is 66% of all households, businesses and institutional uses directly abutting the street block(s) in which the requested speed hump(s) would be located. This 66% requirement is the same as is utilized in the recently approved process of requesting a 40 km/h speed limit on local residential streets. There would be no requirement for obtaining support from outside of the immediate street block(s) where speed humps are being considered, including from the Community Association for the area. As this process is limited to only local streets, the direct impacts of the requested speed humps to those outside the immediate street block(s) are expected to be reduced to what it would be for those directly abutting the block(s), and in most cases minimal. If desired, however, individual Councillors could expand the petition area if they feel this was warranted.
As mentioned above, the City currently has a waiting list of more than 70 requests for new studies. While some are comprehensive, community-wide study requests, most are related to concerns along individual streets, and are often accompanied by requests for specific types of traffic calming solutions. Document 2 provides a complete listing of these requests by Ward. Given that staff initiation of new ATM studies will no longer continue, details of these requests will be forwarded to individual Ward Councillors for his/her potential consideration within the envelope of Strategic Initiative TM3-13. Since 2007, implementing traffic calming measures no longer requires the undertaking of Environmental Assessment Studies. What Councillors would need to consider, however, would be available funding within the Ward, the potential impact of the proposed measures (which staff will assist with), and whether or not there is community support for such measures.
Staff recommend that ATM studies which are currently underway still be finalized with input from the Ward Councillor. Once completed, the results of these studies would then be forwarded to the Ward Councillor for the area for potential implementation. Document 3 provides a list of these current studies by Ward.
With the recent approval of Strategic Initiative TM3-13 there are essentially only two sources of funding available for implementing neighbourhood traffic solutions. The second source would be as part of planned roadway reconstruction projects, providing the measures have been previously approved and sufficient funds are available within the reconstruction project budget. This would seem to suggest that many of the recommendations of a number of previously completed studies could essentially be considered unaffordable. Document 4 provides a summary of these recommended measures broken down by specific study and by Ward. Given that Ward Councillors will now be responsible for determining priorities within their Ward, staff suggest forwarding details of all such outstanding measures to the individual Ward Councillors for his/her consideration. Some of the options available to Councillors for dealing with these include: considering implementation within the envelope of Strategic Initiative TM3‑13 (i.e. within the $30K annual funding envelope); or cancelling some or all of these projects, especially where they are seen as being out-dated; deferring implementation considerations to future Strategic Plans; or to consider implementation of individual measures only when opportunities arise through planned roadway reconstruction projects.
Administration
Public Works and Planning and Growth Management staff will work with the Ward Councillors to determine neighbourhood traffic priorities and the most appropriate solutions. In particular, Area Transportation Management staff, within Planning and Growth Management, will be available to provide assistance regarding traffic calming types of issues, but would seek Councillor input on how best to deal with such requests when brought to staff’s attention by the general public. Staff would also be available, as required, to assist in coordination activities relating to the construction of traffic calming types of measures with the Infrastructure Services Department.
The Area Transportation Management staff will also focus efforts on medium to longer-term community transportation solutions through proactively being involved in identifying mitigation opportunities as development occurs and through Community Design Plans.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
Strategic Initiative TM3-13 will be applied equally to all City Wards, including the rural areas.
CONSULTATION
There have been no specific notifications or consultations as part of this report.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no legal impediments to
receiving this report.
RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
N/A
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
As approved through the Council priority setting exercise the Draft 2012 Capital Budget includes an annual provision of $690,000 for 2012 to 2014 for the Neighbourhood Traffic Improvements project for Committee and Council consideration.
TECHNOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS
N/A
CITY STRATEGIC PLAN
This report is in direct response to direction given the recently approved 2010-2014 Term of Council Priorities.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 Suggested Speed Hump Petition Process
Document 2 Requests for New Area Traffic Management Studies
Document 3 Area Traffic Management Studies Currently Underway
Document 4 Outstanding Area Traffic Management Measures List
DISPOSITION
Public Works Department and Planning and Growth Management Department staff will work with the Ward Councillors to implement measures that will improve traffic operations on residential streets within their communities. The Area Traffic Management Unit, within Planning and Growth Management, will provide details to individual Ward Councillors of ATM study requests and previously approved measures within their Ward, and will seek input from individual Ward Councillors on appropriate recommendations for on-going ATM studies within their Wards. The Area Traffic Management Unit will also be available to provide assistance regarding traffic calming types of issues, and as required, and to assist in coordination activities relating to the construction of traffic calming types of measures.
1. Initial Request Submission: Requests must include an initial list of supporters, as follows:
· Minimum 10 households, businesses or institutions (or a minimum of 25% of units on the affected street); or
· A community group, school council, or business association (one group only required);
--AND—
· The ward Councillor for the street.
2. Feasibility Assessment: For speed humps to be considered through this petition process, the street must be classified as a local street. Suitable locations for speed humps along the street must also be available that are in keeping with standard speed hump design practices as described in the Canadian Guide to Neighbourhood Traffic Calming.
3. Petition Preparation: Staff will prepare a detailed petition which includes: a plan indicating the proposed location of the speed humps; current street conditions (as available and/or estimated); the projected outcomes with speed humps in place; as well as a list of household, business or institutional addresses along the street and the number signatures required. The Ward Councillor is provided an opportunity to review and provide input into the draft petition.
4. Obtaining Signatures on Petition: Once prepared, the petition is provided to the speed hump requestor who is then responsible for obtaining a minimum of 66% support from the list of potential petitioners included on the petition. (Note: Requestors would have a maximum of six months in which to return a completed petition).
5. Implementation: Individual Ward Councillors would determine implementation priorities; utilize funding availability with the new Neighbourhood Traffic Improvement Program.
DOCUMENT 3
AREA TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
STUDIES CURRENTLY UNDERWAY
|
Ward |
Name of Study |
Notes |
|
9 |
Woodfield Drive Area Traffic Management Study |
|
|
10 |
Rosebella Area Traffic Management Study |
·
Local study of Rosebella,
and surrounding streets, between Bank Street and Conroy Road ·
Study still in initiation stages |
|
15 |
McKellar Park /
Highland Park / Westboro Area Traffic Management
Study |
·
Comprehensive study covering entire
community ·
Initiated in 2005 ·
On hold since 2009 pending further
input from McKellar Park Community Association |
|
Byron Avenue Area
Traffic Management Study |
·
Local study of Byron between Island
Park and Holland ·
Initiated in early 2010 ·
Currently on hold pending cycling
needs assessment study for Byron |
|
|
17 |
Old Ottawa South
Area Traffic Management Study |
·
Comprehensive study of the portion of
Old Ottawa South between Bronson and Bank ·
Initiated in early 2010 ·
Recommended plan recently circulated
for comment |
|
19 |
Prestwick Drive
Area Traffic Management Study |
·
Local study of Prestwick between Innes
and Des Épinettes ·
Start-up meeting with Public Advisory
Committee held in July 2011 |
Transportation Committee extract of draft minutes 11 05 octoBER 2011 |
|
Comité deS transports extrait de l’Ébauche du PROCÈS-VERBAL 11 LE 05 octobre 2011 |
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Area
Traffic Management Considerations within the Approved Term-of-Council 2011-2014
Priorities Plan
points à examiner relativement à la gestion de la
circulation locale dans le cadre du plan approuvé des priorités du mandat du
COnseil de 2011-2014
ACS2011-ICS-PGM-0189 City Wide / À l’échelle de la ville
report
recommendation
That the
Transportation Committee recommend that Council receive the implementation
details of the Neighbourhood Traffic Improvement Program, including
cancellation of the Area Traffic Management process, as outlined in this
report.
Bob
Streicher, Program Manager, Area Traffic Management, accompanied by Vivi Chi, Manager,
Transportation Planning, provided an overview of the report. A copy of his PowerPoint presentation is held
on file with the City Clerk.
MOTION
NO TRC 11/ 2
Moved by Councillor D. Chernushenko:
WHEREAS
the Neighbourhood Traffic Improvement (NTI) Implementation Plan is flawed in
many ways;
WHEREAS
there may be ways to allocate the $690,000 per year that was supposed to go to
the NTI program to each ward on a basis that more closely approximates actual need;
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that Transportation Committee refer the NTI Implementation Plan
and direct staff to review it and report back to the Transportation Committee
on the feasibility of using one of the following traffic-related indicators to
help assess the need for the available traffic improvement funds:
1.
The
number of reported collisions in each ward;
2.
The
number of 311 traffic-related calls in each ward
3.
The
volume of through-traffic in each ward.
4.
Any
other traffic-related indicator.
WITHDRAWN
Item 4 of Transportation Committee Agenda 11 was put to Committee and CARRIED as presented on a division of 5 YEAS to 3 NAYS as follows:
YEAS (5) : Councillors R. Bloess, T. Tierney, D. Thompson, S. Moffatt, and Chair M. Wilkinson
NAYS (3) : Councillors P. Clark, D. Chernushenko, and Vice-Chair B. Monette