M E M O / N O T E D E S E R V I C E |
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M E M O / N O T E D E S E R V I C E |
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To / Destinataire |
Chair and Members of Transportation Committee/ Président et membres du Comité Transport |
File/N° de fichier: ACS2011-ICS-PGM-0195 |
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From /
Expéditeur |
John L. Moser, General Manager/ Directeur général, Planning and Growth Management/ Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance |
Contact/Personne ressource: Justin Swan – Coordinator Transportation Planning |
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Subject / Objet |
Pleasant Park Road - One
year review/
Chemin Pleasant Park – Examen d’un an |
Date : |
Background
In 2009, the Pleasant Park Road Area Traffic Management (ATM) study was completed for the segment of Pleasant Park Road between Alta Vista Drive and Riverside Drive. The study was done in response to a petition for a traffic study signed by a contingent of local residents living on Pleasant Park Road. The primary sources of their concerns were with respect to speeding, aggressive driving, and conditions for pedestrians crossing Pleasant Park Road.
The study resulted in a proposed plan that included an all-way stop control, sidewalk, and roadway narrowings (see Document 1). While the approval of the Pleasant Park Road ATM study recommendations was initially intended to proceed under the delegated authority process approved by Council, given the community’s concerns regarding the need for a controlled pedestrian crossing, the Ward Councillor lifted delegated authority and asked staff to prepare a report to Transportation Committee for its consideration. A staff report summarizing the study and recommendations (dated June 1, 2009) was presented to Transportation Committee on June 17, 2009. Due to time constraints at the June 17, 2009 Transportation Committee, four public delegations did not get their opportunity to present their case for a controlled pedestrian crossing on Pleasant Park near the Transitway. The delegations agreed with the staff recommendation to move forward with the narrowings, sidewalk and the all-way stop, without debate, on the condition that staff report back on this issue, one year after construction of the sidewalk.
The minutes from the Transportation Committee meeting stated “Councillor Hume indicated that residents are in support of what staff propose, but have some concerns on the efficacy of the measures in regards to the safe crossing at the Transitway. They preferred to be given an opportunity to come back to the Committee after the measures are in place, to indicate whether or not they are working and if not deemed to be sufficient, to present a case for the installation of a traffic signal. He proposed that the item rise to Council, with the direction that staff report back on the efficacy of the measures after they are in place.”
On June 24, 2009, Council approved the recommendations of the staff report and “Direct[ed] staff to report back to the Transportation Committee, via an IPD, with a review of the efficacy of the measures to facilitate safe crossing of Pleasant Park to the Transitway one year after construction of the sidewalk”.
This document provides a summary of the:
· recommended plan status (which measures are complete and incomplete);
· “before and after” analysis of traffic volume and speed data; and
· the results of a public consultation on the effectiveness of the measures.
Recommended Plan Status
The current status of the recommended measures is as follows:
· All-way stop control (Cavendish Road / Pleasant Park Road) - COMPLETE
· Sidewalk (north side of Pleasant Park Road between Alta Vista Drive and Rodney Crescent) - COMPLETE
· Roadway Narrowings (Pleasant Park Road at Rodney Crescent Intersection) – INCOMPLETE
· Roadway Narrowings (Pleasant Park Road at Leslie Avenue Intersection) – INCOMPLETE
The first two items were installed through existing operational budgets and funding provided through the federal stimulus initiative. The latter two items (roadway narrowings) do not have any approved capital funding for implementation at this time.
Pleasant Park Road One year “Before and After”
Analysis
Volume and speed data were collected both before and after the installation of the all-way stop control and sidewalk. The following table presents a summary of roadway characteristics including physical changes, volumes, and vehicular speeds.
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Before |
After |
Change |
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Physical
Characteristics* |
· Sidewalk on one
side · 10.5m pavement
width (vehicular travel lanes) |
· Sidewalk on
both sides · New all-way
stop control at Cavendish / Pleasant Park intersection · 8.8m pavement
width |
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Vehicular Speeds** |
· Average =
53km/hr · 85th
percentile = 59km/hr · 95th
percentile = 63km/hr · Compliance with
speed limit = 40% |
· Average = 46km/hr · 85th
percentile = 53km/hr · 95th
percentile = 56km/hr · Compliance with
speed limit = 77% |
· Average - 13%
decrease · 85th
percentile – 10% decrease · 95th
percentile – 11% decrease · Compliance with
speed limit |
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Volumes –
pedestrians crossing Pleasant Park Road at Cavendish Road*** |
· 8-hour total =
44 |
· 8-hour total =
70 |
· 8-hour total - 59%
increase |
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Volumes – 2-way
peak hour vehicular volumes along Pleasant Park Road**** |
· 8-hour total =
2,600 |
· 8-hour total =
2,235 |
· 8-hour total =
14% decrease |
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*Note that only the roadway characteristics that have
changed are listed.
**Calculations based on speed data recorded on 3
different roadway segments along Pleasant Park Road within the study corridor
limits. “Before” data was recorded in
2005 or in 2007. “After” data was
recorded in 2011. Please note that
figures have been rounded off.
***crossing volumes represent the total pedestrians
crossing both the east and west legs of the intersection.
****8 hour totals were averaged from counts done on four segments of Pleasant Park Road within the study limits.
Consultation
Letters were prepared that included a copy of the September 16th, 2011 version of this document and sent to all individuals who provided their contact information as part of the Pleasant Park Area Traffic Management Study completed in 2009 - letters were emailed and hand delivered by September 26th (where such information was provided). Commentary was solicited from members of the public. Two individuals provided feedback. One individual indicated that they did acknowledge that they noticed traffic has appeared to slow along Pleasant Park following the sidewalk installation. The other resident inquired about the potential to alternate on-street parking. Staff will follow-up with the resident on an individual response basis – this approach was considered appropriate by the resident.
Conclusions
Based on the before and after data analysis, vehicular speeds and volumes have appeared to decrease since the implementation of the all-way stop control and sidewalk along Pleasant Park Road. Reduced vehicular speeds do help reduce the potential for collisions as well as the level of severity. The implementation of the remaining elements of the recommended plan should help to further reduce the potential for collisions as well as provide a narrower pavement width near the Pleasant Park Transitway station.
Original signed by
John L. Moser
Recommended Plan Document
1
