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Home My WebLink AboutWD-13-80 TOWN OF NEWCASTLE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Director's Report to Public Works CoII1111ILLee. Item: WD-13-80. Date: January 28, 1980. Subject: PETITION - Residents of Orono Estates. Background: On January 14, 1980, the attached Petition was received, by the Public Works Department, from the Orono Estates Subdivision area; the document is signed by forty-seven residents representing thirty- six households. The Petition requests Council to enact restrictions to control the passage of heavy commercial vehicles and to lower the speed limit within the Subdivision. Orono Estates Subdivision was constructed in 1972-1973 and has a total of eighty-four (84) lots. There are four streets within the Subdivision, two of which (Robin's Road and Peter' s Pike) exit, northerly, onto Regional Road 4 (Taunton Road) . At the present time there is no vehicular access, southerly, from the Subdivision into the Village of Orono. At one time a proposal was initiated by area residents to provide southerly access onto Mill Street, through Lot 21, but, because of land requirements from the Orono Cemetery, the request was denied. A spokesperson for the petitioners states that the major concerns are as follows: (a) The speed at which vehicles travel within the Subdivision. (b) The deterioration of the road, caused by heavy commercial vehicle traffic. (c) The overnight parking of large trucks on the subdivision roads, and the dim- inished safety conditions created thereby. (d) The passage of heavy commercial traffic through thO Subdivision. (e) The noise of the trucks in residential areas. / 2 . . WD-1.3-80 Report: In order to give due regard to the Petition in it's entirety, the various concerns have been itemized and considered separately: A. Speed Limit Reduction: (a) The Petition requests that the Speed Limit within the Subdivision area be reduced from 50 km/h (30mph) to 20 lan/h (12 mph) . - Under the terms of The Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. , 1970, Chapter 202, Section 82, sub sections 1 (a) and (b) and 2, the Town has the authority to increase or decrease speed limits, to a certain limit, on roads under it's jurisdiction. The details of the above items of the Highway Traffic Act are as follows: Chapter 202, Section 82: 1. (a) 80 kilometres per hour. (i) on a highway not within a city, town, police village or built- up area. (b) subject to clause 'a' , 50 kilometres per hour on a highway within a city, town, village, police village or built-up area. 2. The council of a city, town or village, and the trustees of a police village may by by-law prescribe a speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour for motor vehicles driven on any highway or portion of a high- way under it's jurisdiction. From the above, it is therefore apparent that the Town does not have the authority to decrease the speed limit to less than 40 km.h. Discussions with various other municipalities and agencies regarding the reduction of the speed limit to 40 km/h produced the following comments: i. To reduce the speed limit to less than 50 km/h, other than in the area of schools, playground, public parks, hospitals, etc. , is a futile endeavour, in that a driver will operate the vehicle at a speed which they consider to be safe and, in all likelihood, will dis- regard a posted speed limit of 40 km/h. ii. There is tremendous cost involved for additional signing and for enforcement. M. Gnl ',ecoincs ri problem ill t11t1t, without speed limit would lay disrc+ a t.��k,,i. After due consideration of the foregoing factors, it would seem to be impractical to reduce the speed limit any lower than the present rate of 50 km/h. B. Heavy Commercial Vehicles: The first concern of the petitioners is the deter- ioration of road conditions; an on-site inspection was carried out and the roads were found to be in reasonably good condition. There were some areas where minor settlement had occurred, and cracking was fairly evident throughout, but these areas could be rectified by minor maintenance works. There does not seem to be any predominant area where it is obvious that heavy commercial vehicles are putting excessive wear on the road. The residents' second concern is the parking of heavy commercial vehicles on the roads, and the problems associated with same, for example: (a) the blockage of sight lines at inter- sections. (b) impeded traffic flows. (c) children playing in the area o[ a parked truck and the unsafe conditions arising from this. Under the terms of Town of Newcastle By-Law 79-1, there are no provisions for the erection of "No Parking" signs along the streets in the area under discussion. However, under the General Sections of the By-Law (Section 5, subsections 1 and 2) it is stated specifically that no person can park a vehicles "on a boulevard" for a period of longer than three (3) hours. To date it would seem that the abovementioned section is not being enforced but if notification is given to Durham Region Police Force it is felt that proper action would be taken. Passage of Heavy Vehicles through the Subdivision. As stated in the Petition, the request is to bar the passage of heavy commercial vehicles through the res- idential streets at any time and, further, that delivery and/or municipal vehicles only be allowed in the Subdivision during normal working hours. It has already been shown that the Subdivision roads only exit to the north onto Taunton Road and, with this in mind, it is unlikely that any traffic is using the area as a "short cut" route; thus it would seem probable that the only heavy commercial vehicles entering the Subdivision would belong to a resident other than those trucks which are on deliveries or are operated on behalf of the Municipality. The residents state that they do not wish to have Municipal vehicles in the area except during normal working hours. This request cannot be accommodated as the Town must maintain the roads, especially during the winter months and Likewise the Fire Department must have complete and free access at all times. In further consideration of the request to ban heavy vehicles, the By-Law governing the prohibition of Heavy Truck Traffic was reviewed and the criteria for the passage and enactment of same are as follows: i. When bridge and culvert structures are not adequate to carry heavy loads. ii. Where the road is of poor structural quality. In order to eliminate certain vehicles creating ' short cut' routes. iv. In certain residential areas such as near school playgrounds and hospitals. In the area of the Orono Estates Subdivision, non of the foregoing is applicable. D. Noise created - Starting and Driving Heavy Vehicles. The Town is presently in the process of preparing a Noise By-Law however, upon a review of the proposal, there do not seem to be any provisions made for cases such as the one under discussion. The By-Law Enforcement Office has been consulted on this matter, and a further review of the by-law may be warranted. WD-13-80 - 5 Recommend a C ion: THAT the Petitioners of the Orono Estates Subdivision be advised that their concerns have been given due consideration and a summary of the situation is as follows: It is recommended that - (a) The Speed Limit remain at the existing fifty (50) kilometres per hour. (b) There is no indication, to date, that heavy commercial vehicles are causing a deterioration to the condition of the roads within the Subdivision. (c) The prohibition of heavy trucks from the subject area, by means of a by-law, would be impractical. (d) The provisions of By-Law 79-1 be enforced and the Durham Region Police Force be requested to ensure effective enforcement of same. (e) A review of the proposed Noise By-Law, and it's application to situations such as that which is of concerti to the Petitioners, is warranted. JF:vh t 6 ' '{i• �� i ; _.1_� 'ry ( ;'w f i� �et j s, n. � n `�L1.= _ --�.. -,�� -...—.T ('- �,�, TT ti _ I ' I,�.--. i j Jl .I�•� �; ��\\ry 11 4' L - �. DAVIO'S CR @S. 1';. �„ �+�`_`>. �' •„ � SI - ,,, :l , 37 Jy ZI »; 1 t i uuru;nv Hci,>rFn .. n:•,uc:�nrr�; ,.u,l,r.0 �01 ' ,. •\•.\ -. Its NOOQC 81 T,MO PLAIN 1. �� ,: ro .. - Y'1� f .� �i-e.»•.... I 3' P E `i' I T I 0 N TO : TOWN COUNCIL, CORPORATION OF TIIE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE. RE : A PETITION FOR TIIE ENACTMENT OF A BY-LAW RESTRICTING THE PASSAGE OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES AND THE PARKING OF SAME UPON RESIDENTIAL STREETS LOCATED IN THE SUBDIVISION KNOWN AS ORONO ESTATES, IN THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE AND TO REDUCE THE SPEED LIMIT TO 20 KM/H. WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, BEING RESIDENTS OF ORONO ESTATES IN THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE , HEREBY PETITION TO THE TOW14 COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE THAT A BY-LAW BE ENACTED RESTRICTING THE PASSAGE OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES UPON RESIDENTIAL STREETS IN THE SAID ORONO ESTATES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DELIVERY OR MUNICIPAL VEHICLES DURING BUSINESS HOURS ONLY. AND FURTHER, THAT SAID BY-LAW RESTRICT THE PARKING OF COMMERCIAL VEIICLES TO BUSINESS HOURS ONLY. AND FURTHER THAT THE SPEED LIMIT BE REDUCED TO 20 KM/H. DATED this 4TH DAY OF JANUARY, 1980 . a r r ' I i r ' t ; f _ F I r. r S n`_ t" r r - WC. /; >< 317 A/V J/-4 � , , I k._ f