HomeMy WebLinkAboutEGD-046-04
^
-r
Cl!J!-ilJglon
REPORT
ENGINEERING SERVICES
Meeting:
GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Date: September 20, 2004
Report #: EGD-46-04
File#:
/0 ,1 7;1 ., ....,- L .
f..(':., hiP .::0_( I
By-law #:.;lr:X./(;J..l?--
Subject:
CONCESSION STREET WEST, BOWMANVILLE TRAFFIC AND PARKING
CONCERNS
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee
recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report EGD-46-04 be received;
2. THAT requests for additional all-way stops on Concession Street West at both Beech
Avenue and Centre Street intersections be denied;
3. THAT traffic by-law 91-58 be amended to provide a general provision for parking
restrictions which would, when deemed necessary by the Director of Engineering
Services, be implemented near any form of traffic calming device in Clarington;
4. THAT the proposed by-law attached to report EGD-46-04 be approved;
5. THAT the interested parties listed within this report be provided with a copy of this
report and Council's decision.
Jf(;(
.,. \ / ,", '.. '-f ./
// /' .;...~ / v " ,_ "--'
~.
u~---S--~
Submitted by: Anthony Cannella, C.E.T. Reviewed by: Franklin Wu,
Director of Engineering Services Chief Administrative Officer
ASC* RDB* JB
September 14, 2004
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1 C 3A6 T 905-623-3379 F 905-623-9282
714
..
REPORT NO.: EGD-46-04
PAGE 2
1.0 BACKGROUND
1.1 Traffic has been a concem for the residents of the Old Bowmanville Neighbourhood on
Concession Street for many years. To assist the neighbourhood the Municipality worked
through a long process of public meetings and engineering designs to create a traffic
calmed neighbour. By introducing a series of islands, a pavement narrowing and texture
change, the Municipality was successful in keeping traffic speeds on Concession Street
much lower than other conventional collector roadways in Clarington. The intent was to
keep speeds low but not necessarily to divert traffic to adjacent local streets. As part of
the realignment of Concession Street at Horsey Street an additional all-way stop was
installed one block west of Elgin Street which was an existing all-way stop.
Despite the apparent success of the traffic calming project from the Municipality's
perspective, some residents of Concession Street West feel it has not had enough of an
impact and want the original requests for all-way stop controls implemented in the hopes
of further reducing traffic speeds and volume on this collector roadway.
2.0 COMMENT
2.1 Requested All-way stop at Concession Street and Beech St
The CTMAC at its June 17, 2004 meeting approved a motion to recommend that an all-
way stop be installed at the intersection of Concession Street West at Beech Ave.
Although this motion was passed by the CTMAC by a majority of members, Engineering
staff cannot agree with the motion for the following reasons:
. It does not meet provincial warrants for a collector roadway with disproportionately
light traffic volume on the side streets.
· It would be ineffective as a way of reducing traffic volume on a street which already
has drivers accustomed to 2 all-way stops over a short distance a no alternate route.
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOW MANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1C 3A6 T 905-623-3379 F 905-623-9282
715
{
REPORT NO.: EGD-46-04
PAGE 3
. This decision should have been delayed, as suggested by some members of the
CTMAC and evaluated after completion of the Longworth Bridge. The bridge is due
for completion in November 2004, which will offer some motorists a viable alternative
to Concession Street.
. All-way stops are not intended as a speed control device and redundant when
average operating speeds are already below the legal speed limit.
. This motion is inconsistent with previous motions by the CTMAC and the Heritage
District discussions are a separate issue.
. The pedestrian activity to the school is already accommodated at either the
signalized intersection at Liberty St. or the existing all-way stop at Elgin St with a
sidewalk linking directly to Central Public School.
. Intersection safety will be improved when the two municipal trees on the south east
corner are limbed.
. Newly planted boulevard trees would need to be removed or relocated to
accommodate sightlines to the requested new stop signs.
2.2 Other Concession Street Concerns
The CTMAC did not support an all-way stop at the intersection of Concession Street and
Centre Street while the issues of parking complaints and municipal trees were referred
back to Engineering Services to resolve.
2.3 Operational Safety Review
Soeed
Although residents feel traffic moves too quickly on Concession Street, a number of
speed checks by the municipality have shown that average operating speeds are well
below the posted speed and about 10 km/hr less than most other typical collector
streets. The residents have been offered use of the municipal radar units on a number
of occasions to verify operating speeds but they have opted not to obtain this first hand
information. Staff are pleased with operating speeds on Concession Street West and
feel the traffic calming measures were a success and can stand on their own merit.
716
REPORT NO.: EGD-46"()4
PAGE 4
Volume
Volumes on Concession Street are typical of an urban residential collector roadway and
an important link between Liberty Street and Scugog Street. At peak periods of the day
Liberty Street and King Street are congested, and it is unlikely that any traffic would
divert over to those streets. The completion of the Longworth bridge in late 2004 linking
Regional Rd 57 to Liberty Street and in the future to Mearns Avenue will provide some
motorists with a better way of reaching their destinations. This is expected to relieve
some of the traffic pressures on Concession Street, Liberty Street and King Street from
the existing and future north end residents.
Parkino
During 2002 there were two collisions where vehicles backing from driveways backed
into parked vehicles. In 2004 there was a collision west of Liberty Street when a
westbound and eastbound vehicle approached the island at the same time and one
moved towards the right but hit a parked vehicle. There have been a number of
complaints to the by-law department from motorists concerned with residents parking on
both sides of Concession Street especially near the traffic calming features which they
feel unreasonably obstructs and frustrates traffic, rather than calming it. The intent of
some of our traffic calming features was to bring two passing vehicles closer together so
as to create the feeling that vehicle speeds should be reduced. Unfortunately due to
repeated complaints of abuse, it appears it is now important to prohibit and sign "no
parking" close to the traffic calming features to reduce potential conflicts between more
vehicles on this important collector roadway. Sections of the Traffic by-law 91-58, gives
the Director of Engineering Services the ability to
authorize no parking or no stopping signs near hazards such as intersections, curves
and hills to improve public safety in accordance with provisions of the by-law without the
necessity of listing each small area in the bylaw schedules.
717
REPORT NO.: EGD-46"()4
PAGE 5
Under General Provisions Section 3
(2) (A) The Director of Engineering Services is authorized to place or erect and to
maintain such authorized and official signs as are required to give effect to the provisions
of this by-law.
Example 1: Under General Provisions section 4 - GENERAL PARKING AND STOPPING
REGULATIONS
No person shall on any highway stop any vehicle:
4 (I) Alongside or across the highway from any excavation or obstruction in the
roadway where the free flow of traffic would thereby be impeded.
Example 2: Under General Provisions Section 4 - GENERAL PARKING AND
STOPPING REGULATIONS
(8) Where official signs to that effect are displayed, no person shall on any highway
stop any vehicle:
(C) So as to interfere with the movement of traffic by obstructing a travel or turn lane
which is clearly defined by pavement markings.
Although the above two provisions could give the Director the ability to post signs in
traffic calmed areas Staff, wish to include an amendment to specifically give the Director
flexibility to introduce no parking signage near areas of traffic calming devices to improve
public safety. It is not safe to park a vehicle in or approaching a narrowing such as a
hamlet gateway or an urban narrowing where it could impede or obstruct traffic more
than the intended design of the traffic calming feature. Where such enforcement is to be
carried out, signs would be posted to ensure motorists know how close they may park.
718
..
REPORT NO.: EGD-46-04
PAGE 6
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Key Map
Attachment 2 - Proposed by-law amendment
Interested parties to be advised of Council's decision:
Inspector Tom Cameron
Bowmanville Community Office
Durham Regional Police
77 Centre Street North
Oshawa, ON L 1 G 4B7
Clayton Morgan, Chair
Clarington Traffic Management Advisory Committee
31 Parkway Crescent
Bowmanville, ON L 1 C 1 B9
Old Bowmanville Neighbourhood Association
719
. '."
Concession Rd. 3
LEGEND
~ . WI! ~IJllLFll
'\~ Sif' ) I
~ \ ; \rl'fJ~
\ i :3 \ II 'I I I
I / ' '----I~
I , J
" \
\ ~ Sl. Elizab~~hnnl I I Future Extension
\:\ I~~II zparate~: \ :
~~K~\\] '\ ~I
! Extension 'I .vJ '-----ll I I I m
" ':_ fJ-I-I~~[ jft~l~~ ~~~~~ :0
(~ lb \ I\~b"o~
../ . ~ I I' ~o(I.
/ ~.IIIlJ' O. II I I ,r:."e I ,
'IJ' ~ I-'~ ;io~e \ I '
j Q . ~ I <>J-~?; ~~, )
=u; JJ ~ 0 ~\c..lJ L-I
( ~ri:n~QUD ~ rnl~1 ~1~
LUg ~ ~ Iuou[ I I~!
Jr-. LI _ ! J II Conce~Sion Sl. vy. !/
Ju~ :1 u J Ii 1
I
..
:' In
IJ ~
If;
Longworth
-.., Iii"
I (P'
II ."-
J..;!'
{",,,,,,_~i(>'t
3
.~
-'/.
.0
3;_
~".
. Existing
All-Way Stop
C!) Requested
All-Way Stop
BOWMANVILLE
Concession Rd. 3
/'{
~~~
S
DRAWN BY: E.L.
DATE: Sept. 14, 2004
REPORT EGD-46.04
ATTACHMENT NO.1
72U
THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
BY -LAW 2004-
Being a By-law to amend By-law 91-58, as amended,
being a By-law to Regulate Traffic on Highways,
Municipal and Private Property in the Municipality of
Clarington.
WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington deems it
desirable to amend By-law 91-58;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington
hereby enacts as follows:
1) General Provisions of By-law 91-58 Section 4, GENERAL PARKING AND
STOPPING REGULATIONS is amended under subsection 9
Where official signs to that effect are displayed no person shall park any
vehicle:
by adding the following reference:
(I) beside, across from or approaching any traffic calming feature where
such parking would interfere with the movement of traffic.
2) This By-law shall come into force and take effect on the date approved by
Council and when signs to the effect are erected.
BY-LAW read a first and second time this 27th day of September, 2004.
BY-LAW read a third time and finally passed this 27th day of September, 2004.
John Mutton, Mayor
Patti L. Barrie, Municipal Clerk
721