March 16, 1998

To:Chairman and Members of the Scarborough Community Council

 From:Gary H. Welsh, Director, Road & Traffic Services, Works and Environment, Scarborough District

 Subject:Parking and Traffic Concerns at Our Lady of Wisdom School, Scarborough Wexford

 Purpose:

 To address the need to install parking/stopping restrictions on White Abbey Park near Our Lady of Wisdom Separate School and an all-way stop control at the intersection of Japonica Road and White Abbey Park.

 Funding Sources:

 The funds associated with the installation of the parking restriction signs are contained in the Road & Traffic Services 1998 Budget, Account No. 20000-70200-72260.

 The funds associated with the installation of the stop signs are contained in the Road & Traffic Services 1998 Budget, Account No. 20000-70200-72240.

 Recommendations:

 It is recommended that:

 (1)the current parking regulations identified in Appendix 1 of this report be rescinded;

 (2)the parking and stopping regulations identified in Appendix 2 of this report be adopted;

 (3)the stop control identified in Appendix 3 of this report be rescinded;

 (4)the stop control identified in Appendix 4 of this report be adopted; and

 (5)the appropriate by-laws be amended accordingly.

(6)a copy of this report be sent to the Separate School Board requesting the Board to consider off street option(s) to accommodate the parents picking-up and dropping-off their children, these options include but not limited to expanding the parking lot, additional short term parking spaces, an additional driveway, and the installation of a turning loop.

 Background:

 At the request of the principal of Our Lady of Wisdom Separate School, Road & Traffic Services conducted parking and traffic studies by the school on both Japonica Road and White Abbey Park. The issue of compromised pedestrian safety as parents dropped-off and picked-up their children in front of this school, was subsequently examined. Furthermore, at the request of Chris and Mary Stewart of 37 White Abbey Park, we also examined their parking concerns as well as concerns with motorists not stopping for the stop signs at Japonica Road and White Abbey Park.

 Discussion:

 Our Lady of Wisdom Separate School is located north of Ellesmere Road and east of Pharmacy Avenue. Both Japonica Road and White Abbey Park are residential roads with appropriate signs in place to warn approaching motorists of the school area ahead. Currently, along the north/school side of Japonica Road, there is a 30 minute parking limit that applies between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. On the south/opposite side of Japonica Road there is a ANo Stopping, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday@ restriction. These restrictions were installed in 1994.

 Along the west/school side of White Abbey Park there is a ANo Parking, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Monday - Friday@ restriction. Along the opposite/east side of this road however, there are no posted parking restrictions.

 Traffic Operations - On-Street Parking Observations:

 The following table shows the results of the our parking observations:

KEY: ^ indicates a private vehicle - these vehicles have also been included as being parked on the north side of Japonica Road. Only school buses may park within the defined limits of a school bus loading zone.

This table shows that most parents/guardians prefer to park directly abutting the school grounds, despite the existing ANo Parking, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday" restriction on White Abbey Park. Also, as shown by this table, some motorists did choose to park on the >opposite= side of Japonica Road and White Abbey Park. This practice of parking on both sides of the street can congest the roadway and severely restrict regular through traffic. Fortunately, at this location this was not as significant as many other school locations. This may be in part due to the fact that the police were present during part of the study as well as the week preceding this study.

 This table also shows that some motorists choose to use the school parking lot to pick-up/drop off their children. The traffic associated with the school=s parking lot, because it lies within the property limits of the school, must be managed by the school board. This also applies to the installation of any off-street looping facilities.

We should emphasize that the safety of the children both walking and being driven to school is paramount. We also have to realize that in today=s society parents will continue to drive their children to school. As such, with our recommendations we are attempting to make the area as safe as possible under the current situation. We should strongly emphasize that in our experience, when no legal parking alternatives are given, motorists tend to simply ignore the signs and park wherever curb space is available. It is for this reason that we do not support restricting stopping on both sides of Japonica Road or White Abbey Park.

 Pedestrian Crossing Observations - Japonica Road and White Abbey Park

 Road & Traffic Services staff also recorded the volume and location of pedestrian crossings by the school on both Japonica Road and White Abbey Park. Our study revealed a number of pedestrians crossing the road, the majority of which crossed at the intersection of Japonica Road and White Abbey Park. Specifically, in our two study hours, of the 100 pedestrians crossing both Japonica Road and White Abbey Park, 67 crossed at the intersection.

 Traffic Operations at the Intersection of Japonica Road and White Abbey Park

 Concern has also been expressed by Mr. Stewart about motorists failing to stop for the existing northbound and eastbound stop signs at Japonica Road and White Abbey Park. During our Monday, March 2, 1998 study we recorded the number of motorists disobeying the stop signs by travelling through at speeds in excess of 5 km/h and the number of U-turns/3 point turns. Again, the results were somewhat skewed due to the police presence, however, a previous study in 1994 did reveal a higher level of Ahigh@ speed (> 5 km/h) disobedience. The results are as follows:

  These result clearly indicate that the police presence in the area has curtailed the incidents of stop sign violations. We do acknowledge that there are other motorists who did not bring their vehicles to a complete stop, or in other words performed a slow rolling stop, however, our table is intended to point out the flagrant violations.

 Currently, the stop signs are for motorists northbound and eastbound at the intersection of Japonica Road and White Abbey Park. This unusual situation does create some confusion amongst motorists and pedestrians. Although we would normally suggest that the northbound stop sign be removed and a westbound stop sign be added to define the right-of-way at this intersection, once a stop sign has been in place for numerous years, travel patterns are established. To remove the northbound sign may confuse motorists, which would be especially dangerous with children crossing.

 What we are therefore recommending is that an all-way stop be placed at this intersection in an effort to eliminate some of the confusion. Crosswalk lines will supplement this all-way stop.

 Collision History

 In addition to the studies outlined above, Road & Traffic Services conducted a three-year collision review of the area (from January 1, 1994 to December 31, 1996) that revealed that two collisions have been reported during this time period, both of which occurred in 1994. One of these occurred at the intersection of Japonica Road and White Abbey Park involving a westbound and a southbound motorist and the other collision occurred near the intersection of Crossland Road and Japonica Road. Neither collision occurred during school admission or dismissal times.

 Conclusions:

 Road & Traffic Services recommends Aschool side parking/opposite side no stopping@ on White Abbey Park to compliment this signing already in place on Japonica Road and improve the safety for school children both crossing the road and alighting from stopped vehicles. Specifically we are recommending:

 1.Installing "30 Minute Parking, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday" signs along the school/west side of White Abbey Park along the side of Our Lady of Wisdom Separate School. The intent of these restrictions will be to permit private vehicle passengers direct access the school without having to cross in front of through traffic. These permissive parking restrictions will replace the existing "No Parking, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday" restriction. If the "permitted parking" change is approved, there will be sufficient room for approximately 16 private vehicles to park temporarily on White Abbey Park.

 2.Installing a "No Stopping, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday" restriction along the opposite/east side of White Abbey Park directly across from Our Lady of Wisdom Separate School. The purpose of this restriction will be to discourage passengers from boarding or alighting on this side of the road and subsequently from crossing in front of through traffic. These revised parking restriction times attempt to reflect typical hours of school operation and are intended to consider the occasional on-street parking needs of area residents during "non-school" hours.This ANo Stopping, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday" restriction will also help to maintain two lanes of traffic movement by these schools.

These revised parking restriction times attempt to complement the existing parking restrictions on Japonica Road in front of the school, as well as approximately 70 other school areas that have adopted the similar Aschool side parking / opposite side no stopping@ restrictions. By approving these sign changes, a consistency of school area signing is becoming established.

 Considering the increase in the school=s population with the addition of French Emersion, we are also requesting that the Separate School Board consider off street options to accommodate the parents picking-up and dropping-off their children. These options include but not limited to expanding the parking lot, additional short term parking spaces, an additional driveway, and the installation of a turning loop. These actions will help to mitigate the congestion on the road and will compliment the on-street signing being proposed.

 Furthermore, we recommend that the intersection of Japonica Road and White Abbey Park be converted to an all-way stop to eliminate any confusion that may be created with the current stop sign configuration.

 Contact Name:

 Gary H. Welsh

Director, Road & Traffic Services, Works & Environment, Scarborough District

Telephone: 396-5061

Fax: 396-5681

E-mail: welsh@city.scarborough.on.ca

Gary H. Welsh

Director

Road & Traffic Services

Works & Environment, Scarborough District

Michael A. Price

Commissioner

Works & Environment, Scarborough District

     Appendix 1

 ANo Parking@

 Prohibition to be Rescinded

  Column 1Column 2Column 3Column 4

 HighwaySideFromToTimes or Days

 White AbbeyWestJaponica122 metres north of7:00 a.m. to

ParkRoadJaponica Road6:00 p.m.

Monday to

Friday

                               Appendix 2

 ANo Stopping@

 Prohibition to be Enacted

  Column 1Column 2Column 3Column 4

 HighwaySideFromToTimes or Days

 White AbbeyEastJaponicaNorth Limit of8:00 a.m. to

ParkRoadWhite Abbey Park4:00 p.m.

Monday to

Friday

  AParking for Restricted Periods@

 Prohibition to be Enacted

 Column 1Column 2Column 3Column 4Column 5

 Maximum

TimesPeriod

HighwaySideFromToor DaysPermitted

 White WestJaponica North Limit 8:00 a.m. to30 minutes

Abbey ParkRoad of White4:00 p.m.

Abbey RoadMonday to Friday

                 Appendix 3

 ACompulsory Stops@

 Regulation to Be Rescinded

  Column 1Column 2

 IntersectionStop Street

 Japonica Road andJaponica Road

White Abbey Park(Eastbound)

White Abbey Park andWhite Abbey Park

Japonica Road(Northbound)

                                Appendix 4

 ACompulsory Stops@

 Regulation to Be Enacted

  Column 1Column 2

 IntersectionStop Street

 Japonica Road andJaponica Road

White Abbey Park

 White Abbey Park andWhite Abbey Park

Japonica Road