(Report dated January 26, 1998, addressed to the Chairman and Members of the Scarborough Community Council, from the Director, Road & Traffic Services, Works and Environment Department.)

Subject:Pedestrian Crossing Protection and Parking Concerns at Cedarbrook Public School on Nelson Street, Ward 15

Purpose:

To address the need for parking/stopping restrictions on Nelson Street and Farmbrook Road adjacent to Cedarbrook Junior Public School.

Funding Sources:

The $1,600.00 (approximate) funds associated with the installation of the parking prohibition signs are available in the Road and Traffic Services 1998 Budget, Account No. 20000-70200-72260.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the stopping regulations identified in Appendix 1 of this report be rescinded;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; and

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

Background:

At the request of the former Scarborough Board of Education, Road and Traffic Services has conducted traffic studies by Cedarbrook Junior Public School (Jr. P.S.) on Nelson Street. The issue of compromised pedestrian safety as parents dropped-off and picked-up their children in front of this school was subsequently examined.

Discussion:

Cedarbrook Jr. P.S. is located on Nelson Street to the northeast of Bellamy Road North and Eglinton Avenue. Nelson Street is a residential roadway with appropriate signs in place to warn approaching motorists of the school area ahead. Currently, along the north/school side of Nelson Street, there are both ANo Stopping, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Monday - Friday@ and ANo Parking, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Monday - Friday@ restrictions posted. An examination of the related by-laws on this street shows that the signed ANo Parking, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Monday - Friday@ restrictions were deleted in a report in 1971; however, the signs were never removed. On the south/opposite side of Nelson Street, there are no posted parking restrictions (see Attachment #1).

Similar parking restrictions are also posted along Farmbrook Road. For example, along the school/west side of Farmbrook Road there are ANo Stopping, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Monday - Friday@ and ANo Parking, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Monday - Friday@ restrictions (these signs were also sited for removal in the 1971 report). Along the opposite/east side of this road, there are no posted parking restrictions.

Traffic Operations - On-Street Parking Observations:

Our observations have shown that most motorists choose to ignore the existing parking and stopping restrictions and the school bus loading zone along the front of the school on the north side of Nelson Street and along the west side of Farmbrook Road. The following table shows the results of these observations:

(the staff lot has 28 reg. vehicle stalls, 1 handicapped stall)

KEY: * indicates a private vehicle - these vehicles have been included as being parked on the north side of Nelson Street.

This table shows that most parents/guardians prefer to park directly abutting the school grounds, despite the existing ANo Stopping, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday@ restrictions. Also, as shown by this table, some motorists choose to park on the opposite side of Nelson Street and Farmbrook Road. This practice of parking on both sides of the street congested the roadway and severely restricted regular through traffic.

In addition, this table shows that some motorists choose to use the school parking lot to pick-up/drop off their children.

Mid-block Pedestrian Crossing Observations - Nelson Street & Farmbrook Road:

Road & Traffic Services staff also recorded the volume and location of pedestrian crossings by the school on both Nelson Street and Farmbrook Road. The following tables show these observations:

Nelson Street

Farmbrook Road

 P.X.O. Pedestrian Crossing Observations - Nelson Street:

 In addition to the mid-block movements outlined above, we also recorded pedestrian activity at the adult crossing guard monitored Pedestrian Crossover (P.X.O.), these observations are as follows:

It is encouraging that, the majority of pedestrian crossings associated with Cedarbrook Jr. P.S. are taking place at the highly visible P.X.O. It should also be noted that, throughout our observations, no conflicts were recorded between any pedestrian and motorists.

Collision History:

In addition to the studies outlined above, we conducted a four-year collision review of the this area (from January 1, 1993 to December 31, 1996) that revealed four collisions have been reported during this time period.

Three of these collisions involved drivers failing to yield the right-of-way to other motorists. Fortunately, nothing more serious than minor injuries and limited property damage came about as the result of these collisions. The remaining collision involved minor property damage to a parked vehicle. The driver in this incident failed to remain at the scene. Given the nature of these collisions, further analysis is not warranted at this time.

Conclusions:

Some alterations to existing on-street parking restrictions along Nelson Street and Farmbrook Road can make them more consistent with recent changes at other schools. Specifically, these alterations involve encouraging >school side= parking and prohibiting stopping on the opposite sides of these roads. This will be accomplished by installing a 30 minute parking limit along side the school while installing a no stopping restriction during the weekdays on the opposite side of the school.

The proposed restrictions on both Nelson Street and Farmbrook Road, will create sufficient room for approximately 34 vehicles to park temporarily. This should allow for a less congested roadway before and after school. The result would be a safer environment for children crossing these roads or being dropped off and picked up from private vehicles.

Contact Name:

Gary H. Welsh, P.Eng.,

Director, Road and Traffic Services, Works & Environment Department,

Telephone: 396-5061,

Fax: 396-5681,

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

(Copies of Appendices 1 and 2, referred to in the foregoing report, are on file in the office of the City Clerk.)

(Attachments are also on file in the office of the City Clerk.)

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