CITY OF TORONTO

CITY WORKS SERVICES

Brian Holditch

August 27, 1997

To: City Services Committee

Subject: Oakwood Avenue at its intersection with Burlington Crescent - Installation of an all-way "Stop" sign control (Ward 12)

Origin: Commissioner of City Works Services (p:\1997\ug\cws\ipt\cs970266.ipt) - sdb

Recommendation:

That this report be received for information.

Comments:

At the request of Councillor Betty Disero on behalf of area residents, City Works Services has investigated the feasibility of installing an all-way "Stop" sign control on Oakwood Avenue at its intersection with Burlington Crescent.

Oakwood Avenue, from Davenport Road to St. Clair Avenue West is an arterial road operating two-way, with a pavement width of 9.75 metres, a speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour and a daily traffic volume of approximately 10,000 vehicles. Burlington Crescent, from Alberta Avenue to Oakwood Avenue operates two-way with a pavement width of 7.32 metres and a speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour. The two streets intersect to form a "T" type intersection with right-of-way being controlled by a "Stop" sign for westbound traffic on Burlington Crescent.

Having evaluated this request against the criteria governing the installation of "Stop" signs which encompass such factors as right-of-way conflicts, vehicular and pedestrian usage of the intersection, physical and geometric configuration, surrounding area traffic control and safety experience, I am of the opinion that this intersection does not satisfy the operational elements for the installation of all-way "Stop" sign control.

Given the high daily volume of traffic on Oakwood Avenue (roughly 10,000 vehicles), which serves as an arterial roadway between Davenport Road and St. Clair Avenue West, the installation of all-way "Stop" sign control at the subject intersection would create significant delays for northbound/southbound motorists, by restricting the free flow of traffic at this location. As a result, increased traffic volumes on surrounding local residential streets could be expected due to motorists' attempts to avoid the congestion at the subject intersection.

Further, a recent 8 hour peak volume turn analysis conducted by City Works Services staff revealed that only 3 vehicles turned left from Burlington Crescent onto Oakwood Avenue. Of the 3,214 vehicles recorded travelling southbound on Oakwood Avenue, only 64 (2%) turned left onto Burlington Crescent. In addition, a review of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Service accident records at this intersection revealed one reported accident from January 1, 1993 to December 31, 1995, which would not have been prevented by the presence of an all-way "Stop" sign control.

In view of the above, the installation of an all-way "Stop" sign control at this intersection is not warranted or advisable at this time.

Commissioner.

BH/bh