March 30, 1999

To:Etobicoke Community Council

From:John W. Thomas, P. Eng., MBA, Director, Transportation Services - District 2

Subject:Traffic Concerns:

Norseman Street between Islington Avenue and Royal York Road

(Lakeshore-Queensway)

Purpose:

To address the concerns of area residents with respect to the speed and volume of vehicular traffic on Norseman Street between Islington Avenue and Royal York Road.

Funding Sources:

The funds associated with the installation of regulatory signs are contained in the Transportation Service Division's Operating Budget.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)all-way stop controls not be installed at the intersection of Norseman Street and ChartwellRoad;

(2)all-way stop controls not be installed at the intersection of Norseman Street and FernalroyBoulevard;

(3)The Toronto Police Service be requested to enforce the 40 km/h speed limit on Norseman Street, near Chartwell Road;

(4)the 40 km/h speed zone on Norseman Street, between Islington Avenue and Placid Road, be extended eastward to Royal York Road (Attachment No. 1); and

(5)the appropriate City Officials be requested to take whatever action is necessary to give effect to the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any bills that may be required.

Background:

Councillor Irene Jones received a petition (Attachment No. 2) from residents of Norseman Street requesting that all-way stop controls be installed on Norseman Street at the intersections of Chartwell Road and Fernalroy Boulevard: and, that the 40 km/h speed zone on Norseman Street, east of Islington Avenue, be extended eastward to Royal York Road. These requests are as a result of concerns regarding the excessive speed and volume of traffic on the aforementioned section of Norseman Street.

A Public meeting was held with the ward councillors, Toronto Police Service and TransportationServices staff on December 8, 1998 to discuss these concerns. A map of the area is Attachment No. 3.

Comments and Discussion:

To assess traffic conditions on Norseman Street, the following information was obtained:

(1)approach counts conducted at the intersections of Norseman Street and Chartwell Road, and Norseman Street and Fernalroy Boulevard;

(2)an audit of the pedestrian crossover at the west approach to the intersection of NorsemanStreet and Gladfern Road;

(3)radar speed studies conducted on Norseman Street near Chartwell Road; and

(4)review of the three year collision history.

Norseman Street, between Islington Avenue and Royal York Road, is classified as a primary residential collector roadway. Traffic volumes on this section of roadway are in the range of 4600to 6200 vehicles a day, well within acceptable levels for a collector type roadway. The speed limit is 40 km/h between Islington Avenue and Placid Road, and 50km/h east of Placid Road. NorsemanElementary School is located at 105 Norseman Street, at Chartwell Road.

The following warrants need to be met in order to justify the installation of all-way stop controls on roads and streets considered to be primary collector or arterial streets:

a)a total vehicle volume on all intersection approaches exceeding 500 vehicles per hour for each of any eight hours of the day; and

b)a volume split that does not exceed 70/30.

(1)Approach Counts

The results of the all-way stop studies conducted at the intersections of Norseman Street and Chartwell Road, and Norseman Street and Fernalroy Boulevard are summarized in the following tables:

Intersection: Norseman Street and Chartwell Road

Count Type: ManualDate: Thursday, March 11, 1999

Intersection: Norseman Street and Fernalroy Boulevard

Count Type: AutomaticDate: Tuesday, March 9, 1999

It is evident that traffic volumes at both intersections do not meet the warrants for installation of all-way stop controls on a primary collector type roadway.

Notwithstanding the aformention, the installation of all-way stop controls at the intersection of Norseman Street and Chartwell Road can not be justified given the proximity of this location to the pedestrian crossover at the west approach of the intersection of Norseman Street and Gladfern Road. The distance between the crossover and the west approach of the intersection of Norseman Street and Chartwell Road is only approximately 50 meters, well short of the desired minimum spacing of 215 metres between traffic control devices. This spacing is the distance in which motorists can detect a signal or hazard and react in a safe manner.

(2) Pedestrian Crossover Audit

A audit of the aforementioned pedestrian crossover concluded that there are no unsuitable or potentially unsafe factors, including road width, traffic volumes, and visibility that would justify the removal or relocation of this traffic control device. Furthermore, a pedestrian count study conducted on Tuesday, March 2, 1999 for an eight hour period (7:30 - 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.) revealed a total of 155 pedestrians crossing at the pedestrian crossover. This pedestrian volume is considered relatively high.

(3)Radar Speed Studies

The results of the radar speed studies conducted on Norseman Street near Chartwell Road in late October, 1999, between the hours of 7-8 a.m. and 3-5 p.m., indicate an 85th percentile speed of 54km/h. This speed justifies police enforcement on Norseman Street in the posted 40 km/h section.

Although 40 km/h speed limits are reserved for school zones, staff support the residents request to have the 40 km/h speed zone extended eastward to Royal York Road, given that the existing 40 km/h section on Norseman Street extends well beyond the school zone. The extension of the 40 km/h zone will make the speed limit on the entire residential section of Norseman Street uniform.

(4)Collision Review

A review of the collision history on Norseman Street between Islington Avenue and RoyalYorkRoad, for the period January 1, 1995 - May, 1998, revealed seven reportable collisions. Four collisions were intersection related including one that occurred at the intersection of NorsemanStreet and Chartwell Road. No reportable collisions occurred at the intersection of Norseman Street and Fernalroy Boulevard. Also, all the collisions were the results of driver error and none were speed related.

Conclusions:

Traffic conditions at the intersections of Norseman Street and Chartwell Road and Norseman Street and Fernalroy Boulevard do not warrant the installation of all-way stop controls at these locations. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the installation of all-way stop controls at the intersection of Norseman Street and Chartwell Road can not be justified given the intersection's near proximity to the pedestrian crossover at the west approach of the intersection of Norseman Street and GladfernRoad. The crossover's usage is relatively high; and, based on the audit conducted for this location under existing conditions, there are no safety factors to justify its removal or relocation.

The results of the speed studies indicates a speeding problem is evident on Norseman Street near Chartwell Road , in the school zone, and that police enforcement is warranted. Also, the extension of this 40 km/h zone eastward to Royal York Road would create a uniform speed limit across the entire residential section of Norseman Street.

The collision review for the section of Norseman Street, between Islington Avenue and RoyalYorkRoad, revealed a relatively low number of collisions. The collisions that did occur were driver error and not speed related.

Contact Name:

Mark Hargot, Traffic Co-ordinator - Transportation Services - District 2

(416)394-8453; Fax 394-8942

John W. Thomas, P.Eng., MBA

Director, Transportation Services - District 2

Attachments

cc: St. - Norseman St.