23 August 1999
To:Chairman and Mmbers of the North york Community Council
From:Roberto Stopnicki,
Director, Transportation Services - District 3
Subject:Traffic Management Plan: Moccasin Trail and North Hills Terrace
Don Parkway
Purpose:
To permanently install traffic calming measures, consisting of six speed humps on Moccasin Trail and North Hills Terrace.
Source of funds:
All costs associated with the installation of the traffic calming measures (speed humps) are included within the 1999
Capital Budget.
Recommendations:
(1)that the Neighbourhood Traffic Management Plan, as described in this report, be approved for installation; and
(2)that funding for the permanent installation be considered from the 1999 Capital Budget item for Roadway Alterations
and Traffic Calming.
Council Reference:
Council, for the former City of North York, at its meeting of April 2, 1997, recommended a six month test of the
neighbourhood traffic management plan proposed by the appointed Moccasin Trail Traffic Work Group and supported by
staff. In accordance with the Traffic Calming Policy, staff was also directed to report back to Council on the effectiveness
of the calming measures in improving traffic safety.
Background:
On April 25, 1997, the Transportation Department, for the former City of North York, completed the installation of a
program to test the traffic calming measures recommended by the Moccasin Trail Traffic Work Group and supported by
the community, as presented to them at a public meeting, and approved by the North York Council.
These measures consisted of pinch points, intersection dividers, speed humps and raised intersection dividers. Several other
types of traffic control measures were suggested by the community and reviewed by the Work Group. For a variety of
reasons, as reviewed by the community during the process, these were rejected as options for the management of traffic.
Upon installation of the approved plan, this division began receiving complaints from the residents with respect to the
location of some of the measures. Steps were taken to modify the design in an attempt to accommodate the residents'
concerns. Ultimately, however, at the direction of the Work Group, the two sets of intersection dividers were reduced to a
point that they were ineffective in addressing driver behaviour.
Throughout the test period, this division continued to monitor traffic patterns, responded to residents' concerns and
continued to make modifications to the traffic calming measures as was deemed appropriate. Numerous complaints were
received regarding the aesthetics of the planters used to simulate the ultimate traffic calming measures. No functional or
safety concerns were determined to exist and snow clearing, roadway maintenance, garbage collection and emergency
services were carried out throughout the test with no impact on the delivery of service.
Not all measures were effective in affecting driver behaviour. Traffic speeds and volumes recorded throughout the test
indicated that vehicle speeds were not reduced, through the two pinch points. Based on the results of the data collected, it
was apparent that the implementation of these measures has not had a significant effect on controlling vehicle speeds.
Comments:
Throughout the implementation of the traffic management plans, the policy for evaluation and monitoring of traffic
calming was followed. The plan was presented to the community and approved by the affected residents, by a direct mail
questionnaire, where they were requested to vote on the permanent installation. The results of the questionnaire determined
that 67% of the affected residents support the concept of traffic calming on Moccasin Trail and North Hills Terrace to
address the problem of vehicle speed and traffic safety. Additionally, 62% supported the use of speed humps as the
preferred method.
Notwithstanding the overwhelming support for permanent traffic calming measures, local residents requested the removal
of the temporary traffic calming measures.
Discussion:
The working group, with the endorsement of Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong and the local residents has requested the
installation of speed humps on Moccasin Trail and North Hills Terrace.
The history of action by both the former City of North York, Transportation Department and the Transportation Services
Division of the Works and Emergency Services Department, indicate that traditional methods in controlling traffic have
had only limited and short term effect. Legislated traffic controls or police enforcement have not been effective in
addressing driver behaviour to date. The current traffic calming measures which are being proposed have shown some
success in addressing the speeding problem on other local roadways. As such, the Transportation Services Division of the
Works and Emergency Services Department, support the residents' request for the installation of speed humps on
Moccasin Trail and North Hills Terrace.
Conclusions:
The installation of the speed humps on Moccasin Trail and North Hills Terrace will effectively address the concerns of the
local residents for the speed of motor vehicles.
Contact Name:
Allen Pinkerton, Manager, Traffic Operations - District 3
395-7463 (telephone)
395-7482 (facsimile)
ajpinker@city.north-york.on.ca (e-mail)
Roberto Stopnicki,
Director, Transportation Services - District 3
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