To:Chairman and Members of the Scarborough Community Council

From:Gary Welsh, Director, Transportation Services, Works and Emergency Services, District 4

Subject:Installation of a 40 Kilometre Per Hour Speed Limit on Denton Avenue and Newport Avenue, Scarborough Bluffs

Purpose:

To investigate the need for a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit on Denton Avenue and Newport Avenue.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

The $1,000.00 (approximate) funds associated with the installation of the speed limit signs is available in the Transportation Services 1999 budget estimates, Account No. 100-TP10226.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the 40 kilometre per hour speed limits identified in Appendix 1 of this report be adopted; and

(2)the appropriate by-law be amended accordingly.

Council Reference/Background/History:

During a public meeting in the Oakridge Community, Transportation Services received a number of requests including a concern with regard to speeding on Denton Avenue and Newport Avenue.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

Denton Avenue and Newport Avenue are residential collector roads located north of Danforth Avenue, near Pharmacy Avenue. Oakridge Public School and Samuel Hearne Senior Public School abut both streets, east of Pharmacy Avenue. The speed limit on both streets is 50 kilometres per hour. Appropriate School Area signs are posted in advance of the school and a signed School Crossing exists on Newport Avenue at Byng Avenue, and a pedestrian crossover exists on Denton Avenue at Byng Avenue.

Speed studies were conducted on both Denton Avenue and Newport Avenue on Wednesday, September 23, 1998. The following was recorded:

Note: The 85th percentile speed is the speed at or below which 85 percent of motorists are travelling.

Staff investigated both roads for the installation of a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit. The justification for the introduction of a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit on a roadway in the former City of Scarborough is based on a technical warrant adopted by the former Scarborough Council. Neither street fully satisfies all of the necessary requirements for a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit, mainly due to the fact that the 85th percentile speed slightly exceeds 50 kilometres per hour and the minimum distance between controls is less than the requirement.

However, on the location of Denton Avenue and Newport Avenue in proximity to schools, and considering the warrants for a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit are predominantly satisfied, we believe it would be appropriate to reduce the speed limit to 40 kilometres per hour, east of Pharmacy Avenue.

Our review of the reported collision history for both roads for the period between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 1997 revealed a total of eight collisions on both roads. None of these collisions involved speeding.

Conclusions:

Based upon the existing speed profile, the volume of traffic, and the proximity to schools, staff recommend that both Denton Avenue, east of Pharmacy Avenue and Newport Avenue be posted with a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit.

Contact Name:

Bruce Clayton

Supervisor, Traffic Engineering, Works and Emergency Services

Telephone: 396-7844

Fax: 396-5681

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

Gary H. Welsh

Director

Transportation Services

Works and Emergency Services

District 4

BDC:ca

c:\work\reports\denton.wpd

D98-184

Appendix 1

"40 kilometre per hour Speed Limit"

Regulation to be Enacted

Column 1Column 2

HighwayFromTo

DentonPharmacy Patterson

AvenueAvenueAvenue

Newport PharmacyPatterson

AvenueAvenueAvenue