June 7, 1999

To:Chairman and Members of the Scarborough Community Council

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

Subject:Request for an All-Way Stop Control on Lawson Road and Meadowvale Road, Scarborough Highland Creek

Purpose:

To report on the results of studies conducted at the intersection of Lawson Road and Meadowvale Road.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not Applicable.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Council Reference/Background/History:

At the request of Councillor Moeser and a petition from residents living on Meadowvale Road and Lawson Road, Transportation Services is reporting the results of our investigations at the intersection of Lawson Road and Meadowvale Road.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

Lawson Road and Meadowvale Road are both residential collector roads. Currently stop signs exist northbound and southbound on Meadowvale Road. As a result of area residents' concerns, a hidden intersection sign has been installed for westbound traffic and the northbound stop line adjusted to assist motorists exiting northbound from Meadowvale Road.

The justification for the installation of traffic control signals (TCS), all-way stop controls (AWSC) and pedestrian crossovers (PXO) is based on technical warrants established by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO). The analysis of these warrants at this location is based on data compiled from a 12-hour traffic study, of which the highest 8-hours were applied to the warrants. Traffic studies were conducted on Wednesday, February 17, 1999.

Traffic Control Signals:

Study hours used in the warrant calculations were 7:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

To warrant the installation of traffic control signals, compliance levels of 100% are required in one of the above categories or 80% in each. In brief, these findings indicate that there is insufficient vehicular traffic entering the intersection on both the major and minor roads to satisfy the Traffic Control Signal Warrant at this time.

Collision History:

A review of the collision history for the most recent three-year five-month period for which we have complete data, January 1, 1995 to May 31, 1998, reveals the following:

We are unable to review collisions after May 31, 1998 as the complete data is not yet available from the police. Traffic control signals are not warranted based upon this low collision frequency.

Pedestrian Crossover Warrant:

Study hours used in the warrant calculations: 7:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., and 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

To warrant the installation of a pedestrian crossover, compliance levels of 100% are required in both of the above categories. The "Required Pedestrian Volume" is based on the "12-hour vehicle volume" of the road.

The Pedestrian Crossover Warrant provides an adjustment factor for senior citizens, unassisted children and handicapped pedestrians. The actual recorded pedestrian volume was 109. This pedestrian volume consisted of the following:

Assisted Children are children crossing the road accompanied by a youth, an adult or a senior citizen.

Out of these 109 pedestrians, 71% or 77 pedestrians were generated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) bus stops located on the west side of the intersection. With frequent gaps in the traffic flow on Lawson Road, pedestrians did not experience any conflicts with motorists while crossing Lawson Road at this location.

All-Way Stop Control:

The justification for the installation of an all-way stop control is based on a technical warrant established by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO), and adopted as the City Policy by the former Scarborough Council.

Traffic studies conducted on Wednesday, February 17, 1999 produced the following results which illustrate that the Warrant's requirements for a collector road are not satisfied:

To warrant the installation of an all-way stop control the traffic volume requirements for each hour of the eight-hour period must be completely satisfied.

In addition to the Warrant, the following outlines the main reasons why the installation of unwarranted all-way stop controls is not recommended:

(i)Most motorists are reasonable and prudent with no intention of maliciously violating traffic regulations. However, when an unreasonable restriction is imposed (such as an unwarranted all-way stop control) it can result in flagrant violations. In such cases, pedestrians may start to cross the road with a false sense of security, and conflict with a motorist approaching the stop sign without expecting to stop. This will obviously place the pedestrian at risk.

(ii)Unwarranted stop signs often result in an increase in speeds by motorists who try to make uplost time for what they perceive as unnecessary delays.

(iii)The City has an obligation to provide services in an environmentally conscious manner. The installation of unwarranted stop controls not only undermines the Warrant but contributes to unnecessary fuel consumption and higher levels of noise and air pollution. These pollutants most specifically impact those residents in the immediate vicinity of the intersection.

(iv)A situation of indecision is created as to when to cross as a pedestrian or when to start as a motorist.

(v)On either side of the all-way stop, normal gaps in traffic through which crossings could be made safely no longer exist because an all-way stop eliminates motorists traveling in platoons.

(vi)An intersection which previously was not congested is now perceived as a major intersection.

Conclusions:

In summary, our traffic studies reveal that traffic control signals, an all-way stop control or a pedestrian crossover are not warranted at the intersection of Lawson Road and Meadowvale Road. Based on the study results, this intersection is operating safely with the existing controls.

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

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