REQUEST FOR TRAFFIC CALMING ON EAST DRIVE

Ward 27 (York-Humber)

Director, Transportation Services, District 1

(September 27, 1999)

Purpose:

To respond to a former City of York Council request for a report on the feasibility of implementing traffic calming on East Drive.

Funding Sources:

None required.

Recommendation:

That staff undertake a survey of the municipally addressed property owners on East Drive between Jane Street and Bexley Crescent to determine whether there is support for the installation of speed humps and report on the results.

Background:

The Works and Parks Committee of the former City of York Council, at its meeting of December 1, 1997, requested a report on the feasibility of implementing traffic calming on East Drive (Clause No. 144.7 of Report No. 16 of Works and Parks Committee).

Comments:

East Drive is classified as a collector roadway, operating two-way in an eastbound and westbound direction between Jane Street and Scarlett Road. The street has a pavement width of 8.5 metres, with a maximum signed legal speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour.

East Drive consists of two distinct street sections, with varying elevations along its total length. Between Jane Street and Bexley Crescent the grade is flat, after which there is a 6 percent gradient sloping towards Scarlett Road.

The introduction of speed humps along street sections having grades exceeding 5 per cent is not practical as it creates serious safety risks for all users of the street. This risk is even more critical for motorists during the winter months.

Understanding the above, our investigation and analysis of the feasibility of traffic calming on East Drive focuses exclusively between Jane Street and Bexley Crescent.

Volume and speed studies conducted over a seven-day period in June 1999, recorded an average combined daily total of 3660 vehicles travelling at a combined average speed of 45 kilometres per hour, with 68 percent of these vehicles travelling at speeds greater than 40 kilometres per hour. In fact, 13 percent of these vehicles were recorded exceeding 55 kilometres per hour. We recorded a combined daily operating speed (the speed at which 85 percent of the vehicular traffic travels at or below) of 55 kilometres per hour over the period of the survey.

The traffic calming plan incorporates three asphalt speed humps on East Drive between Jane Street and Bexley Crescent. These speed humps would be constructed of asphalt, installed on top of the existing roadway. The associated costs to construct these three asphalt speed humps are estimated at $4,000.00. It should be noted, however, speed hump installation may result in slower response times for emergency vehicles.

Conclusions:

In view of the high incidence of speeding on East Drive between Jane Street and Bexley Crescent the introduction of traffic calming would be of benefit to improve the overall safety on the street. On East Drive between Bexley Crescent and Scarlett Road, the slope is too severe to consider physical traffic calming measures.

It is therefore recommended that a survey be undertaken to determine majority support of the municipally addressed property owners on both the north and south sides of East Drive between Jane Street and Bexley Crescent for the introduction of traffic calming and these results be reported to York Community Council.

Contact Person:

Jacqueline White

Manager, Traffic Operations, District 1

397-5021

392-8504 (fax)