STAFF REPORT

To: Works Committee

From: Barry H. Gutteridge, Commissioner, Works and Emergency Services

Subject:Proposed Installation of Traffic Control Signals on Sheppard Avenue East at Agincourt GO Station

Scarborough Agincourt

Purpose:

To obtain approval for the installation of traffic control signals on Sheppard Avenue East at the Agincourt GO Station driveway immediately west of the CN railroad at-grade crossing.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

The funds associated with new traffic control signal installations are contained in the Works and Emergency Services Capital Program under Project No. C-TR031. As part of the Department's capital budget, $1.6 million has been allocated for new traffic control signal installations in 2000. The estimated cost of the installation of traffic control signals, and driveway civil improvements and interconnection with the neighbouring CN rail crossing signals, at the intersection of Sheppard Avenue East and the Agincourt GO Station driveway is $228,000.00. The added annual operating and maintenance costs associated with this installation are $6,000.00 which will impact the Department's Operating Budget.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that, subject to the availability of funding, traffic control signals be installed on Sheppard Avenue East at the driveway of the Agincourt GO Station immediately west of the CN tracks.

Background:

This location was investigated in response to a request from a member of the public to improve the pedestrian crossing environment on Sheppard Avenue East in the vicinity of the Agincourt GO Station.

Comments:

Sheppard Avenue East in the vicinity of the Agincourt GO Station is a major five-lane arterial road with a two-way centre left-turn lane and a speed limit of 60 Km/h. Two-way 24 hour traffic volumes are approximately 40,000 vehicles. There is an at-grade CN rail crossing on Sheppard Avenue East approximately mid-way between Kennedy Road and Midland Avenue which is controlled by railroad crossing signals and gates. The Agincourt GO Station is on the north side of Sheppard Avenue East immediately west of the CN tracks.

There is a TTC bus stop on the south side of Sheppard Avenue East directly across from the Agincourt GO Station. There are two westbound TTC bus stops on the north side of Sheppard Avenue East near to and serving the GO property but not on the property frontage itself.

Because pedestrians have been experiencing difficulties crossing Sheppard Avenue East in the area, staff were asked to investigate the feasibility of installing a pedestrian crossover. The nearest traffic control crossing devices in proximity to the CN rail crossing are traffic control signals at Kennedy Road, approximately 330 metres to the west, and traffic control signals at Midland Avenue, approximately 425 metres to the east. In a five-year period in the mid-1990's there were 5 collisions involving pedestrians on Sheppard Avenue East in the vicinity of the Agincourt GO Station.

A pedestrian crossover study revealed that 443 people crossed Sheppard Avenue East in this immediate area in an eight-hour period, and 218 were delayed more than ten seconds. Based upon the results of this study, a pedestrian crossover (PXO) is numerically warranted.

However, we evaluated the operational characteristics of the proposed PXO according to the guidelines which were developed from the "Audit of Operational and Physical Suitability at PXO's in Toronto". The results are as follows:

                

Standards or Criteria to be met for Physical Suitability of a PXO	Met/Not Met	Comments
Vehicle operating speed less than 60 km/h	Not Met	85th percentile speed is 68 km/h
Not more than four lanes wide	Not Met	five lanes wide
Traffic volume less than 35,000 vehicles per day	Not Met	39,325 vehicles per day
No driveways or entrances nearby	Not Met	Major driveways on both sides of the street
No significant volumes of turning movements which interfere with the PXO	Not Met	significant volume of turns in the immediate area
No visibility problems exist for either pedestrians or vehicles	Not Met	rail road crossing signals are a visual distraction; slight vertical curve
No loading zones (including TTC) in the immediate vicinity	Not Met	eastbound TTC stop
Not less than 215 metres to another PXO or traffic control device	Not Met	rail road crossing signals and gates are located immediately to the east

 The subject location fails all of the PXO environmental criteria and is not appropriate for the placement of a PXO.

In order to accommodate the needs of pedestrians trying to cross Sheppard Avenue East in this area, a traffic control signal installation is recommended. The most appropriate location from a vehicle management perspective is at the Agincourt GO Station driveway, and the driveway to the residential complex on the south side of the road at No. 4091 Sheppard Avenue East, which is in close proximity to the CN rail at-grade crossing. Therefore, interconnection between the proposed traffic control signals and the existing rail crossing signals and gates is required in order to ensure safe traffic control signal operations when a train is approaching or crossing Sheppard Avenue East. The proposed signals would control vehicular driveway access as well as provide controlled crossing opportunities for pedestrians wishing to cross Sheppard Avenue East.

CN Rail has no objection to the proposed placement of traffic control signals and has submitted a estimate for $118,200.00 for their work to connect their signal warning system to the new traffic control signals.

There are some sidewalk and driveway civil improvements required to bring these facilities to current safe standards. Also a bus platform is required on the south side of Sheppard Avenue East in association with a relocation of the TTC bus stop (which has been endorsed by TTC staff) all at an estimated cost of $25,000.00.

The estimated cost to install the traffic control signals is $84,800.00.

Therefore the total project cost is estimated at $228,000.00.

Network performance analysis has confirmed that the installation of traffic control signals would not have a significant impact on the effectiveness of this arterial road within the network of arterial roads. Further more, signals would provide benefits to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists in the immediate area, including patrons driving to the Agincourt GO Station.

Both Ward Councillors have indicated their support for the proposed traffic control signals.

Conclusions:

The installation of a PXO is numerically warranted on Sheppard Avenue East in the vicinity of the Agincourt GO Station. However, because this location fails to meet the "environmental standards" for a PXO, traffic control signals will potentially provide for a safer crossing environment and should be installed at this location. Because of the close proximity of the CN rail at-grade crossing, the proposed traffic control signals must be interconnected with the rail crossing signals in order to provide a safe signal operation.

Contact:

Peter K. Hillier, Manager

Traffic Operations, District 4

(416) 396-7148

   David C. Kaufman

General Manager, Transportation Services

    Barry H. Gutteridge

Commissioner, Works and Emergency Services

 PKH:ca

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