Traffic Management Plan - Wendell Avenue,

Gary Drive and Yelland Street -

North York Humber

The North York Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (November 25, 1998) from the Director, Transportation Services, District 3, subject to adding Recommendations No. 2. and No. 3., and renumbering Recommendation No. (2) to No. 3, viz:

1.that the two gateway narrowings, median and pinch points on Wendell Avenue between Gary Drive and Pellatt Road, the traffic circle at the intersection of Gary Drive and Wendell Avenue, and the two gateway narrowings at the intersection of Gary Drive and Yelland Street be approved for permanent installation;

2.a Working Committee of six residents be formed to work with the existing work group and staff of the Technical Services Division on the final design of the traffic calming measures;

3.the six residents forming the Working Committee must agree with the mandate of designing the permanent traffic calming devices and should they not be in agreement, must resign their position on the Working Committee; and

4.that Staff of the Works and Emergency Services and Technical Services Department be directed to design, tender and construct the traffic calming measures as detailed in this report, subject to their approval in the 1999 Capital Budget.

A recorded vote on the adoption of Recommendation No. 3. was as follows:

FOR:Councillors Mammoliti, Sgro, Li Preti, Feldman, Berger, Flint, Gardner, Chong, Filion, Minnan-Wong

AGAINST:Councillors Moscoe, King

ABSENT:Councillor Augimeri, Shiner

Carried

A recorded vote on a motion moved by Councillor Sgro that no member of City staff, either full time or part time, be permitted to be a voting member on the Working Committee, was as follows:

FOR:Councillors Sgro, Li Preti, Berger, Flint, Chong, King

AGAINST:Councillors Mammoliti, Moscoe, Feldman, Gardner, Filion, Minnan-Wong

ABSENT:Councillors Augimeri, Shiner

The motion moved by Councillor Sgro was declared by the Chair to be lost on a tie vote.

A recorded vote on the adoption of Recommendation No. 2, was as follows:

FOR:Councillors Mammoliti, Sgro, Li Preti, Moscoe, Feldman, Berger, Gardner, Chong, Filion, Minnan-Wong, King

AGAINST:Councillors Flint, King

ABSENT:Councillors Augimeri, Shiner

Carried

The North York Community Council submits the following report (November 25, 1998) from the Director, Transportation Services, District 3:

Purpose:

To address the effect that the temporary traffic calming measures, on Wendell Avenue, Gary Drive and Yelland Street have had on the communities concerns with regard to the rate of speed of motor vehicles on the roadways, and the volume of heavy truck traffic infiltrating the residential community and if the above measures should be made permanent.

Source of funds:

All costs associated with the installation of the permanent traffic calming measures (traffic circle, pinch points, median gateway narrowing) should be considered within the 1999 Capital Budget item for Road Improvements and Traffic Calming.

Recommendations:

(1)that the two gateway narrowings, median and pinch points on Wendell Avenue between Gary Drive and Pellatt Road, traffic circle at the intersection of Gary Drive and Wendell Avenue, the two gateway narrowings at the intersection of Gary Drive and Yelland Street be approved for permanent installation; and

(2)that Staff of the Works and Emergency Services and Technical Services Department be directed to design, tender and construct the traffic calming measures as detailed in this report, subject to their approval in the 1999 Capital Budget.

Council Reference/Background/History:

Toronto Council, at its meeting of April 15, 1998, approved a recommendation from the Transportation Services Division of the Works and Emergency Services Department to implement a six month trial period of traffic calming measures on Wendell Avenue, Gary Drive and Yelland Street.

For quite some time, the residents of Wendell Avenue and Gary Drive had a concern with respect to vehicle speeds, transient traffic and the large number of combination tractor trailers using the residential roadways. Residents were of the opinion that Police enforcement of the heavy truck restriction had been ineffective in improving the situation.

As a result, a request for the installation of the temporary traffic calming measures was put forward at a meeting between staff, Councillor Mammoliti and the Wendell Avenue\Gary Drive working group, which consisted of residents of the local Community.

The proposal, which was endorsed by the working group and the local Councillors, called for the following test installations:

(1)intersection dividers on the south approach to the Wendell Avenue\Pellatt Avenue intersection and the south and east approaches to the Gary Drive\Yelland Street intersection;

(2)a series of : "Pinch Points" and median on Wendell Avenue, between Pellatt Avenue and Gary Drive; and

(3)a traffic circle at the intersection of Wendell Avenue with Gary Drive.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

The temporary traffic calming measures were installed in June of 1998. Throughout the test period, vehicle volumes, speed and classification counts\studies were completed.

The results of the vehicle volume and classification counts, conducted both before and after the installation of the temporary traffic calming measures, does not indicate that there has been a reassignment of traffic to the adjacent road network. Although traffic volumes on Wendell Avenue and Gary Drive remained consistent throughout the test period, there was a significant decrease in the number of heavy vehicles (tractor trailer units). Heavy truck traffic decreased from approximately 35 vehicles per day to 5.

A further review of vehicle operating speeds on Wendell Avenue revealed that with the installation of the measures, the 85th percentile speed of northbound and southbound traffic decreased by 8 km/h to 12 km/h, respectively, from those recorded prior to the installation of the traffic calming measures.

In addition to the above, a questionnaire was circulated to the residents of the affected roadways to solicit their comments/impression of what effect the traffic calming measures have had on the their lives and the overall safety of the community. Based upon the responses, the following table has been compiled so that a clearer understanding of the community's views can be seen, on a street by street basis.

Of the 200 questionnaires which were sent out to the registered home owners, a total of 110 (55 percent) were returned. This is a very good response rate.

The overall results indicate that approximately 56 percent of the respondents support the permanent installation of the traffic calming measures on Gary Drive, Wendell Avenue and Yelland Street.

A community meeting was held on November 19, to allow staff to present the results of the monitoring process and for the residents to discuss the future of the traffic calming measures.

The residents in attendance at the meeting generally supported the permanent installation of the traffic calming measures. To address the long term needs of the community, the residents on Academy Road and Howbert Drive requested that a supplementary working group be established to develop additions to the Wendell Avenue\Gary Drive Traffic Management Plan.

Both Councillor George Mammoliti and Councillor Judy Sgro have indicated their support of the permanent installation of the traffic calming measures.

Conclusions:

Accordingly, this division is requesting the approval of Council to proceed with the permanent installation of the traffic calming measures on Wendell Avenue, Gary Drive and Yelland Street.

Contact Name:

Allen Pinkerton, Supervisor of Traffic Investigations

395-7463 (telephone)

395-7482 (facsimile)

ajpinker@city.north-york.on.ca (E-mail)

________

The North York Community Council also had before it a communication (December 2, 1998) from Councillor Sgro, North York Humber, together with a letter sent to the community on this issue.

The following persons appeared before the North York Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Mr. Alan Coulter;

-Ms. Gillian Zidner;

-Mr. Ken Park;

-Mr. Fulvio Sansone; and

-Mr. James Zidner.