ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: December 14, 1999
Author/Local:W.Chou 873-7693
RTS No. 1084

CC File No. 5757
T&T Date: January 11, 2000

TO:	Standing Committee of Council on Transportation and Traffic
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:	Traffic Calming Measures Adjacent to Lord Selkirk School

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT a raised crosswalk across 22nd Avenue at Commercial Street and three corner bulges at the intersection of 22nd Avenue and Commercial Street be installed, at a cost of $50,000, from the Streets Unappropriated Account 30000128 - S/W Reconstruction Program.

B. THAT the Streets Maintenance Budget be increased by $700 and the Traffic Sign Maintenance Budget be increased by $100 for the traffic calming measures, effective year 2001.

COUNCIL POLICY

The Vancouver Transportation Plan emphasizes the need to mitigate the effects of traffic in local neighbourhood areas and indicates that the city’s traffic calming program will give priority to streets and neighbourhoods where traffic impacts are the most serious.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to review the pedestrian safety at the intersection of 22nd Avenue and Commercial Street.

BACKGROUND

On April 25, 1996 City Council approved the MC-1/Welwyn Planning Policy. From this policy, Council directed staff to develop a work program to improve the streetscape on Commercial Street between 18th and 22nd Avenues. In March, 1999, the MC-1/Welwyn Street work program was developed and identified the intersection of 22nd Avenue and Commercial Street as a location that requires modifications to enhance the safety and comfort for pedestrians crossing 22nd Avenue.

The intersection of 22nd and Commercial serves as a major link for students of Lord Selkirk Elementary School, a large school with over 650 students. The school is located at 1750 East 22nd Avenue (south east corner of 22nd and Commercial) and a well used crosswalk is located at this intersection. 22nd Avenue at this location also operates as a local collector with volumes of about 3000 vehicles per day.

DISCUSSION

Engineering Staff have monitored 22nd Avenue at Commercial Street and have found a problem with excessive speeds and volumes along the 1700 block of 22nd Avenue. This segment of 22nd is designated as a school zone with a speed limit of 30 km/h and a marked crosswalk is currently located across 22nd Avenue at Commercial Street. It is now proposed to install traffic calming measures at the intersection which include corner bulges and a raised crosswalk across 22nd Avenue. Figure 1 shows the proposed traffic calming measures.

Figure 1 - 22nd & Commercial Traffic Calming Plan

On October 29, 1999, a letter was distributed to the surrounding residents, schools and businesses to inform them of the proposed traffic calming measures. The neighbourhood was also directed to contact staff if they had any questions or comments (see Appendix A for the letter). It was shown from the neighbourhood response that the majority support the proposal, as displayed in Table 1.

Corner Bulges & Raised Crosswalk	Total Response	Response Rate (%)	Support (%)	Non-Support (%)
22nd & Commercial	15	10	100	0

Table 1 - 22nd and Commercial Survey Results

General comments from the residents and businesses include:

· We are fearful that a child will be seriously injured or killed due to the high-speed traffic and illegal parking/stopping at and near the intersection.
· Daily, we see motorists using East 22nd as a convenient route between Victoria Drive and Knight Street. In addition, there is considerable traffic that uses Commercial Street as a route between Kingsway and Commercial Drive.
· The proposed safety changes: adding corner bulges and a raised crosswalk, would do much to make the area safer for students. We strongly support this initiative.

The modifications include installing corner bulges at the intersection and a raised crosswalk across 22nd Avenue. The benefits of the corner bulges include improved safety for pedestrians by restricting parking within the corner clearance area, increased site lines for pedestrians crossing 22nd Avenue, and reduced crossing distance for pedestrians at the intersection. The proposed raised crosswalk will force motorists on 22nd Avenue to slow down as they approach the intersection and it will assist pedestrians when crossing 22nd Avenue.

CONCLUSION

The proposed traffic calming measures adjacent to Lord Selkirk School are recommended based on the support by the neighbourhood and the benefits they will provide for pedestrian safety.

* * * * *

APPENDIX A
INFORMATION LETTER

October 27, 1999

Dear Resident:

Proposed Safety Changes to the Intersection of 22nd Avenue and Commercial Street

The City of Vancouver is in the process of reviewing the pedestrian safety at the intersection of 22nd Avenue and Commercial Street. This intersection serves as a major crosswalk for students of Lord Selkirk Elementary School, a large school with over 650 students. 22nd Avenue also acts as a local collector street in the neighbourhood with traffic volumes of approximately 3000 vehicles per day.

City staff have been monitoring the intersection and have identified problems with excessive vehicle speeds and volumes on 22nd Avenue. The City is proposing to install neighbourhood traffic calming measures at the intersection to help slow down traffic and provide a safer crosswalk.

The proposed measures include corner bulges at the intersection and a raised crosswalk across 22nd Avenue (see figure on the following page). The corner bulges will help to increase visibility for pedestrians crossing 22nd Avenue, and will reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians. The raised crosswalk will force motorists on 22nd Avenue to slow down as they approach the intersection and it will assist pedestrians when crossing 22nd Avenue.

The cost for these traffic calming measures are funded by the City’s capital budget and will not increase your taxes.

This letter seeks your opinion on the installation of the traffic calming measures at 22nd Avenue and Commercial Street. If most of the neighbourhood supports this proposal, the corner bulges and raised crosswalk will be presented to Vancouver City Council for approval. Please call me at 873-7693 or e-mail me at winston_chou@city.vancouver.bc.ca by November 30, 1999 to voice your support or objections to this proposal or if you have questions.

Your comments on this project are valuable and will let us know whether to install the corner bulges and the raised crosswalk.

Yours truly,

Winston Chou, EIT
Neighbourhood Transportation Branch

APPENDIX B
SHADED REGION INDICATES DISTRIBUTION AREADISTRIBUTION AREA

APPENDIX C
RESULTS & COMMENTS

TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES ADJACENT TO LORD SELKIRK SCHOOL

Summary of Responses up to November 30, 1999

Total number of letters sent out: 150

Total number of Responses: 15 (15/150 = 10% response rate)
In favour of proposal: 15 (15/15 = 100%)
Opposed of the proposal: 0 (0/15 = 0%)

Summary of Comments

· We strongly support the proposed measures to increase pedestrian and

student safety at this intersection. After three years at this corner, we have become fearful that a child will be seriously injured or killed due to high-speed traffic and illegal parking/stopping at and near the intersection.

We would also ask that your department look at the positioning of the "30km/h" school zone signs, to see if they could be given additional prominence; and also consider whether there may be additional ways to discourage the use of this intersection by parents as a drop-off/pick-up site.

We are grateful to the police for their efforts to enforce the bylaws, and to your office for the proposed measures.

· I would also like to see some traffic calming devices at 20th Avenue and Commercial Street

· I just wanted to let you know that I approve of the installation of traffic calming devices at the intersection of Commercial St. and 22nd Ave. I think it is long overdue.

· Daily, we see motorists using East 22nd as a convenient route between Victoria Drive and Knight Street. In addition, there is considerable traffic that uses Commercial Street as a route between Kingsway and Commercial Drive.

Along with the volume of traffic is a related concern about speeding. Although the area around the school is well-signed with 30 km school zone signs, motorists tend to be in a hurry and significantly exceed the speed limit. We greatly appreciate the special attention being paid to the area by the traffic officers of the Vancouver Police Department - but they can’t be in the area at all times, every day.

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver