Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Napier Street and Semlin Drive Chicane - Follow up

 

RECOMMENDATION

POLICY

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to present the results of the survey regarding the Napier Street and Semlin Drive chicane, and recommend a process to resolve neighbourhood concerns .

DISCUSSION

The Grandview-Woodlands Traffic Management Plan was approved in 1986 and two permanent traffic circles were constructed on Napier Street at Garden and at Lakewood Drive. In response to residents' concerns about the increased volume of traffic in the 1900 and 2000 block of Napier Street, City staff met with residents to discuss potential solutions. A two way chicane was proposed and installed on Napier Street at Semlin Drive in the fall of 1999 to discourage non-local traffic from shortcutting through this neighbourhood. As with all such measures, this was installed on a temporary basis to judge its effectiveness. Automatic traffic counts were performed throughout the neighbourhood before initial installation, and then again after the installation, to gauge the impact the chicane has had on neighbourhood traffic patterns. Summaries of the community surveys are contained in Appendix A.

The 1997 Transportation Plan suggests a wide approach to traffic calming measures. Previously, two-way chicanes had not been used in traffic calming plans and were not included in the City's tool kit of traffic calming measures. A chicane is a series of curb extensions on alternate sides of a roadway, which narrow the roadway and require drivers to steer from one side of the roadway to the other to travel through the chicane. (See diagram in Appendix C). Two-way chicanes have not been a successful traffic calming measure in the Napier/Semlin area or in other areas of the City where they were tried. It is suggested that the two-way chicane be removed and not be added to the traffic calming tool kit.

CONSULTATION

In early December 2001, a survey was delivered to homes within a one block radius from Napier Street between Victoria Drive and Nanaimo Street. (See Appendix B)

The results of the survey regarding the temporary chicane were as follows:

Number of Surveys Distributed

Number of Surveys Returned

Those in favour of REMOVING the chicane

In favour of making the chicane permanent

Unsure or neutral

165

54 (33%)

32 (59%)

12 (22%)

10 (19%)

Many comments were received recommending improvements to the arterial street system. This would encourage through traffic to remain on these roads rather than shortcutting through residential streets.

Before and after traffic volumes indicate that shortcutting is still a problem along Napier St. Any solutions would require neighbourhood support to ensure minimal traffic diversions onto adjoining streets. A continuing program with area residents to develop a neighbourhood traffic plan is recommended.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Removal of the temporary chicane would cost about $1000, and can be funded from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Group set aside for local area and other improvements.

CONCLUSIONS

The temporary chicane was not effective at reducing average vehicle speeds along Napier Street and it did not reduce the traffic volume on the street. These were the two foremost concerns of the residents. The survey of the neighbourhood concluded that the chicane was not supported by the community and should therefore be removed. It was also suggested that further consultation with the neighbourhood residents would be in order to find alternative solutions to their problem.

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Link to Appendices

tt020625.htm

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