ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Bobolink Park- Traffic Calming Measures

 

RECOMMENDATION

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.

Council approved the report "Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Plans - Priorities and Process" which outlines guidelines for monitoring traffic calming plans with diversionary measures.

PURPOSE

This report outlines the proposed measures to address the high vehicle speeds around Bobolink park.

BACKGROUND

This action was initiated by local residents who contacted City Hall and expressed their concerns about vehicle speeds adjacent to Bobolink Park, located between Victoria Drive and Elliott Street in Victoria Fraserview. City staff took measurements along Muirfield Drive and confirmed that vehicle speeds were high, particularly for a school/ playground zone and residential street. Staff also took measurements along the 2300 block of Hoylake Ave and the 7500-7700 block of Nanaimo Street, which were found to have high speeds.

In all three of these locations, speeds are the primary concern. Vehicle volumes are within the normal range for a residential street of this nature. Since speed is the primary concern, non-diversionary speed control measures can be used that require only the approval of the residents on the affected street.

TRAFFIC CALMING ELEMENTS

There are three proposed measures to help control the speeds around Bobolink Park and Oppenheimer Elementary. These include speed humps, speed tables and bulges. The following provides a description of the three measures and a map of the approximate locations is displayed in Figure 1. These locations are preliminary and may be adjusted slightly when the final design is completed.

There have been over 220 speed humps installed throughout the City and they have been found to be very effective for reducing speeds. A speed hump involves a vertical deflection that makes it uncomfortable to travel over in excess of their design speed.

Speed Tables

Speed tables are raised asphalt platforms on the street that require drivers to slow down in order to travel over them comfortably. These are similar to speed humps but have a larger flat area at the top of the deflection like a raised crosswalk or raised intersection. This flat area is to allow busses to pass over them since Muirfield Drive is on a Buss route. These tables have been used occasionaly in the City and this installation would, therefore, be developmental in nature.

Corner Bulges

Corner bulges help to narrow the width of the roadway and indicate to drivers that they should slow down. They also help to reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians.

FIGURE 1: Traffic Calming Measures around Bobolink Park

NEIGHBOURHOOD CONSULTATION

City staff met with residents adjacent to the park at the South Vancouver Family Place. At this meeting the traffic calming plan was discussed and it was determined that the residents wanted to proceed with the traffic calming measures. A survey was also distributed to the surrounding residents to measure the level of support (See Appendix A). A response rate of 33%, 49% and 51% was received along Hoylake Avenue, Nanaimo Street and Muirfield Drive respectively for a total of 45 respondents. The table below shows the level of support by the residents for the traffic calming measures on their street. A summary of the comments is provided in Appendix B.

Table 1: Summary of survey results

Traffic Calming Measure

I support the installation of this measure on my street

Yes

No

No Opinion

Speed Tables on Muirfield

88%

12%

0%

Speed Humps on Nanaimo

85%

5%

10%

Speed Humps on Hoylake

75%

25%

0%

Bulges on Muirfield

76%

18%

6%

Bollards at Parking lot

80%

12%

7%

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The estimated cost of the speed humps, Speed tables, Bulges and bollards is $80,000 to be provided from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account Group set aside for Local Area Traffic Calming (SCA5A-Unap).

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APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

The wide streets in this area have made it a great location for street racing. Also a greater police presence from 10pm until later hours of the night would help as there is a lot of activity around the park

Maybe this would discourage the drug dealers selling in the park

I would prefer speed tables on Nanaimo Street between Hoylake Ave and Scarboro Ave

Those who abuse the parking area would drive over the sidewalk and grassy area. The parking is used all hours before dark by users of the park- so who would lock up?? I feel that a series of half round (or round) bumps in a staggered design at the entrance would probably do the trick

There is a lot of street racing on these streets. This should help prevent it

Bulges are expensive

The above proposed plan is very important in reducing our neighbourhood's speeding, car racing, noise disturbance and the associated problems. The plan, in fact, is long overdue. We are very pleased to see the City providing the attention, recognition, co-operation and assistance in this matter.

I think it should be specifically noted that only one person raised concerns over the bollards and chain issue for the two parking lots in question, and that one person was the staff worker at "S. Vancouver Family Place" In essence a non resident of the neighbourhood who is not cognicent of the late night problems which have given rise to various Vancouver Courier news articles, television reports, and the formation of a citizens Community Policing Volunteer Group which has been patrolling the park and school ground areas for over a year now. Behind the various objections raised by the staff worker was the key concern of the additional responsibility and who would be required to do the actual work involved in securing the chain and lock on a nightly/ weekend basis. In reality there is presently plenty of perimeter parking around both the park and neighbouring elementary school, 200 plus spots, for the few park users who don't live in the neighbourhood. The raised objections concerning insufficient parking for park users parking in front of neighbouring homes have little or no merit regarding the several resident who live immediately adjacent to the park. There are of note an additional 40-50 other spaces over at the C-1 zoned area which is located immediately across Nanaimo street a mere 50 feet north of the entrance to South Vancouver Family Place. Clearly the issue is one more of accepted responsibility than a need for more parking, and: whether, in lieu of current VCity subsidised rental agreements that these facilities receive, that the expectation and minimal extra work associated with the securing of their staff and drop-off zone parking lots should be a reasonable condition of these agreements. In conclusion and as an additional note, is that the neighbouring elementary school parking lot is presently secured by bollards and a chain on a nightly basis, and is not attracting any late night activities which are disruptive and of annoyance to the community. As a possible alternate suggestion, I would also offer that both these parking lots be eliminated totally and that the drop off areas be restricted to locations directly in front of these facilities on both Nanaimo Street and Muirfield Drive respectively.

A stop sign should be installed at the NE corner of Bobolink Park. Especially in the summer, many children frequent the playground and wading pool at that corner of the park, and cars do not slow down when turning onto Muirfield Drive. Also, if a yellow line was painted down the middle of Hoylake Ave, it might stop cars from driving down the middle of the road. I have seen some near head-on collisions

RE, Bulges- we have mixed feelings about the bulges as the bulge on the east side of the street would impact us. We would no longer be able to park in front of our house- However we support them in principle. One corner that gets raced around is the northwest corner Hoylake/ Nanaimo. Would one go there as well?

We live on Muirfield Dr and our children go to Oppenheimer school. We strongly support this as the speed of some cars is truly amazing and deadly

We are in support of the speed tables. But more importantly we think it is very important that there is further investigation into restricting parking lot access! This is a major area for late night loitering.

Could you please refer this message to the Mayor that I would like to thank the police for their effort to crack down on the drug dealers? Thank you

I am very please that we are having these humps and chain

I strongly support the need of installing chained bollards to restrict access to the parking lot after hours for two reasons: 1) to reduce crime and partying potential and opportunities 2)my home is one of the 5 houses on Nanaimo facing the parking and my aged parents are very scared to see those youngsters loitering and making loud noises

Excellent ideas

There should definitely be restricted access to both parking lots after hours because there's a lot of drinking and noise late nights and loud music, patrolling with cars (police) only solves the problem temporarily.

Tired of late night speeding/ racing around park and also litter and broken glass from young drivers partying in parking lot areas around perimeter of park

I would like two sets of speed bumps on Nanaimo, then you could reduce the speed tables on Nanaimo to 2 sets

Please complete this plan ASAP

This is good for our neighbourhood. Safety should be a priority.

Parking lot at family centre after hours is a haven for a lot of illegal activity

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© 2002 City of Vancouver