|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
March 11, 2004 | |
Author: |
David Rawsthorne | |
Phone No.: |
604-873-7343 | |
RTS No.: |
4018 | |
CC File No.: |
5757 | |
Meeting Date: |
April 6, 2004 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic |
FROM: |
General Manager of Engineering Services |
SUBJECT: |
Annual Speed Hump Installation Program, 2004 |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT speed humps be installed on the local residential streets specified in this report subject to approval from a resident survey, with funding of $140,000 provided from 2003 Streets Basic Capital Account CB1EA5A, Local Area Traffic Plans and Other Improvements.
B. THAT commencing in 2005, the Traffic Operating Budget be increased by $4,000, subject to review as part of the 2005 Operating Budget.
COUNCIL POLICY
In November 1999, Council approved an annual speed hump installation program that would identify the highest ranking local, residential street segments for speed hump installation.
PURPOSE
This report seeks approval and funding for the 2004 Annual Speed Hump Installation Program. It identifies the proposed speed humps locations and outlines a method for public consultation.
BACKGROUND
In 1999 the City completed the Speed Hump Pilot Project. The results of the pilot project indicate that speed humps are an effective device for decreasing speeds on local residential streets while not diverting traffic to other streets. In the subsequent four years, Council has approved the installation of speed humps on 101 street segments throughout the city.
In order to choose the streets to receive speed humps, an objective scoring calculation was used, adapted from a successful program in Portland, Oregon (see Appendix A). This calculation was approved by Council in November 1999 and used to identify the priority, or top ranked, streets for speed hump installation. The calculation considers the number and speed of vehicles using the block, as well as special attributes of the street, such as nearby pedestrian generators or its status as a greenway or bikeway. The speed measure used is the 85th percentile speed.
Prior to and following the installation of speed humps in 2001, traffic was monitored on the street segments which received speed humps, as well as on adjacent streets. In every location where speed humps were installed, speeds were reduced. A typical school or playground zone which previously had an 85th percentile speed over 50 km/h has seen this reduced to between 30 and 40 km/h. Residential streets which had 85th percentile speeds over 60 km/h now experience speeds between 40 and 50 km/h.
Diversion of traffic to adjacent residential streets is often a concern when implementing traffic calming measures. Traffic data collected before and after the installation of approximately 130 speed humps in 2001 show that, in the vast majority of applications, speed humps produce no appreciable diversion of traffic to adjacent streets.
DISCUSSION
27 street segments are being recommended for speed hump installation this year. Of these segments, 13 are adjacent to parks, 16 are in school zones and two are on bike routes. All 27 segments are in 30 km/h school or playground zones. Table 1 on the following page lists the street segments with information about their ranking and the approximate number of humps to be installed.
Three highly ranked street segments, on Muirfield Drive, on Adanac Street and on Wellington Avenue, are not on this list. They are all on a transit routes. Staff are working with Translink to develop traffic calming treatments which will be compatible with transit vehicle operation. A pilot installation of "speed table", flat-topped speed humps, will soon be completed on Lamey's Mill Road, part of a bus route.
One highly ranked street segment, on West 59th Avenue near Fire Hall #22, has been omitted from the list of recommended sites at the request of Fire and Rescue Services. This street receives frequent use by emergency vehicles and the installation of speed humps would interfere with timely response to emergencies.
Six other street segments which rank among the proposed speed hump locations are not included in this proposal. The traffic calming warranted in these locations is being addressed by other neighbourhood traffic calming or Greenways programs.
Experience shows that speed humps rarely produce significant diversion of traffic to adjacent streets. However, staff recommend that traffic volumes be monitored before and, where diversion of traffic is suspected, after the installation of speed humps and that they report back in the case that diversion of traffic is observed.
Street Segment |
Score |
85th Percentile Speed |
Posted Speed Limit |
Traffic Volume
|
Proposed Number of Speed Humps |
Woodland, E 4th to E 6th |
122 |
50 km/h |
30 km/h |
1200 |
2 |
Wallace, 31st to 33rd |
106 |
52 km/h |
30 km/h |
1000 |
2 |
East 61st, Prince Albert to Ross |
104 |
53 km/h |
30 km/h |
800 |
4 |
Cambridge, Nanaimo to Kamloops |
99 |
51 km/h |
30 km/h |
800 |
2 |
Lillooet, Hastings to Turner |
98 |
50 km/h |
30 km/h |
1400 |
2 |
West 43rd, Elm to Larch |
86 |
49 km/h |
30 km/h |
1000 |
2 |
East 4th, McLean to Woodland |
86 |
49 km/h |
30 km/h |
800 |
2 |
East 43rd, St. George to Fraser |
86 |
48 km/h |
30 km/h |
800 |
4 |
Culloden, E 29th to E 31st |
84 |
50 km/h |
30 km/h |
900 |
2 |
West 19th, Balaclava to Mackenzie |
84 |
48 km/h |
30 km/h |
700 |
5 |
East 54th, Fraser to Ross |
81 |
48 km/h |
30 km/h |
1200 |
3 |
East 63rd, Buscombe to Poplar |
80 |
49 km/h |
30 km/h |
1000 |
2 |
West 15th, Columbia to Ontario |
80 |
48 km/h |
30 km/h |
800 |
3 |
Arbutus, Cornwall to Creelman |
78 |
44 km/h |
30 km/h |
2900 |
2 |
Saint George, East 41st to E 43rd |
77 |
48 km/h |
30 km/h |
900 |
2 |
East 51st, Sophia to Prince Edward |
76 |
47 km/h |
30 km/h |
1000 |
2 |
Carolina, E 22nd to E King Edward |
75 |
47 km/h |
30 km/h |
600 |
3 |
Windermere, E 3rd to E 5th |
73 |
48 km/h |
30 km/h |
700 |
2 |
Skeena, Hastings to Pandora |
72 |
48 km/h |
30 km/h |
1300 |
2 |
West 71st, Oak to Fremlin |
72 |
48 km/h |
30 km/h |
1100 |
2 |
East 22nd, Saint George to Carolina |
72 |
47 km/h |
30 km/h |
500 |
2 |
Franklin, Penticton to Slocan |
71 |
46 km/h |
30 km/h |
1300 |
2 |
Lagoon, Barclay to Robson |
70 |
47 km/h |
30 km/h |
900 |
4 |
Duchess, Ward to Euclid |
69 |
48 km/h |
30 km/h |
400 |
3 |
East 21st, Sophia to Prince Edward |
68 |
48 km/h |
30 km/h |
500 |
2 |
Dieppe, Falaise to Malta |
67 |
49 km/h |
30 km/h |
900 |
2 |
Brigadoon, Victoria to Gladstone |
67 |
47 km/h |
30 km/h |
1000 |
3 |
Table 1: Proposed Speed Humps Locations
Resident consultation and subsequent approval is an important part of the Speed Hump program. Staff propose that all residents living on the same street segments as the proposed speed humps be surveyed for their opinions. The surveys would ask two questions (see Appendix C for an example) about whether the residents feel that there is a speeding problem on their street and whether they approve of speed humps. Installation of speed humps on each street segment will be subject to a survey response rate greater than 30% and an approval rate greater than 50%. Staff recommend that speed humps be installed on all of the proposed streets that meet these criteria and that staff report back on any locations that do not for further consideration.
Of the more than 70 residential blocks which were surveyed as part of the 2000, 2001 and 2002 Speed Hump Programs, five did not support the installation of speed humps. In 2003, only one survey failed to receive support for speed hump installation. This block and its neighbouring streets are currently the subject of a more extensive traffic calming study. Two locations approved by Council in 2003 are awaiting construction of speed humps pending other construction and further public consultation.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The estimated capital cost of installing speed humps, as specified in this report, is $140,000 for the 27 proposed locations. This includes $75,000 for the construction of the asphalt humps, $55,000 for paint markings and warning signs, and $10,000 for traffic monitoring and public consultation. Funding is to be provided from 2003 Streets Basic Capital Account CB1EA5A, Local Area Traffic Plans and Other Improvements.
In addition to the capital costs for this project there will be maintenance costs associated with the signing and paint marking of the speed humps. Staff recommend that the Traffic Operating Budget be increased by $4,000 per annum, subject to review in the 2005 budget process.
CONCLUSION
Speed humps are an effective means by which to slow vehicles on local streets and the locations identified in this report are the highest ranking, highest priority locations, in accordance with the ranking system approved by Council in November 1999. Staff recommend that speed humps be installed in 27 locations, subject to resident approval. Staff will report back on any locations that are not approved by the survey and will monitor traffic on subject and adjacent streets.
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APPENDIX A
PAGE 1 OF 1
APPENDIX A - SPEED HUMP SAMPLE SCORE CALCULATION
e.g. Vanness Avenue 3400 block
Raw Data
Sample size = 98 vehicle speeds
Average Daily Traffic (ADT) volume = 3000
85th percentile speed (calculated) = 52 km/h
Design speed limit = 40 km/h
Primary Score
Speed Points:
3 points for each km/h over 8 km/h above the design speed (max. 50)
(52 - (40 + 8)) x 3 = 12 points
