|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
December 17, 2004 | |
Author: |
Jim Hall | |
Phone No.: |
604-873-7130 | |
RTS No.: |
02896 | |
CC File No.: |
5757 | |
Meeting Date: |
January 18, 2005 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic |
FROM: |
General Manager of Engineering Services |
SUBJECT: |
Temporary Cul-de-sac on East 8th Avenue at Grandview Highway North |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT the temporary cul-de-sac on East 8th Avenue at Grandview Highway North be made permanent at a cost of $110,000 to be provided with $90,000 from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account SCA5A- Local Area Traffic Plans and Other Improvements, and $20,000 from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account SCA2H, Greenways.
B. THAT commencing in 2006, the Streets Operating Budget for Horticultural Maintenance be increased by $2500 and the Traffic Operating Budget for Signage be increased by $250, without offset, subject to budget review, for the maintenance of the cul-de-sac.
COUNCIL POLICY
In May 1997, Council approved the Vancouver Transportation Plan that emphasizes the need to mitigate the effects of traffic in local neighbourhood areas and to give priority to streets and neighbourhoods where traffic impacts are most serious.
It is Council’s policy to implement diversionary traffic calming measures on a trial basis before making them permanent.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the report is to seek Council’s approval and funding to make permanent the cul-del-sac on E. 8th Avenue at Grandview Highway North, as shown in Appendix A.
BACKGROUND
In July 2002, Council requested that, as part of the road improvements made to Grandview Highway North between Victoria Dr. and Commercial Dr., a cul-de-sac be implemented on E. 8th Avenue at Grandview Highway North as a temporary six-month trial. The purpose of the traffic measure is to protect E. 8th Avenue from non-local traffic, without causing significant diversion of traffic to adjacent residential streets.
DISCUSSION
The effects of the temporary cul-de-sac have been monitored by staff. A comparison of the traffic volume data collected before and after the installation of the trial measure indicates that there is a reduction (27%) in traffic volumes on 8th Avenue While the measure has effectively reduced the amount of traffic on 8th Avenue, it has not caused diversion of traffic to adjacent residential streets, i.e., 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue In fact, the cul-de-sac has decreased the amount of traffic on both streets by five percent to approximately 1,200 vehicles per day, which is also within the typical amount of traffic of other single-family residential streets in the city.
In addition to the traffic calming benefits, the permanent cul-de-sac would provide additional space for landscaping and thereby, increase the aesthetics of the street. Staff have developed a landscape plan in consultation with the neighbours. A separated bike path through the cul-de-sac is also proposed. Please see Appendix A for the schematic illustration of the proposal.
In November 2003, affected residents were surveyed to seek their opinions on the permanent installation of the cul-de-sac. The results of the survey, as summarized in Table 1, show that the majority of the respondents (80%) support making the cul-de-sac permanent. 17% of the respondents do not support the proposal. See Appendix B for survey comments. A few respondents were concerned about vehicles speeding on 7th Avenue and requested speed humps. Staff have subsequently conducted a speed check on the street and found that the majority of drivers were driving within the speed limit, with the 85th percentile speed range being 45-50km/h.
Table 1. Summary of Survey Results
Number of surveys distributed |
85 |
Number of surveys returned |
36 (42% response rate) |
Responses in favour (approval rate) |
29 (80%) |
Responses not in favour (disapproval rate) |
6 (17%) |
Neutral responses |
1 (3%) |
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The estimated cost of $90,000 for the permanent installation of the cul-de-sac on E. 8th Avenue at Grandview Highway North would be provided from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account SCA5A- Local Area Traffic Plans and Other Improvements. The estimated cost of $20,000 for the landscape improvements would be provided from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account SCA2H - Greenways. There should also be an increase to the Streets Operating Budget for Horticultural Maintenance by $2,500 and the Traffic Operating Budget for Signage by $250, without offset, commencing in 2006 and subject to budget review, for the maintenance of the traffic measure.
CONCLUSION
The permanent installation of the cul-de-sac on East 8th Avenue at Grandview Highway North is recommended based on the strong neighbourhood support and the overall traffic-calming and pedestrian safety benefits.
* * * * *
APPENDIX A
GEOMETRIC DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED CUL-DE-SAC
APPENDIX B
SURVEY COMMENTS
Approval:
· 7th Avenue, between Commercial Dr. & Victoria Dr., continues to be the shortcut route. One simple solution might be no left turns during rush hour at either end of the block.
· As a resident of 8th Avenue, we strongly urge the City to put in the permanent cul-de-sac. With all the sacrifices we, and the neighbourhood have endured, it is only fair. We will have a strong voice at the City council meeting to decide this outcome.
· Even with the cul-de-sac fixed permanently, 1000 or more vehicles per day is way, way too high for a residential street like 7th Avenue We suggest that during peak hours, turns be prohibited from Commercial Dr. on to 7th Avenue, regardless of direction (northbound or southbound) on Commercial Dr. Since the closure of Grandview Hwy. N., drivers have been driving east on the still open part of Grandview Hwy. N. (east of Commercial) turning north on Commercial Dr., then turning east on 7th Avenue That is what created the high volume. From 7th Avenue, they turn south on Victoria Dr. and continue to Broadway or on 12th Avenue where the Grandview would have taken them before its closure.
· I can't attend the Council meeting but would like to receive a report. I'm all in favour of it. I think it is a good thing because your letter shows that traffic has been reduced. There needs to be a better sign at the top of the street - larger and more pronounced.
· I enjoy living on a dead end street. There is enough traffic going by on Victoria Dr. to make it a pleasant experience that there is none on 8th Avenue. Good idea.
· I feel that we need a sign at the top of the block to notify people of the cul-de-sac. Something that stands out. It would be good if at the end of the street it could be more level. Also we could certainly use some landscaping at the end of the block (across from the Sky Train), it is an eyesore down there. We were promised landscaping, but where is it?
· I would like to see stanchions placed along the north sidewalk at the transition onto 8th Avenue to Grandview Hwy. N. because I have witnessed a great number of drivers driving over the sidewalk to access Grandview Hwy. N.
· It will be nice when this is finally implemented. It should (must) consist of greenery. For Grandview Hwy. N., some provision for better signage at the entrance will also help reducing the number of cars speeding out. A level end where the kids could play would also be nice.
· Please complete this work as soon as possible, and use as your model some of the very nice spaces that have been created on Grandview Hwy. N., east of Victoria Dr. The cul-de-sac itself should be as level as possible so it can do double duty as a play space.
Signage (currently missing) at the top of the street must be improved to make it clear to motorist that this is not a through street.
· Please ensure that the cul-de-sac is fortified with greenery/shrubbery and that it beautifies the neighbourhood & street. Otherwise, thank you for your time & effort in this mater. The cul-de-sac is wonderful and very functional.
· Please provide speed bumps on 7th Avenue between Commercial Dr. & Victoria Dr. Also on Grandview Hwy. N. heading west before Commercial. A pedestrian will get killed soon if the cars don't respect the pedestrian nature of this area.
· Possible flattening of the area. Larger turnaround area and better signage.
· Thanks very much for following through on the process.
· The cul-de-sac has done wonders for both calming the speed of traffic on 8th Avenue and eliminating the wrong-way traffic that used to come off Grandview Hwy. Ours is the last house on the south side of 8th Avenue and we have had no trouble with the modified parking restrictions. We would love to see this made permanent.
· The cul-de-sac is great. Please make it permanent.
· The cul-de-sac is essential to providing a barrier to the bus loop on Grandview Hwy. N. and lights/noise of the Sky Train. If the cul-de-sac is not approved, 8th Avenue will become a shortcut route around Broadway & Commercial Dr. intersection. The cul-de-sac was part of the deal brokered by Engineering with residents in 2002 so that the community would have a sense of privacy, the greenway could be densely planted, and the City could maintain the bus loop, add a westbound shortcut off of Broadway to North Grandview Hwy, and put in 3 meter wide paths in the south side of North Grandview Hwy. City Council (in 2002) supported this plan.
· The temporary cul-de-sac has made a big difference in traffic volume (for the better). I think we would see an even greater reduction if the signs at the top of the block were larger and in a more visible location. People just don't seem to see the current signs.
· This structure needs to be child friendly, i.e. as level as possible. It should also be aesthetically pleasing to mitigate the eyesore on Grandview Hwy. N. with greenery, etc. This project needs to be completed as soon as possible
· We find that there are still many cars that use 7th Avenue as a shortcut. It would be great if 7th Avenue could be traffic calmed by putting in a series of well marked speed bumps.
· We strongly support the cul-de-sac. It hasn't affected parking. It has given the street a greater communal feeling and the reduction of traffic is great. My only request or suggestion would be to have a more effective or noticeable sign at the top of the street indicating that it is a cul-de-sac. As the amount of cars that go down the street and race back out, it is quite significant (they obviously didn't see the sign). I would
guess a significant amount of cars in a day do this.
· We support the move to create a permanent cul-de-sac on 8th Avenue, and feel strongly that the traffic volume data supports a similar traffic calming measure on 7th Avenue (1192 cars a day on a so called residential street).
Disapproval:
· All the fancy arabesques in the local road system make it harder for me to drive to my own house, or to my garage out back. Meanwhile, traffic tears along 7th Avenue at the usual high speed, perhaps slightly lessened by the recent building project obstructing the road at the west end of my block. Some speed bumps would be nice.
· I find that there are far too many illegal u-turns and strange manoeuvres at the corner (8th Avenue/Victoria Dr.) as a result of the cul-de-sac. It also limits access to Commercial Dr. if you are parked on the 2300 block of Victoria Dr., facing south. You are either forced down the pot hole filled back alley or onto Broadway.
Neutral:
· It's good to see the reduced number of traffic, but it is better if the cul-de-sac could be made wider. I think that there should be at least one street light in the alley b/w Victoria & Grandview N.
