SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 1
VTC AGENDA
JULY 13, 1995
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: June 26, 1995
TO: Vancouver Traffic Commission
FROM: General Manager, Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Adanac Street Area Traffic Management Plan
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT all existing temporary traffic measures in the Adanac
Street Area be made permanent including concrete curbs and
landscaping. These measures are shown on Figure 1 and
include:
i) a traffic circle at Adanac and Lillooet;
ii) a traffic circle at Georgia and Windermere;
iii) a traffic circle at Venables and Nootka;
iv) a right in/right out diverter on Adanac east of
Windermere;
v) 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm left turn restriction southbound on
Renfrew at Pender;
vi) 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm left turn restriction southbound on
Renfrew at Georgia; and
vii) 7:00 am - 9:00 am left turn restriction northbound on
Boundary Road at Georgia.
B. THAT neighbourhood residents be requested to adopt circle
landscape maintenance and in the absence of this, the streets
annual operating budget be increased by $1500 to fund
maintenance of landscaping in the traffic circles.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council has a long standing policy of protecting neighbourhoods
from intrusion of non-local traffic.
Council supports surveys of neighbourhood opinion to determine
preferences for local traffic control measures.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to review the Adanac Traffic Management
Plan and to recommend permanent measures.
BACKGROUND
When the Cassiar Connector was constructed, the City Engineer was
requested to monitor traffic conditions on Adanac Street. Through a
public consultation process, the residents developed a Traffic
Management Plan for the area. The goal of the Plan is to improve safety
and reduce commuter short-cutting. The measures included three traffic
circles, three turn restrictions and a right in/right out diverter
(shown in Figure 1), all installed on a temporary basis.
In June 1993, the Adanac Bikeway was officially opened. The measures of
the Adanac Plan complement the bikeway by reducing traffic volumes and
short-cutting through the neighbourhood.
DISCUSSION
In 1994, the Adanac neighbourhood was re-balloted to determine if the
measures should be made permanent. Of the 1700 ballots delivered in the
overall area, 316 (18%) were returned. Of the 776 ballots delivered in
a three block wide band centred on Adanac Street (Georgia, Adanac,
Venables) 158 (20%) were returned and of the 332 ballots delivered on
Adanac Street 86 (26%) were returned. The return rate for this survey
is typical of other areas and shows a higher response rate closer to the
traffic measures.
SURVEY RESULTS
The ballot outcome has been supportive of all the measures. Table 1
shows the results of the survey for the entire area. A three block band
centred on Adanac Street (Georgia, Adanac, Venables) and on Adanac
Street are also tabulated to give emphasis to those most directly
affected.
All three traffic circles received support in excess of 70%. The turn
restrictions are supported by 70 to 77%. This is comparable to the
support prior to installation.
The right in/right out diverter is supported by 52% from the overall
area and 64% from residents on Adanac Street. This compares with 64%
prior to installation. Comments received about the diverter are that it
is inconvenient for local residents and that it is ignored by motorists.
With any traffic plan, there is a trade off between inconveniencing
short-cutters to discourage their use of the street and inconveniencing
area residents. On balance, the Adanac Plan has achieved a reduction in
shortcutting with limited local disruption. It should be noted that the
permanent diverter would be larger than the temporary one, which will
tend to reduce the violations.
TRAFFIC VOLUMES
Overall traffic volumes on Adanac Street have decreased since the
Cassiar Connector project and the Traffic Management Plan have been in
place. Volumes west of Rupert Street have seen the biggest change.
Figure 2 shows the peak hour volumes at three locations. West of Rupert
Street, Adanac Street is functioning as a local street with peak volumes
of approximately 100 vehicles per hour, compared to 300-400 before.
East of Rupert Street, it is a collector with peak volumes less than 300
vehicles per hour, compared to over 500 before.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Funding for the above work ($69,100 total) was approved as part of the
initial project approval. The three traffic circles to be made
permanent will be landscaped which will require a $1,500 annual increase
in the Streets Operating Budget to cover ongoing maintenance costs if
they are not adopted by the neighbourhood.
CONCLUSION
The Adanac Street Area Traffic Management Plan has been successful in
reducing traffic volumes. The plan was prepared with full participation
of the residents through a working group. The work group fully supports
the plan and the survey results confirm the neighbourhood support. All
measures in the traffic plan are recommended to be made permanent.
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