ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: March 20, 1998

Author/Local: Paul Pinsker/7917

CC File No. 5757

TO:	Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:	Blenheim Street Traffic Calming Measures Follow-up

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT the traffic measures installed in 1996 to calm traffic on Blenheim Street from 4th to 16th Avenues be made permanent, except that the temporary right-in/right-out diverter on Blenheim Street at 4th Avenue be removed.

B.THAT prior to the June 1998 Court of Revision, staff consult property owners of the 2000 block of Blenheim Street (between 4th and 5th Avenue) regarding curb extensions or other potential non-diversionary design features to incorporate as part of the local improvement petition already underway.

C.THAT a directional dividing line be painted on Blenheim Street from Broadway to 16th Avenue.

D. THAT extended corner clearances be signed at crosswalks on both sides of 10th Avenue from Dunbar Street to Mackenzie Street.

E. THAT a "Trucks Prohibited" sign be installed to deter eastbound trucks on 10th Avenue from crossing Alma Street.

F. THAT a stop sign infill be installed within the area bounded by 10th Avenue, Alma Street, 16th Avenue, and Macdonald Street.

G.THAT the Police Department be requested to increase enforcement of the left turn prohibition on Blenheim Street at 10th Avenue and the speed limit along 10th Avenue between Alma Street and Macdonald Street.

H. THAT $28,000 be allocated from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account 13/32/9801/999 - Local Area Plans to fund the traffic measures as recommended in items A, and C through F above.

I. THAT the annual streets maintenance budget be increased by $400 to maintain the traffic circle on Blenheim Street at 6th Avenue and the traffic sign maintenance budget be increased by $2100 to maintain new signage, both without offset, starting in 1999.

COUNCIL POLICY

As prescribed in the Kitsilano Traffic, Cycling, and Parking Plan of 1992, traffic calming is to be used to downgrade two sections of Blenheim Street:

1) 4th Avenue to Broadway - Collector Street to Local Street, and

2) Broadway to 16th Avenue - Arterial Street to Collector Street.

It is a Council policy to implement traffic calming measures on a trial basis, with a follow-up survey, before making the measures permanent.

SUMMARY AND PURPOSE

City staff have monitored impacts of the recently-installed traffic calming measures along Blenheim Street, conducted a post-implementation opinion survey of the surrounding neighbourhood, and held an open house to gather further input in order to forward recommendations to Council. This report summarizes the impacts of the traffic calming measures and the community input received, and recommends how to proceed.

BACKGROUND

In 1994 staff commenced a consultative process in the Blenheim/Kitsilano community to determine appropriate traffic calming measures to downgrade two sections of Blenheim Street. Ultimately, a package of measures (see Figure 1 in Appendix A) was approved by Council on December 12, 1995, on a trial basis. Staff were instructed to conduct a follow-up survey over an expanded area and report back on the results of the trial and survey. The traffic measures were installed in 1996, including the construction of a local improvement for paving/curb-and-gutter for Blenheim from 16th Avenue to the lane north of 10th Avenue. Traffic monitoring was conducted in 1997, and a community survey distributed to over 3500 households in the fall of 1997. Finally, an Open House was held on January 21, 1998, to present interim results of the survey and gather further input.

DISCUSSION

Monitoring

To determine the impacts of the traffic measures, Engineering Services conducted a number of before-and-after studies. Staff monitored eighteen locations using 24-hour traffic volume counts prior to and following the measures (see Figure 2, Appendix A). UBC was in session during all counts. The following was observed:

*Blenheim Street traffic volume, between 10th and 16th Avenue, dropped from 4700 to under 4400 vehicles per day (vpd). This is a significant improvement since volumes had been increasing rapidly prior to 1996, and may be credited to the package of calming measures.

*North of Broadway, traffic on Blenheim (counted at 7th Avenue) remained at nearly 900 vpd in the northbound direction, but declined from some 630 to 460 vpd southbound, attributable to the temporary right-in/right-out diverter at 4th Avenue. Were the count location placed closer to 4th Avenue, much greater declines in volumes would likely have been recorded.

*North of Broadway to 4th Avenue the greatest negative impacts were experienced along Waterloo Street. In the block between 4th and 5th Avenue, at McBride Park, it appears that two-way volumes have more than doubled, from some 1100 to 2300 vpd. At 7th Avenue, the increase is not as great but is still significant in the southbound direction, increasing from some 530 to 940 vpd (northbound only changed from some 530 to 580 vpd). These increases are attributable to diversion from the temporary right-in/right-out diverter on Blenheim at 4th Avenue.

*South of 10th Avenue there has not been a great diversion to other streets. There has been some increase in northbound traffic on Waterloo Street and, to a greater extent, on Collingwood Street south of 10th Avenue. Based on manual observations it appears that, of the additional 100 vpd on Waterloo approaching 10th Avenue, no more than 50 vehicles are diverting from Blenheim during rush periods; the majority are likely from the local community. Collingwood appears to be the more popular access to 10th Avenue, and has increased by some 100 vehicles approaching 10th during the peak periods. These increases may be attributable to the left turn prohibition for northbound Blenheim traffic at 10th.

*Generally, other locations were observed to experience little impact from the traffic measures. While Trutch Street south of 10th recorded significant southbound traffic growth, much of it was encountered in the evening hours and, therefore, is likely related to the activity centre on the corner of Trutch and 10th.

*Trucks were counted over a four-hour mid-day period before and after the "No Trucks" signs were posted. While the study period was limited and variability high, the truck traffic declined from 113 to 17. The majority of "after" trucks serviced local destinations.

*Speed studies revealed that the average speed on Blenheim Street between 12th and 14th Avenue declined from 48 to 46 km/h northbound and 50 to 48 km/h southbound; the 85th percentile speed declined from 55 to 52 km/h northbound and 57 to 53 km/h southbound. The new pavement on Blenheim apparently has not resulted in higher vehicle speeds.

*Finally, traffic movement at the intersection of Blenheim and 10th was observed for compliance with the new turn prohibitions and to check against diversion to the lane to the north. It was found that 36 vehicles from 8 to 9 a.m. and 24 vehicles from 4 to 5 p.m. violated the left turn prohibition, for violation rates of 15 to 20 percent. Left turns have declined by about two-thirds, however, as some 90 vehicles were making a left in each of those hours prior to the ban. While 15 vehicles turned left westbound into the lane north of 10th, only one vehicle was observed emerging from the other end of the lane turning onto 10th during those two hours.

Community Input

Six months after the trial measures were installed, in June of 1997, an assembly of community representatives was convened to review the traffic measures with staff. Participants were invited on the basis of representing the various opinions expressed earlier in the process, and to cover all geographic sub-areas of the expanded consultation area. Others who learned of the meeting were welcomed. Some concerns were expressed over several impacts from the measures, and it was agreed that a comprehensive resident survey would be required. Potential follow-up measures were discussed. The community representatives reviewed the survey before its distribution.

The survey was distributed in November to 3546 residences within the expanded area, as prescribed by Council (see Appendix B), to gauge support for the measures. In all, 434 surveys were returned, for a response rate of 12%. The results are tabulated in Appendix B, including a sorting for residents within a block of ("along") Blenheim as opposed to those a block or more removed ("away") from Blenheim. The most significant findings are:

*Overall, 57% supported and 23% opposed the package of measures installed.

*A clear majority supported each individual measure, except one. Support was highest for the pavement improvements (72% for vs. 11% against), trucks prohibited signage (74% for vs. 8% against), and the pedestrian crosswalk at 13th Avenue (67% for vs. 6% against).

* The one measure lacking overall support is the right-in/right-out diverter at 4th Avenue, with responses almost equally divided for, against, and neutral. Those along Blenheim are in support, while those away from Blenheim are in opposition.

*Traffic circles at 12th and 14th Avenue were the contentious items in the original plan, and residents opposed reconsidering them (22% for vs. 66% against); even along Blenheim it was more than two-to-one opposed.

In the area north of Broadway, a number of potential follow-up measures were put forward in the survey to deal with traffic diverted to Waterloo Street, with these results:

*Measures to restrict movement along Waterloo were not supported.

*Overall, residents supported removal of the right-in/right-out diverter at Blenheim and 4th Avenue, and opposed other options. Residents along Blenheim were nearly evenly split on this option, and on making the diverter permanent. Leaving the diverter as a temporary measure was opposed by all groupings.

*Traffic circles along Waterloo and/or Trutch, between 4th and Broadway, were not supported.

In the area south of Broadway, the follow-up measures suggested yielded these results:

*Expediting stop sign infill in the area bounded by Macdonald Street, 10th Avenue, Alma Street, and 16th Avenue, and adding a directional dividing line along Blenheim from Broadway to 16th Avenue were strongly supported.

*Removing the signage prohibiting trucks on Blenheim was opposed.

*Removing the left turn ban at Blenheim and 10th Avenue was narrowly opposed overall (34% favouring removal and 41 % opposed), with residents along Blenheim strongly opposed (20% for removal vs. 52% against) and those away from Blenheim almost evenly split.

*The most popular new measure is extension of the corner clearances at crosswalks along 10th Avenue from Dunbar Street to Mackenzie Street, with 77% for vs. 7% against.

*Traffic circles along Waterloo and/or Trutch, between 10th and 16th Avenue, were not supported.

An Open House was held at Carnarvon Community School on January 21, 1998, where the interim results of the community survey were presented and the recommendations presented herein were discussed. Approximately 40 residents attended. It was generally accepted that the best solution to the problem of traffic diverting to Waterloo was to remove the right-in/right-out diverter on Blenheim at 4th Avenue. There were some concerns, however, that while Waterloo traffic would diminish, traffic would increase on Blenheim south of 4th.

In anticipation of this concern, staff included in the Comment Sheet (see Appendix B) two questions for attendees on how to proceed were the diverter removed. The results were:

*For "take no other steps at this time", 10 agreed and 8 disagreed.

*For "undertake an alternative measure near to Broadway to restrict north-south movement between Broadway and 4th Avenue (consultative process)", 8 agreed and 9 disagreed.

While the responses are limited, there was no consensus that another consultative process should be entered into to review a further traffic restriction on Blenheim north of Broadway.

From the community survey and the Open House a multitude of comments were received, largely consistent with the survey responses received. Particularly noteworthy, however, were concerns about traffic speed, volume, and safety for pedestrians along 10th Avenue. Concerns were presented about traffic filtering along Waterloo and Trutch in the area south of 10th Avenue. And, there were concerns about the need for more comprehensive planning in the development of neighbourhood traffic calming plans.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The community has made clear its support for the traffic calming measures. Staff recommend that all measures be made permanent, except that the right-in/right-out diverter on Blenheim at 4th be removed. It is expected that some shift in traffic to Blenheim from Waterloo will occur in the vicinity of 4th to 7th Avenue, as local residents once again use the most direct routing to and from 4th Avenue. A local improvement for pavement ofBlenheim between 4th and 5th Avenue is scheduled for the June, 1998 Court of Revision. It is recommended that staff work with the local property owners petitioning for the improvement to develop a design that incorporates non-diversionary calming features, such as bulges. No other replacement measure is recommended at this time; meanwhile, staff will monitor traffic volumes along Blenheim, Waterloo, and Trutch between 4th and Broadway.

South of Broadway a number of actions were supported by residents, and by staff. Therefore, it is recommended that a directional dividing line be painted on Blenheim from Broadway to 16th Avenue to improve safety and comfort for users (cost $2300). Further, the corner clearances on both sides of 10th Avenue from Dunbar Street to Mackenzie Street should be extended to improve visibility and safety at crosswalks (cost $6000). Residents were advised that this would mean loss of parking, but still strongly supported this. A "Trucks Prohibited" sign should be installed facing eastbound trucks on 10th Avenue approaching Alma Street, to encourage trucks to use Broadway, the truck route, instead of 10th Avenue east of Alma (cost $200). As a complement to this action, staff will review the signal timing at Alma and 10th. Increased police enforcement is recommended against speeding along 10th Avenue between Macdonald and Alma, and against violations of the peak period turn prohibition at 10th and Blenheim. Finally, it is recommended that a stop sign infill be installed in a timely fashion in the area bounded by 10th, Alma, 16th, and Macdonald to improve safety (cost $19,500).

FUNDING AND TIMING

It is estimated that the cost of the measures recommended above total $28,000. This should be allocated from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account #13/32/9801/999 - Local Area Plans. To maintain the nearly one hundred new signs, the annual Traffic Sign Maintenance Budget should be increased by $2100 and, to maintain the landscaping on the new traffic circle on Blenheim at 6th Avenue, the annual Streets Maintenance Budget should be increased by $400, both without any offset, starting in 1999. All measures will be done this year.

APPENDICES A AND B ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK

* * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver