Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Clinton Park Neighbourhood Traffic Plan

 

RECOMMENDATION

COUNCIL POLICY

· On May 27, 1997, Council approved the Vancouver Transportation Plan that emphasized the need to mitigate the effects of traffic on local neighbourhood areas.

· On February 3, 1998, Council approved the Sunrise Bicycle Route which runs along Slocan St., through the Clinton Park Neighbourhood.

· On July 18, 1995, Council approved the Vancouver Greenways Plan which includes the development of greenways throughout the City.
· It is a Council policy to implement diversionary traffic calming measures on a trial basis, with a follow up survey, before making the measures permanent.

SUMMARY

In February 1997, Staff began working with neighbourhood residents to develop a traffic plan to reduce the amount of short-cutting traffic and improve traffic safety within the Clinton Park Neighbourhood. During this time, residents also indicated a desire to construct a neighbourhood greenway to add green space to the street and to create a safe pedestrian environment for children walking to both Maquinna Elementary and Garibaldi Annex.

The traffic plan and greenway were developed throughout the course of 1997 and presented to residents at Clinton Park Days in September 1997 and at a public Open House in January 1998. A survey of the proposed traffic measures was delivered to all neighbourhood residents in February 1998.

Of the 693 surveys delivered, 174 (25%) were returned, and of those who responded, 59% generally agreed with the proposed traffic plan and 62% agreed with the proposed neighbourhood greenway. Some of the originally proposed measures, particularly those that had a potential to divert traffic, were not supported by the neighbourhood as a whole. To reflect resident feedback, the plan was adjusted and those residents living within one block of the changes were surveyed.

Based on resident input and the efforts of volunteer residents, staff recommend that the proposed Clinton Park Neighbourhood Traffic Plan, as detailed in this report, be approved.

The total cost of the program is estimated to be $194,000 and funding of $111,400 from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account - Local Area Plans, is required at this time for the traffic measures. The total cost of the neighbourhood greenway along Slocan Street is estimated to be $46,500 and funding is required from Streets Basic Capital Account -Neighbourhood Greenways. In addition, $36,500 from the previously Council approved Sunrise (Elliott/Slocan) Bikeway will be used to improve cycling conditions on this section of Slocan.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for the implementation, on a trial basis, of the traffic calming plan and development of the Neighbourhood Greenway for the Clinton Park neighbourhood.

BACKGROUND

A neighbourhood Open House was held in February 1997, to discuss concerns regarding short-cutting traffic and safety within the Clinton Park Neighbourhood. Many of the residents who attended the Open House were also concerned with traffic issues on First Avenue. As a result, a parallel process was undertaken to address the concerns of the First Avenue residents, which was reported to Council recently.

From May to December 1997, the neighbourhood committee and resident volunteers worked with Neighbourhood Transportation Staff to review traffic patterns and evaluate various traffic calming measures to produce a traffic plan for the neighbourhood. The goals of the plan are to reduce short-cutting commuter traffic, reduce vehicular speeds and generally improve traffic safety in the neighbourhood. Residents also wanted to create a neighbourhood greenway along Slocan Street from First Avenue to Charles Street. A meeting was conducted in November 1997 to discuss possible greenway features with interested residents.

In February 1998, a public opinion survey was distributed to all residents in the area bounded by the north side of First Avenue, the north side of Charles Street, the east side of Nanaimo Street and the west side of Renfrew Street. A copy of the survey is shown in Appendix B.

In April 1998, the survey results were reviewed with the working group and the traffic plan modified to reflect resident feedback. A second public opinion survey was distributed to residents living within one block of the proposed changes to the traffic plan. A copy of the survey is shown in Appendix B.

The following traffic plan and neighbourhood greenway were developed through the efforts of volunteer residents and the coordination of staff in the Neighbourhood Transportation and Greenways and Local Improvement Branches.

DISCUSSION

For the purposes of this report, the Clinton Park Neighbourhood is bounded by residents living on the north side of First Avenue, the north side of Charles Street, the east side of Nanaimo Street and the west side of Renfrew Street. See Appendix A for 24 hour traffic volumes.

The recommended traffic calming and neighbourhood greenway plan (see Figure 1, page 9) consists of:
· A traffic circle on Charles at Kamloops
· A traffic circle on Kitchener at Kamloops
· Corner bulges on Graveley at Nanaimo
· A traffic circle on Graveley at Kamloops
· Corner bulges on Kamloops at First
· A traffic circle on Charles at Penticton
· Speed humps on Penticton between Grant and First
· A mid-block bulge on Penticton at Graveley
· Corner bulges on Charles at Slocan
· Corner bulges on Slocan and Grant
· Speed humps on Slocan between Grant and First
· A mid-block bulge on Slocan at Graveley
· Corner bulges on Slocan at First
· A traffic circle on Charles at Kaslo
· Stop signs will be installed at all uncontrolled intersections in the neighbourhood

The recommended traffic plan, as detailed above, was developed jointly by the area residents and Neighbourhood Transportation Branch Staff. The plan has received general support throughout the public consultation process; many local residents have indicated their willingness to adopt the plan on a trial basis to evaluate its effectiveness.

A total of 693 surveys (Appendix B) were delivered in February 1998 to neighbourhood residents; 174 (25%) were returned, which is a typical survey response rate. Of those who responded, 59% of neighbourhood residents agreed with the traffic calming plan and 62% agreed with the neighbourhood greenway proposal. Survey results are located in Appendix C.

Generally, most of the proposed measures were supported by residents. However, proposed bulges on Charles at Nanaimo and on Charles at Renfrew did not receive adequate support, with 47% and 48% respectively.

Furthermore, two proposed measures that divert traffic were not well received by residents. The proposed right in/right out diverter on Graveley at Nanaimo only received 53% support and the proposed partial closure making Kamloops one-way southbound between Graveley and First Avenue, only received 46% support. Generally, to be successful, diversionary traffic measures must receive a clear majority of support from the neighbourhood as a whole.

To reflect resident feedback from the initial survey, the right in/right out diverter and partial closure were removed from the plan, and corner bulges on Graveley at Nanaimo, on Kamloops at First and a traffic circle on Graveley at Kamloops added to the plan. In June 1998, a second survey was distributed to residents within one block of the changed measures. Of those who responded, at least 61% agreed with the proposed changes. Survey results are located in Appendix C.

Furthermore, speed humps were proposed for the lane north of First Avenue, between Kaslo and Renfrew. Of those who responded, only 45% supported the humps, so they are not recommended at this time (see Appendix B). These humps could easily be added later, should a neighbourhood consensus be reached.

CLINTON PARK WORKING GROUP COMMENTS

Comments from the Clinton Park Working Group are Located in Appendix D. Volunteer residents spent numerous hours with staff developing the traffic plan and neighbourhood greenway. Without this cooperation in process, this coordinated plan could not have been produced.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The estimated costs and funding sources for the various traffic calming measures and work items are detailed as follows:

Traffic Plan Measures:

  

Traffic Circles

  

    Kamloops at Charles

$8,500

    Kamloops at Kitchener

$6,500

    Kamloops at Graveley

$6,500

    Penticton at Charles

$8,500

    Kaslo at Charles

$8,000

Corner Bulges

  

    Charles at Slocan

$30,000

    Kamloops at First

$12,000

    Graveley at Nanaimo

$12,000

Mid-Block Bulges

  

    Penticton at Graveley

$4,000

    Slocan at Graveley

$4,000

Speed Humps

  

    Penticton between First and Grant

$2,200

    Slocan between First and Grant

$2,200

Stop Signs

  

    All uncontrolled intersections in the neighbourhood

$5,000

Traffic Calmed Area Signs

  

    Various locations

$2,000

Traffic Calming Plan Total

$111,400

Funding Sources:

  

Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account 13/32/9801/999

$111,400

Traffic Calming Plan Total

$111,400

 
 

Neighbourhood Greenway Features:

The neighbourhood greenway features will help to beautify Slocan Street and enhance the portion of the Sunrise Bikeway (currently under construction) which travels through the neighbourhood. Some of the features are already being provided as part of the Sunrise Bikeway construction.

Corner Bulges

Total

Funding from Sunrise Bikeway (previously approved by Council)

Required funding from Greenways

    Slocan at First

$20,000

$10,000

$10,000

    Slocan at Grant

$28,000

$14,000

$14,000

Greenways Features

    Bench, Greenways lighting, landscaping in bulge on Slocan at Graveley

$10,000

$0

$10,000

    Pedestrian improvements at Slocan and First (open second crosswalk)

$25,000

$12,500

$12,500

Greenway Total

$46,500

Funding Sources:

Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account #12/31/6907/999

$46,500

Greenway Total

$46,500

Each of the five new traffic circles will incur an additional annual maintenance cost of $500, each of four new landscaped bulges (part of neighbourhood greenway) will incur and additional annual maintenance cost of $300, and the neighbourhood greenway plaza (located in Clinton Park at Graveley and Slocan) will incur an additional annual maintenance cost of $1,100; therefore, an increase of $4,800 is recommended to the annual streets maintenance budget, to be reduced to $100 for each circle or bulge residents agree to adopt.

CONCLUSION

Short-cutting traffic and traffic speed have long been an issue with Clinton Park Neighbourhood residents. The proposed traffic plan has been developed with the residents to address these issues and is supported by the majority of survey respondents for a trial period. Following the six month trial, traffic counts will be taken, another opinion survey will conducted, and the results will be reported back to Council. Neighbourhood greenway features will be installed on a permanent basis as they do not divert traffic and will help beautify and enhance safety along Slocan Street.

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Tt981006.htm

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