SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 3
VTC AGENDA
APRIL 18, 1996
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: April 3, 1996
Dept. File No. 230 730
TO: Vancouver Traffic Commission
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Knight Street at 41st Avenue - Left Turn Bay Design
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT the design for north and southbound left-turn bays on
Knight Street at 41st Avenue be approved as shown on Appendix
1.
B. THAT Council grant the Manager of Real Estate Services in
consultation with the General Manager of Engineering Services,
the authority to commence property negotiations for the
acquisition of the road widening strips as identified in
Appendix 3, with reports back as necessary.
C. THAT the Streets Operating Budget be increased by $2,200
annually for the maintenance of landscaping on the traffic
medians.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council has provided funding in the Capital Program for left-turn bay
improvements along the Knight Street/Clark Drive Corridor as a priority.
New roadway geometric designs are approved by Council.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to obtain Council's approval to proceed
with the installation of north and southbound left-turn bays on Knight
Street at 41st Avenue as shown on Appendix 1.
BACKGROUND
Knight Street, along with Clark Drive, forms the only continuous north-
south primary arterial serving the City's industrial-retention areas and
the eastern half of the City's downtown area. It is a major truck route
and important transit route which carries over 40,000 vehicles per day
near 41st Avenue.
Similarly, 41st Avenue is an east-west primary arterial. It is also a
major bus and truck route which carries over 40,000 vehicles per day.
It currently has left-turn bays for east and west bound traffic.
The intersection at Knight Street and 41st Avenue consistently ranks in
the top 10 in the number of accidents (56 per year on average) at City
intersections. Annually these accidents result in losses of $600,000
including 22 injuries.
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DISCUSSION
Left-turn bays on Knight Street at 41st Avenue have been a priority for
several years from a City-wide safety perspective. There are many
advantages for installing these left-turn bays:
1) they would make left-turn movements safer for all vehicles by
improving the drivers' sightlines (see Appendix 2);
2) they would eliminate the need for through-traffic to change lanes
near the intersection in order to by-pass left-turning vehicles;
3) they would reduce the level of stop-and-go vehicular noise, air
pollution and fuel consumption at the intersection;
4) they would reduce the number of vehicles shortcutting onto
residential streets in order to avoid turning left at that
intersection;
5) the resultant design will provide a 3.7m wide curb lane to
accommodate bicycles, as specified in the Comprehensive Bicycle
Plan (the preferred width of 4.3 metres could not be achieved).
In 1989, case studies of nine City intersections indicated left-turn
bays can prevent 30-50% of all intersection accidents. Given the annual
personal injury and property damage claims of $600,000, left-turn bays
at this intersection could reduce this amount by approximately $240,000.
Conversely, without left-turn bays, left turning vehicles on Knight
Street at 41st Avenue are causing serious concerns over delay and
safety. Given the high volume of traffic on Knight Street, left-turning
vehicles are continuously blocking through-traffic in the left lane.
Consequently the through-traffic would often make lane changes near the
intersection in order to by-pass these left-turning vehicles, thereby
creating potentially unsafe situations.
ALTERNATIVES
Staff have reviewed alternatives to deal with these safety concerns
without the installation of left-turn bays, such as:
(a) applying rush-hour left-turn restrictions;
(b) installing separate left-turn signal arrows;
(c) installing separate signal times for north and southbound traffic;
and
(d) leaving the intersection as is.
These measures are not supported because:
(a) rush-hour left-turn restrictions would divert left-turning traffic
onto other local streets;
(b) without the left-turn bays to separate left-turning traffic into
one lane, left-turn signals would be wasted if the front vehicle is
not turning left;
(c) having separate signal phases for north and southbound traffic will
result in increased congestion on Knight Street and longer delays
for pedestrians; and
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(d) leaving the intersection "as is" would not improve traffic safety.
PROJECTED TRAFFIC VOLUME INCREASE
The Knight Street Bridge is currently near (95%Ò) capacity. Thus
traffic volume on Knight Street at 41st Avenue would not be increased
significantly as a result of the left-turn bays. Furthermore, the
expected left-turn signal will offset this small increase in traffic
capacity, leaving the street at its current level of volume.
DESIGN
The recommended design, as shown in Appendix 1, is to install raised
landscaped medians to accommodate left-turn bays on Knight Street at
41st Avenue. The design indicates that property acquisitions of various
widths up to a maximum of 2.9 metres are required from 42 properties
total. As the City has already purchased the required strip at 1387
East 41st Avenue, there are now 41 remaining property strips to be
acquired. The legal description and civic addresses of the properties
affected and areas required from each are listed in Appendix 3.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS
The design was illustrated in a questionnaire which was sent on January
30 and 31, 1996, to 600 residents and owners of the area for their
comments. See Appendix 4 for the area of delivery. The residents were
requested to return their comments by February 13, 1996.
A project sign was installed at the northwest corner of the intersection
in February, 1996. This sign contains an illustration of the design and
a phone number for public enquiries.
In addition, an Open House was held on February 6, 1996 at the
Kensington Community Centre.
Twenty-two residents attended the Open House. Twenty residents (11
households) expressed concerns on:
(a) whether fair market prices for their properties could be obtained;
(b) whether the following factors would also be included in the sale
price:
- the resultant decrease in the F.S.R. (Floor Space Ratio) of
their properties,
- the increase in traffic noise due to the road being relocated
up to 2.9 metres closer to their properties;
(c) whether the City would compensate the residents for implementing
noise reduction measures such as paying for the installation of
double-glazed windows on impacted homes; and
(d) whether property impacts such as the need to relocate existing
retaining walls, stairs, and hedges would be looked after by the
City.
The remaining two residents expressed support for the left-turn bay
design.
All twenty-two residents were advised that (a) City staff would
determine a fair price for their properties including all of their
listed concerns and (b) they will be advised when this report will be
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submitted to the Vancouver Traffic Commission for discussion.
QUESTIONNAIRE RESULT ANALYSIS
In total, 600 questionnaires were sent out, and 74 were returned. This
resulted in a 12% return rate. The results are tabulated in Appendix 5.
In general, the results indicated most residents (77%), including those
whose properties will be impacted, supported the left-turn bay design,
providing fair prices for their properties could be achieved.
RESIDENTS WITH PROPERTY IMPACTS
The main concern of residents with property impacts is whether they
could obtain fair prices for their properties. Previously mentioned
factors such as market value for their land, the resultant decrease in
FSR, the increase in traffic noise due to the road being relocated
closer to their properties, noise reduction measures, and property
restoration after construction, should all be accounted for in the final
price.
RESIDENTS WITHOUT PROPERTY IMPACTS
Fifty-four (54) residents without property impacts supported this
design.
Nine (9) residents without property impacts did not support this design.
Their concerns are whether:
a) it is necessary to spend tax payers' money to improve this
intersection, and
b) the improvement will facilitate single occupancy vehicles only.
These concerns are addressed as follows:
a) it is anticipated a reduction of 30-50% in vehicular accidents
would occur after the installation of left-turn bays. This
translates to an annual reduction of approximately $240,000 in
accident claims. In addition, stop and go vehicular noise, air
pollution and fuel consumption at this intersection will reduce by
approximately 6%.
b) Knight Street is a designated major truck and bus route, and
primary arterial. Therefore the improvement will facilitate all
modes of transportation. As noted previously, the capacity
restriction of Knight Street Bridge limits total traffic in the
corridor. Furthermore, the expected addition of left-turn arrows
at this location will offset any capacity increase. Therefore,
traffic volumes will not increase.
NEIGHBOURHOOD MEETING
The residents organized a second neighbourhood meeting on March 12, 1996
at the Kensington Community Centre for those whose properties are
impacted by this design. Forty (40) residents from twenty-four (24)
households, Bob Florko of Real Estate Services and Ken Low of
Engineering Services, attended this meeting.
In this meeting the residents expressed the following:
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1. While they recognized the merits of installing left-turn bays, they
were concerned that this design would impact their properties.
2. If this design were approved, they would pursue a fair purchase
price for each of their properties which would include these
factors:
- a fair base price for the land area based on its actual market
value, not on the annual provincial property assessment;
- the resultant loss in FSR;
- the impact of having traffic closer to their homes; and
- complete restoration of their front lawns to their original
conditions after road construction.
The residents were advised that the City will assess each residence
individually to include the above factors in order to arrive at the
final purchase price. The negotiation of a fair value for these impacts
is a complex matter, and is vital to the owners. The recommendations
will permit staff to begin the process of working out a fair settlement
for each individual owners.
FOLLOW UP
An information letter outlining the recommendation and the submission of
this report to the Vancouver Traffic Commission has been sent to the
same 600 addresses.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The total cost of this project is estimated to be $3.2 million. Property
acquisition costs represent $2.4 million of this total. Funding of $1.55
million for partial property acquisition has been approved in the 1995
and 1996 Streets Basic Capital Budgets. The balance of the project is
anticipated to be funded from 1997 Streets Basic Capital and completed
in 1997. The purchase of one property strip has already been approved
by Council on January 18, 1996 at a cost of $86,600. Approval of this
report will allow for acquisition of required property up to a total of
$1.55 million, including the previous purchase.
The maintenance of the landscaping on the two traffic medians will
require an increase in the Streets Operating Budget of $2,200 annually.
This maintenance cost covers not only routine maintenance and litter
pick up but also the cost of replacing plant material damaged by
vehicles.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended that the installation of left-turn bays on Knight
Street at 41st Avenue proceed as shown in Appendix 1, in order to
improve traffic safety.
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