SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2
VTC AGENDA
JUNE 12, 1996
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: May 29, 1996
TO: Vancouver Traffic Commission
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Left Turn Bays on 57th Avenue at Knight Street
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT the design and construction of left-turn bays on 57th
Avenue at Knight Street be approved according to geometric
YD-627, illustrated in Figure 1, with funding of $700,000
provided from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account
12/31/9828/999 - 57th at Knight.
B. THAT the Manager of Real Estate Services be authorized to
commence property negotiations for lands required, as set out
in this report, for report back to Council.
C. THAT the General Manager of Engineering Services be requested
to meet with residents to resolve local shortcutting problems
should these persist after construction of left turn bays on
57th Avenue at Knight Street.
COUNCIL POLICY
New roadway geometric designs are approved by Council.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to obtain Council's approval of the
design and construction of left turn bays on 57th Avenue at Knight
Street.
BACKGROUND
The intersection of 57th Avenue and Knight Street lies at the southern
end of the Clark-Knight Corridor and provides access to southbound
trips on Knight Street. As such, the intersection is both a gateway to
the city and an exit for traffic leaving the city.
Knight Street is a major arterial, a transit route, and the city's most
heavily used truck route. Some 60,000 vehicles per day, including a
total of 5,800 trucks, use Knight at 57th Avenue. 57th Avenue is a
secondary arterial, carrying 11,500 vehicles per day west of Knight,
split equally between eastbound and westbound. East of Knight, 57th
Avenue carries 15,000 vehicles daily, with 9,000 (60%) travelling
westbound and 6,000 (40%) travelling eastbound. The imbalance is due
to the heavy left turn volume, westbound to southbound, of vehicles
accessing Knight Street en route to the bridge.
With the present demand for left turns, westbound to southbound,
counted at a peak of 400 vehicles per hour in the morning peak period,
vehicles queue well east of Dumfries Street. Vehicles staying in the
queue must wait several signal cycles to access Knight. Much traffic
bypasses the queue by going straight through the intersection and then
either turning left at Culloden Street to circle back to Knight, or by
cutting through the service station on the southwest corner to reach
Knight.
Similar to other major intersections along the Clark-Knight Corridor,
accidents at 57th Avenue and Knight Street are high. Over the past 5
years, there have been an average of 35 motor vehicle accidents
reported per year, one-third of which have involved eastbound and/or
westbound vehicles. There have been 95 injuries and approximately
$435,000 in damages incurred over the past 5 years. While there were 2
pedestrian accidents reported in each of 1994 and 1995, there were none
in the previous 3 years. The intersection is served by a standard
signal.
DISCUSSION
The Design
The major objectives of the design are to improve safety and reinforce
use of the arterial network instead of local neighbourhood streets. In
the proposed design, these would be achieved by widening the road to
allow incorporation of left turn bays (see Figure 1 in Appendix).
Medians would be raised, not painted, with openings at Dumfries and
Culloden. Parking would continue to be provided in the curb lane
during off-peak periods at the least. To improve cyclists' safety a
3.7m wide curb lane is achievable.
Motorists turning left onto Knight Street from 57th Avenue have poor
sight lines to oncoming vehicles using the curb lane. In the absence
of left turn bays, there is also frequent lane changing to bypass
left-turning vehicles. These factors are contributing to the high
levels of accidents experienced. Studies have shown that
introduction of left turn bays reduces accidents by over 40% on average
in Vancouver. At this intersection, because most traffic is on Knight
Street, the reduction may be somewhat less in percentage terms.
Furthermore, left turn bays would reduce the levels of stop-and-go
vehicular noise, air pollution, and fuel consumption at the
intersection.
The design also includes curbing and boulevard restoration along the
length of the project. This will improve definition of the edge of the
roadway, particularly west of Knight. Sidewalks will be
provided/replaced as required for the length of the project. And,
although the project would require removal or relocation of 7 trees,
some 35 trees would be planted as part of the project.
Property Requirements
Strips from two properties, and minor corner cuts at 57th and Knight,
are required for construction of the project. The larger strip is
along the 57th Avenue frontage of the service station on the northeast
corner of Knight and 57th (see Figure 1). The service station itself
has been set back and will not be impacted. The other is a narrow,
tapering strip from the 57th Avenue frontage of property on the
southwest corner of 57th and Culloden. The total costs of property
acquisition are estimated at $165,000.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Public input has been received in the past, as concerned residents and
motorists have requested improvement of the entire Clark-Knight
Corridor. Over time, a number of requests for improving the
Knight/57th Avenue intersection have also been received, as well as for
eliminating shortcutting on Culloden Street.
On May 22, 1996, staff held an Open House at the Fraserview Library.
Some 550 flyers were delivered to area residents, 110 flyers were
mailed to absentee owners, and an ad was placed in the Vancouver Echo
newspaper to publicize the event. Approximately 35 people attended,
and were asked to fill out a questionnaire. For the 25 questionnaires
completed at or since the Open House, 15 respondents favoured the
project, 7 opposed the project, and 3 did not give an indication for or
against. Several of those who registered their opposition did so on
the basis of particular concerns. The major concerns were:
* Traffic forms a long queue turning from 57th to the bridge. A
left-turn signal was desired.
* Traffic shortcuts to avoid the 57th/Knight intersection. Culloden
was the shortcut route cited most, but several other area streets
were also mentioned.
* Restriction of movement to/from Culloden was of great concern to
several residents and employers (the design presented at the Open
House provided for the raised median closing off Culloden to left
turns or through north-south movement).
* Safety at the intersection of 57th Avenue and Argyle Drive is a
problem, particularly due to the lack of a traffic signal.
* Many residents wanted to see bays on Knight Street at 57th first.
* Some residents do not want trees planted in the boulevard in front
of their houses. They are concerned that the trees will require
too much maintenance or that one will be directly in front of the
house, blocking views and light.
In addition, letters from 5 property owners or residents have been
received, 2 in support, 2 opposed, and 1 lobbying in favour of left
turn bays on Knight at 57th. Opposition from Rogers Video, who operate
a store on the northwest corner of 57th and Knight, stems from concern
over loss of business from curtailed site accessibility. The remaining
letter opposed came from a property owner concerned over increased
traffic, loss of trees, and lowered property value.
A billboard has been posted at the site of the proposed project; no
comments have been received to date.
In response to the concerns raised above, staff have done or will do
the following:
* Reduce neighbourhood shortcutting by adding a left-turn arrow for
westbound-to-southbound movement.
* Culloden access will be permitted by shortening the bay to permit
an opening. Should shortcutting problems persist, staff will
consult further with residents on the implementation of suitable
measures.
* A signal at the intersection of 57th/Argyle will be reviewed for
the 1997 Traffic Signal Program.
* The project for left turn bays on Knight at 57th has been
designed, and is on the list of improvements desired for the
Clark-Knight Corridor. When negotiations for property acquisition
for the 57th Avenue bays take place, staff will include the option
of acquiring strips needed for the Knight Street bays for the
doubly-affected sites.
* Boulevard trees are a standard component of street improvements
and, as part of the public right-of-way, are provided for the
enjoyment of all citizens. While this puts some responsibility on
the adjacent property owner, the overall greening of the city
depends on a widespread, shared commitment. Thus, tree planting
will remain as a part of the project; however, in the selection of
the species and in the positioning of the trees the concerns of
residents will be considered.
FUNDING AND TIMING
Funding of $700,000 has been allocated within the 1996 Streets Basic
Capital Budget for construction of this project. As a safety
improvement in the Clark-Knight Corridor, this project is eligible for
a contribution of up to $100,000 from ICBC. The exact amount
forthcoming will be reported at the Commission meeting. With Council's
approval of the design and construction, and no undue delays in
acquiring needed parcels, the project could be built this fall.
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