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Home My WebLink AboutENG 16-17PICKERING Report to Executive Committee Report Number: ENG 16-17 Date: September 5, 2017 From: Richard Holborn Director, Engineering Services Subject: Please Slow Down Campaign - File: A-1440 Recommendation: 1. That the City of Pickering adopt a "Please Slow Down Campaign", which allows residents to place a lawn sign in front of their property within the City's road allowance annually from April 1 to November 30, commencing April 1, 2018. 2. That funding be considered through the annual budget process commencing in 2018 for the purchase of "Please Slow Down" lawn signs, which will be given to residents and community groups at no charge, upon request. 3. That the appropriate officials of the City of Pickering be authorized to take the necessary actions as indicated in this report. Executive Summary: At the April 18, 2017 Council meeting, Pickering Council passed Resolution #284/17 directing staff to investigate the "Please Slow Down Campaign" that is currently active in other municipalities in and around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and report back to Council with a recommendation on implementing this program in the City of Pickering. City staff's investigation of the "Please Slow Down Campaign" in Toronto and Mississauga indicated a positive response from residents, which has led to the campaign being renewed in both municipalities since its inception in Toronto in 2015 and Mississauga in 2016. In addition, residents, as well as community groups in Pickering, have expressed an interest to adopt a similar campaign, which allows for the placement of lawn signs asking motorists to "please slow down" in residential neighbourhoods. Engineering Services staff recognizes that community involvement is an important component to a successful and effective community program to discourage speeding and aggressive driving in residential neighbourhoods, As such, it is recommended that the City of Pickering adopt a "Please Slow Down Campaign" annually from April 1 to November 30, commencing April 1, 2018. ENG 16-17 Subject: Please Slow Down Campaign September 5, 2017 Page 2 Financial Implications: At an estimated cost of $3.00 to $5.00 per sign, the cost of purchasing up to 1500 signs will be approximately $5000.00 and is recommended to be included in the 2018 Current Budget. Discussion: On April 18, 2017 Pickering City Council passed Resolution #284/17 (Attachment 1) directing staff to investigate the "Please Slow Down Campaign" that is currently active in other municipalities in and around the GTA, and to report back to Council with a recommendation on implementing this program in the City of Pickering. City of Toronto and City of Mississauga Please Slow Down Lawn Sign Campaigns have received positive feedback from residents Residents displaying signs outside of their home asking drivers to slow down is becoming more common in municipalities around the GTA. As such, this prompted the City of Toronto to introduce the `Please Slow Down Fall Safety Awareness Campaign" as a city wide initiative in 2015. This initiative allows residents to display a lawn sign in front of their property that asks motorists to "please slow down". The purpose of the campaign is to encourage safe driving habits and bring awareness to motorists of their speed in residential neighbourhoods. Residents in Toronto have expressed their support for the program and, as such, the City of Toronto has renewed the campaign yearly since its inception. In 2016, the City of Mississauga adopted the "Please Slow Down Lawn Sign Campaign" to be used City wide and, similar to the City of Toronto the campaign, has renewed the program every year since its inception. Pickering residents and community groups are interested in placing lawn signs that ask motorists to slow down in residential neighbourhoods Residents as well as community groups in Pickering have expressed an interest to adopt a similar campaign, which allows for the placement of lawn signs asking motorists to "please slow down" in residential neighbourhoods. Currently, residents are encouraged to utilize successful community resources that are available and supported by the City such as the Neighbourhood Watch program and the Ajax/Pickering ROAD WATCH program to combat aggressive and unlawful driving action on City roadways. The addition of the "Please Slow Down Campaign" would be a natural extension to these existing programs. Engineering Services staff recognizes that community involvement is an important component to a successful and effective community program to discourage speeding and aggressive driving in residential neighbourhoods, As such, it is recommended that the City of Pickering adopt a "Please Slow Down Campaign". However, to allow City staff to prepare the program, purchase the required signs, and identify the program as a line item in the current budget, it is recommended that the City of Pickering "Please Slow Down Campaign" have a start date of April 1, 2018. It is recommended the campaign run annually from April 1 to November 30. CORP0227-07/01 revised ENG 16-17 Subject: Please Slow Down Campaign September 5, 2017 Page 3 Guidelines for sign use To maintain consistency in messaging, City of Pickering staff obtained permission from the City of Toronto to use their "Please Slow Down" sign design, with the addition of the City of Pickering logo on the sign. The existing City of Toronto Please Slow Down Lawn Sign is shown graphically in Attachment 2. The same sign design is used in the City of Mississauga's Please Slow Down Lawn Signs. The lawn signs will consist of a metal wire frame inside a of recyclable plastic material and are 61 centimetres (24 inches) wide by 51 centimetres (20 inches) tall. There are a number of conditions that would govern the placement of these signs to ensure they do not create a sightline obstruction and are safe for all roadway users. With the approval of this campaign, the lawn signs would be allowed to be placed on City road allowances, but must follow the following conditions: • be placed on the boulevard with the consent of the abutting property owner • be set back a min of 0.6 metres (2 feet) from curb or edge of the road • only be placed on residential roads under the jurisdiction of the City of Pickering • only be placed between April 1 to November 30, after which they are to be removed by the installer • not be placed within 3 metres of a fire hydrant • not obstruct the travelled portion of the roadway, median, traffic island, sidewalk, bicycle path or multiuse path or trail • not be placed within a drainage ditch, on fences, on trees, or on poles Only one lawn sign will be permitted per residence and will be made available, free of charge, to residents for pick-up at Pickering City Hall, when requested. The City of Pickering will not deliver or mail -out lawn signs. If two or more signs are recognized or reported on any one property, the additional signs will be removed by City staff and returned to the City. Signs that are considered to be in violation of the above conditions will be removed or relocated by City staff. Residents will be made aware of these conditions through an information pamphlet when picking up the sign. Promotion of the Please Slow Down Campaign Promotion of the Please Slow Down Campaign in Pickering would be completed by various methods including, but not limited to: • a City of Pickering Media Release • the City of Pickering website • the City of Pickering Community Page in the Pickering News Advertiser • all City of Pickering Social Media outlets CORP0227-07/01 revised ENG 16-17 Subject: Please Slow Down Campaign September 5, 2017 Page 4 Attachments: 1. Resolution #284/17, Notice of Motion, Please Slow Down Campaign 2. "Please Slow Down Campaign" sample lawn sign — City of Toronto Prepared By: Nathan Emery Coordinator, Traffic Operations NE:mjh Approved/Endorsed By: Ricjfard Holborn, P.Eng. Di ector, Engineering Services Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council sll Tony Prevedel, P.Eng. Chief Administrative Officer b, ?JAI CORP0227-07/01 revised ATTACHMENT# / TOREPORT# 6 Legislative er vices Division Clerk's Office Directive Memorandum April 18, 2017 To: Richard Holborn Director, Engineering Services From: Subject: Debbie Shields City Clerk Direction as per Minutes of the Meeting of City Council held on April 11, 2017 Notice of Motion Please Slow Down Campaign Council Decision Resolution #284/17 Whereas safe roads is a priority for the City of Pickering and its residents; Whereas the need to address speeding on City roads is a growing concern to residents; Whereas the City of Pickering is committed to addressing these concerns by working with Durham Regional Police, City and Regional staff, and residents through enforcement, education, awareness and traffic calming options; Whereas several communities across Ontario, including the City of Toronto has adopted the "Please Slow Down" campaign in partnership with its residents; Whereas documented evidence from the City of Toronto has confirmed 96% satisfaction rate with the campaign, including 26% noting strong improvement, and 24% moderate impact; Whereas residents from Wards 1, 2 and 3 desire to have the City implement measures to address the problem of speeding; Whereas several community groups would be interested in partnering on a "Please Slow Down" campaign; Now therefore be it resolved that the City of Pickering adopt the "Please Slow Down" campaign on City roads, and that Staff report back to Council no later than the June 26th meeting on its implementation. Referred back to staff by resolution # 285/17 as follows: Now therefore be it resolved that the "Please Slow Down" campaign be referred to staff for further investigation and that Staff report back to Council no later than the September 11th meeting. Please take any action deemed necessary. ATTACHMENT# / TOREPORT#I=N' 7 /fr — /7- .Q of 2% Subject: Notice of Motion Please Slow Down Campaign Apr. 18. /17 Page 2 Debbie Shields 1Ir Copy: Chief Administrative Officer ATTACHMENT# TO REPORT# 1 cip z tLLJ V � V 0_ c 0) as o o_ o E H CO- - U ° c O m 0 in O 0 E- a) O E u) co is 0) a) 0_ en 1— z