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Home My WebLink AboutOES 47-08 Citl{ 0/ REPORT TO CO'UNCJL 1 1 7 Report Number: OES 47-08 Date: December 15, 2008 From: Everett Buntsma Director, Operations & Emergency Services Subject: Citizens Group for Traffic Calming on Fairport Road - Addendum to Report OES 33-08 - Traffic Calming Justification and Design File: A-1440 Recommendation: 1. That Addendum Report OES 47-08 to Report OES 33-08 of the Director, Operations & Emergency Services regarding the Citizens Group for Traffic Calming on Fairport Road presentation be received; and 2. That staff in recognition of the concerns voiced by the Citizens Group and area residents continue to support the use of traffic calming on Fairport Road and the recommendations as presented in Report OES 33-08. Executive Summary: On November 10, 2008, Report OES 33-08 was considered by the Executive Committee and was referred back to staff in order to meet with the Citizens Group for Traffic Calming on Fairport Road for the purpose of meeting consensus on facts. At the Executive Committee meeting, the Citizens Group delegation noted several.concerns with the content of the report and requested that be the report be deferred to allow the group an opportunity to discuss their concerns and if possible to enable changes to the report prior to consideration by Committee and Council. Having met with representatives from the Citizens Group on November 24, 2008, this report is presented as an addendum to Report OES 33-08 that sets out to clarify the facts in Report OES 33-08. Staff continue to support the recommendations as initially contained in Report OES 33-08. Financial Implications: Due to the discussion with the Citizens Group, the estimated cost of the groups Traffic Calming plan is reduced by $10,000 as a result of the elimination of the traffic signal to stop conversion as indicated in Report OES 33-08. Sustainability Implications: There are no changes to the sustainability implications as outlined in Report OES 33-08 related to the concerns as expressed by the Citizens Group. , . Rep9~CWS 47-08 .. Subject: Citizens Group for Traffic Calming on Fairport Road Addendum to Report OES 33~08 Traffic Calming Justification and Design December 15, 2008 Page 2 Background: On November 10, 2008, staff were directed by Executive Committee to meet with the Citizens Group for Traffic Calming on Fairport Road to clarify facts in Report OES 33-08 prior to Council consideration. Having met, this report is presented as an addendum to Report OES 33-08 and sets out to clarify the positions of both the Citizens Group and staff. Staff continue to support the recommendations as initially contained in Report OES 33-08. Discussions / Issues Set out below are the inconsistencies of fact as raised and discussed at the November 24, 2008 meeting with the Citizens Group and staff along with the staff response to each of them: 1. The Citizens Group noted that although report OES 33-08 indicated "On January 21, 2008, City Council received a resident delegation noting concerns regarding vehicular speeds and volumes on Fairport Road", in recognition of the arterial road classification and ensuing function of Fairport Road, the group did not have issues with the volume of vehicular traffic but rather with the speed and aggressive driver behavior which impacted the safety and lifestyle of the adjacent residents. Staff recognize and accept that speed and aggressive driving is the focus and justification for the Citizens Group request for traffic calming. The initial petition Traffic Calming Support Forms as signed by the residents of Fairport Road did note "Traffic calming can result in reduced vehicle speeds, lower traffic volumes, reduced collisions... ", so staff was under the impression that volume of traffic was a concern. 2. The Citizens Group noted that they felt that they achieved a higher level of support from residents of Fairport Road than that as noted in Report OES 33-08. Report OES 33-08 noted "the Initial petition for traffic calming on Fairport Road as submitted to Council by the Fairport Road Citizens for Traffic Calming noted support by 127 of 144 (88%) homes on Fairport Road (From Kingston Road to Finch Avenue). This figure was derived by staff based on the number of petitions as received from the Clerks office divided by the number of homes which had either front or sideyard (corner properties) access onto Fairport Road and which therefore were affected by traffic operations on Fairport Road. The Citizens Group did not include corner properties in their considerations and therefore generated a 97% support calculation. CORP0227-07/01 revised Report OES 47-08 December 15, 2008 1 1 9 Subject: Citizens Group for Traffic Calming on Fairport Road Addendum to Report OES 33-08 Traffic Calming Justification and Design Page 3 As a result of the discussions, the Citizens Group understood and accepted the staff methodology. The resulting percentage of support is irrelevant with respect to the recommendations as presented in Report OES 33-08, as it is aparent the support for traffic calming is significant. 3. The Citizens Group noted that they did not include a request to convert the existing traffic signals on Fairport Road at Strouds Lane to All-Way Stop controls as a traffic calming component of their presentation to Council via Executive Committee, as indicated in the staff report. Staff agreed that although the issue was voiced during initial dialogue with members of the Citizens Group, the traffic signal to stop sign conversion was not included as a requested component of the groups presentation. Although Report OES 33-08 included a cost of $10,000 to decommission the existing signals, this amount only represents 2.5% of the estimated cost of the Citizens Group's traffic calming plan. Staff and the Citizens Group concur that the decommissioning should not be part of the plan. 4. The Citizens Group noted that the results of their radar speedwatch initiative generated significantly higher operating speeds on Fairport Road than that as reflected in Report OES 33-08. Staff understand that the Citizens Group speedwatch initiative was undertaken during the evening peek traffic period. Consequently, the results would reflect rush hour traffic speeds rather than an overall blended daily average and 85th %ile speeds generated by staff over a longer period of time. Staff do not dispute the results of the Citizens Group speedwatch initiative. Attachments: N/A Everett untsm Director, Operations & Emergency Services CORP0227-07/01 revised Report OES 47-08 December 15, 2008 . Subject: Citizens Group for Traffic Calming on Fairport Road I I' '\ 2 0 Addendum to Report OES 33-08 Traffic Calming Justification and Design Page 4 MP:ds Copy: Chief Administrative Officer Recommended for the consideration of Pickering Cit cil ", CORP0227-07/01 revised