REQUEST FOR DIRECTION
DATE: June 12, 2019 Report No. EPW-19-018
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Jeff Miller, Director of Engineering and Public Works
SUBJECT:
Title
Selkirk Avenue Speed Control Measures
End
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
Should the Township initiate projects to determine whether Selkirk Avenue is a cut-through road including a public consultation process to determine whether additional speed control measures are necessary on Selkirk Avenue?
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the Committee of the Whole receive Staff Report EPW-19-018 for information, provide any additional direction to staff as the COTW considers advisable, and direct staff to prepare a report for Council’s consideration.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Selkirk neighbourhood is defined by the Gorge Waterway on the north side, Arm Street on the east side, Craigflower Road on the south side and Tillicum Road on the west side. The main roads that run through the neighbourhood are Selkirk Avenue and Craigflower Road. Neighbourhood housing is a mixture of large multi-family structures and single family homes.
On Selkirk Avenue:
• On-street parking is allowed on both sides of the street
• The speed limit is 30 kph
• There is one four way stop at Arcadia Street
• Designated as a local road in the Official Community Plan
This neighbourhood has been the subject of a number of actions to provide speed control and to review usage. This work has included:
• 1997
o Neighbourhood Transportation Management Plan which resulted in 5 speed humps being installed on Selkirk Avenue and 1 on Arcadia Street
• 2007/2008
o As a result of traffic and truck volumes, a truck ban was imposed on all streets within the neighbourhood
o 2 ‘No left hand turn” signs (from 3 pm to 5 pm) were placed at the intersections of McNaughton Avenue and Selkirk Avenue with Tillicum Road
o Signage was later removed due to resident concerns that access to the neighbourhood outweighed traffic concerns that the signage was attempting to address
• 2010
o 2 ‘No left hand turn’ signs (all times) were installed
o This signage was to address short cutting along Selkirk Avenue during the Craigflower Road Corridor Upgrade Phase I project
• 2012/2013
o A petition was initiated from McNaughton Street residents to remove McNaughton Street’s ‘No left hand turn’ signage
o Council directed that additional consultation be undertaken with the remainder of the neighbourhood about the signage (EPW-12-027)
o Notices were hand-delivered from Tillicum Road to Arcadia Road with web-based responses for remainder of neighbourhood
o Results of survey:
§ 42 for keeping no left hand turn
§ 94 for removing no left hand turn
§ 18 other comments not related to issue
o ‘No left hand turn’ signs were removed from McNaughton Street and Selkirk Avenue (Staff Report EPW-13-004)
• 2016
o Township undertook traffic counts for entire road network (Attachment 1)
o Data was collected along Selkirk Avenue for volume and speed
§ Average traffic volume westbound - 843 vehicles
§ 85% below 40 kph
§ Average traffic volume eastbound - 1,017 vehicles
§ 75% below 40 kph
• 2017
o Township received a request for additional traffic calming measures to be installed along Selkirk Avenue
o Township initiated a neighbourhood wide survey to determine level of support for initiative
o 395 requests were sent out
§ First test of speed control manual failed (99 out of 395)
§ Second test of speed control manual failed (62 in favour, 37 not in favour)
o No work carried out due to failure to meet tests
• 2018
o Township undertook traffic counts for entire road network [Attachment 1]
o Data was collected at one point along Selkirk Avenue for volume and speed
§ Average traffic volume westbound - 1,143 vehicles
§ 83% below 40 kph
§ Average traffic volume eastbound - 949 vehicles
§ 87% below 40 kph
• 2019
o Concerns raised at public hearing that speed along Selkirk Avenue needs to be controlled and that traffic volumes are too high
ISSUES:
The speed control measures that have been implemented on the Selkirk Corridor include:
• Speed humps (5)
• Four way stop (1)
• Lower speed limit (30 kph)
• On street parking
In reviewing the speed survey data [Attachment 1], the majority of the users are travelling at the posted speed limit or just above it. This would indicate that the speed control measures that are in place are functioning effectively.
There are relatively few additional speed control measures that can implemented along the Corridor. They include:
• All way stops at each intersection (4)
• Additional speed humps
• Bump outs at the intersections
• Reinstatement of the ‘no left hand turn’ signage
• Education and enforcement by Victoria Police
• Signage indicating local traffic only
The survey results do not provide sufficient evidence that the Corridor is being utilized as cut-through route. Additional information of traffic movements would be required in order to make this determination. If the Corridor is defined as a cut-through route, it would be eligible for funding to install additional speed control measures (i.e. speed humps). The project would have to go through the 2020 Budget process for funding to be approved. If the route is not defined as a cut-through route, then funding through a Local Area Service (LAS) would be required.
Working through the Esquimalt Community Safety Services Working Group, the speed concerns will be presented to the Victoria Police. The police can then design an education and enforcement strategy to encourage drivers not to exceed the speed limit.
In order to reduce the traffic volume, there are relatively few options available. The first would be to reinstall the ‘no left hand turn’ signs at Selkirk Avenue and McNaughton Avenue. This signage may deter drivers from using the Selkirk Corridor as a cut-through route. The second option would be to install signage such as ‘Local Traffic Only’ at the intersections of Tillicum/McNaughton and Tillicum/Selkirk. This signage may also deter drivers from using the Corridor as a short cut route. The signage is advisory in nature and not enforceable as the Corridor is a public road.
Activities that can be undertaken by staff include:
• Determine through traffic counts on Selkirk, Arcadia and Arm Corridors whether the Selkirk Corridor is defined as a cut-through route
• Initiate a survey of the neighbourhood to confirm that the neighbourhood is in support of additional speed control measures
• If the Corridor is defined as a cut-through route and there is support that meets the two tests in Council Policy E&PW-01 Guide to Traffic Calming, add speed control measures as a potential budget item for the 2020 Budget process
• If the Corridor is not defined as a cut-through route and there is support that meets the two tests in the Guide, undertake the LAS process to provide funding for the speed control measures
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That the COTW receive Staff Report No. EPW-19-018 for information, provide any additional direction to staff as the COTW considers advisable, and direct staff to prepare a report for Council’s consideration.
2. That the COTW provide alternative direction to staff.
3. That the COTW request further information from staff.