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1. SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS REQUESTED TO CARLING AVENUE FROM MOODIE TO
HERZBERG AMÉLIORATIONS DE LA
SÉCURITÉ demandées pour l'avenue CARLING entre MOODIE et HERZBERG |
Committee RecommendationS
That Council approve that the City:
1. Ensure the paved shoulders
of Carling Avenue from Moodie to Herzberg to be flat and continuous and kept in
good repair;
2. Add
signage along Carling to suggest the alternative of the NCC Watts Creek path;
3. Look into how to eliminate
or replace the railway underpass with a wider one, or
build tunnels for cyclists and walkers;
4. Look
into adding a crosswalk signal at Burke and Carling to allow cyclists and
walkers to get to the Watts Creek path;
5. Increase
signage to warn cars to give way to cyclists;
6. Install
streetlights, especially at the underpass and at intersections;
7. Consider
other measures to keep the large number of commuting cyclists safer before
there is a serious accident.
RecommandationS DU Comité
Que le Conseil approuve que
la Ville:
1. s'assure
que les accotements asphaltés de l'avenue Carling entre la promenade Moodie et
le chemin Herzberg sont plats, ininterrompus et en bon état;
2. ajoute des enseignes le long de
l'avenue Carling pour indiquer le sentier du ruisseau Watts de la CCN comme
itinéraire de rechange;
3. étudie
les moyens d'éliminer ou de remplacer le passage inférieur ferroviaire par un
passage plus large ou de construire des tunnels pour les cyclistes et les
piétons;
4. étudie
la possibilité d'ajouter un passage protégé à l'intersection du chemin Burke et
de l'avenue Carling afin de permettre aux cyclistes et aux piétons d'accéder au
sentier du ruisseau Watts;
5. ajoute des enseignes avertissant les
automobilistes de céder le passage aux cyclistes;
6. installe des lampadaires, en particulier
au passage inférieur et aux intersections;
7. envisage
d'autres mesures pour accroître la sécurité des nombreux cyclistes navetteurs
afin d'éviter de graves accidents.
Documentation
1. Roads and Cycling Advisory
Committee report dated 18 August
2010 (ACS2010-CCV-RCA-0003).
Report to/Rapport au :
Comité des transports
and Council / et au
Conseil
18 August 2010/ le 18 août 2010
Submitted by/Soumis par: Roads and Cycling Advisory Committee/
Comité consultatif sur les routes et cyclisme
Contact Person/Personne-ressource: Melody
Duffenais,
Committee Coordinator/Coordonnatrice des Comités
(613) 580-2424 x 20113, melody.duffenais@ottawa.ca
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SUBJECT: |
SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS REQUESTED TO CARLING AVENUE FROM MOODIE TO HERZBERG |
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OBJET : |
AMÉLIORATIONS DE LA
SÉCURITÉ demandées pour l'avenue CARLING entre MOODIE et HERZBERG |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That Transportation Committee
recommend Council approve that the City:
1. Ensure
the paved shoulders of Carling Avenue from Moodie to Herzberg to be flat and
continuous and kept in good repair;
2. Add
signage along Carling to suggest the alternative of the NCC Watts Creek path;
3. Look
into how to eliminate or replace the railway underpass with a wider one, or build tunnels for cyclists and walkers;
4. Look
into adding a crosswalk signal at Burke and Carling to allow cyclists and
walkers to get to the Watts Creek path;
5. Increase
signage to warn cars to give way to cyclists;
6. Install
streetlights, especially at the underpass and at intersections;
7. Consider
other measures to keep the large number of commuting cyclists safer before
there is a serious accident.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité
consultatif sur les routes et le cyclisme recommande au Comité des transports
de recommander au Conseil d'approuver que la Ville :
1. s'assure que les accotements asphaltés
de l'avenue Carling entre la promenade Moodie et le chemin Herzberg sont plats,
ininterrompus et en bon état;
2. ajoute des enseignes le long de
l'avenue Carling pour indiquer le sentier du ruisseau Watts de la CCN comme
itinéraire de rechange;
3. étudie les moyens d'éliminer ou de
remplacer le passage inférieur ferroviaire par un passage plus large ou de
construire des tunnels pour les cyclistes et les piétons;
4. étudie la possibilité d'ajouter un
passage protégé à l'intersection du chemin Burke et de l'avenue Carling afin de
permettre aux cyclistes et aux piétons d'accéder au sentier du ruisseau Watts;
5. ajoute des enseignes avertissant les
automobilistes de céder le passage aux cyclistes;
6. installe des lampadaires, en
particulier au passage inférieur et aux intersections;
7. envisage d'autres mesures pour
accroître la sécurité des nombreux cyclistes navetteurs afin d'éviter de graves
accidents.
At its 17 May 2010 meeting, the Roads and
Cycling Advisory Committee (RCAC) received a PowerPoint presentation from one
its members outlining safety concerns for cyclists along Carling Avenue from Moodie to Herzberg.
The committee approved the following motion:
Whereas Carling Avenue from
Moodie to Herzberg is narrow and fast (80kph); and
Whereas the paved shoulder is bumpy and
broken West of the railway; and
Whereas there is no convenient alternative
for cyclists; and
Whereas there isn't enough room under the
railway for 2 cars and 1 bike to proceed safely; and
Whereas signage is lacking even for a less
direct alternative; and
Whereas it is a dark area without nearby
lighting; and
Whereas cyclists are in danger;
Therefore
the Roads and Cycling Advisory Committee recommends that the City:
i.
Ensure the paved shoulders to be flat and
continuous and kept in good repair
ii.
Add signage along Carling to suggest the
alternative of the NCC Watts Creek path
iii.
Look into how to eliminate or replace the
railway underpass with a wider one, or build tunnels for cyclists and walkers
iv.
Look into adding a crosswalk signal at
Burke and Carling to allow cyclists and walkers to get to the Watts Creek path
v.
Increase signage to warn cars to give way
to cyclists
vi.
Install streetlights, especially at the
underpass and at intersections
vii.
Consider other measures to keep the large
number of commuting cyclists safer before there is a serious accident.
DISCUSSION
Staff from the Planning and Growth Management Department and Infrastructure Services Department were present at the meeting and advised that the paved shoulder from March Road to 200 metres east of Herzberg would be addressed by the end of this construction season, and the remainder is to be completed in 2011 pending budget approval. They advised that the installation of tunnels or culverts beneath the railway bridge would be exceptionally difficult and costly, and further that there are no plans to widen the bridge as it is owned by Canadian National Railways.
The pictures in Document 1 are
provided to illustrate the area in question and to assist in highlighting the
RCAC’s concerns.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no rural implications.
CONSULTATION
Infrastructure
Services Comments
Recommendation 1
Staff support this recommendation. In 2008, the paved shoulders were reconstructed between Moodie Drive and 320m east of the railway underpass. By the end of the 2010 construction season, newly paved shoulders will be constructed from March Rd to 200m east of Herzberg Rd (i.e. the east limit of Carling-Herzberg intersection modification project). This work is being undertaken under the Carling Ave watermain project, and the Carling-Herzberg intersection project. In 2011, the remaining paved shoulders will be reconstructed between 200m east of Herzberg Rd and 320m east of the railway underpass, subject to budget approval.
Recommendation
3
Staff do not support this recommendation. As outlined in the discussion section of the report, the rail underpass is owned by CNR. The City has no plans, and is not aware of any plans by CNR, to reconstruct or widen this bridge.
Public Works Comments
Recommendation 2
Staff support this recommendation. Signs are scheduled for installation in Q3, 2010.
Recommendation 4
Staff support the recommendation to look into installing a pedestrian crosswalk signal at Burke and Carling. It will be added to the Pedestrian Safety Evaluation Program for review this year. Upon review of the location, should it be determined that a signalized pedestrian crossing is required, the funding request will be added to the 2011 Capital budget.
Recommendation 5
Staff support the increase of signage to improve awareness for both cyclists and drivers on how to appropriately share the road. However, staff do not support the recommendation as it is worded as there is no standard signage to warn vehicles to give way to cyclists. The installation of regulatory signage such as “do not pass cyclists at or under a bridge” is scheduled for Q3, 2010.
Recommendation 6
Staff do not support this recommendation. Street lights could be installed on either side of the underpass but not on any part thereof, as this section of roadway is placed through the National Capital Commission’s Greenbelt. Historically, the NCC has objected to the installation of lighting in these areas. In addition, full lighting of a two lane road with a rural cross-section and relatively low traffic volumes would be difficult to justify, as currently there are higher priority roadways that require street lighting. Should Council wish to move forward with this project additional funding would be required. The cost to install continuous full street lighting would be approximately $900,000.
Recommendation 7
Staff is supportive of considering other safety measures for cyclists. Public Works staff work closely with the Planning and Growth Management Department to support their Cycling Safety Program.
COMMENTS BY THE WARD
COUNCILLORS
Councillor Cullen, ward 7, provided the following comments:
"The Roads & Cycling Advisory
Committee are to be commended for identifying the need
to rehabilitate an important part of the City's cycling network, linking the
western community of Kanata to the cycling network inside the Greenbelt,
particularly to the bike path network along the Ottawa River Parkway.
From Andrew Haydon Park west along Carling
Avenue to the CNR railway overpass (west of Moodie Drive) the bike network is
in good repair, but the problem of traversing the CNR railway overpass and the
poor state of repairs on the shoulders of Carling Avenue west from the CNR
railway overpass to Herzberg Road is a distinct hazard for cyclists.
While I understand that staff
have scheduled repairs to these shoulders along Carling Avenue, the
matter of the difficulty for cyclists to traverse the CNR railway overpass
remains. This narrow passageway has only
sufficient space to permit car movement in both directions, requiring cyclists
to share the road with speeding cars on this major arterial, as there are no
shoulders to the roadway here. This
creates a dangerous safety situation for cyclists. While there is an underpass for the
recreational pathway located 30 metres to the south of Carling Avenue near the
CNR railway overpass it is not convenient for many cyclists who use the wide
paved shoulders of Carling Avenue to get to the bike paths near Andrew Haydon
Park.
I have previously brought the matter of the
safety issues and the need to widen the CNR railway overpass to the attention
of Ottawa West M.P. Marlene Catterall and to Ottawa West-Nepean M.P. John
Baird, who in turn have approached CNR, but unfortunately CNR has not been
responsive. I believe that the City should pursue this matter more
aggressively."
Councillor Wilkinson, ward 4, provided the following comments:
“I support the staff recommendations but would add that means to provide safe cycling access at the railway underpass need to be addressed. CNR has applied to abandon this track as of Nov. 15, 2010. If no agency purchases the line by that date the rails will be removed and it would be possible to open up a passage for cyclists. However there is a potential sale from the Pontiac-Renfrew group that wishes to establish a limited freight service and a commuter rail service from up the valley to Ottawa. If they are successful other means of providing cycling safety need to be addressed.”
As noted by staff, the proposed elimination or replacement of the railway underpass in Recommendation 3 would require the agreement of CNR. Similarly, the installation of streetlights on any part of the underpass, as proposed in Recommendation 6, would also require the agreement of the CNR and the concurrence of the NCC. There are no legal or risk management impediments to implementing the other recommendations of this report.
CITY STRATEGIC PLAN
A1 – Improve the City’s transportation network to afford ease of mobility, keep pace with growth, reduce congestion and work towards modal split targets.
E6 – Require walking, transit and cycling oriented communities and employment centers.
Recommendation 1
By the end of the 2010 construction season, newly paved shoulders will be constructed from March Rd to 200m east of Herzberg Rd (i.e. the east limit of Carling-Herzberg intersection modification project). This work is being undertaken under the Carling Ave watermain project, and the Carling-Herzberg intersection project. Funds are within the existing capital budget.
In 2011, the remaining paved shoulders will be reconstructed between 200m east of Herzberg Rd and 320m east of the railway underpass, subject to budget approval. Funds will be requested through the 2011 Draft Capital Budget.
Recommendations 2 and 5
Signage along Carling to suggest the alternative of the NCC Watts Creek path and regulatory signage such as “do not pass cyclists at or
under a bridge” can be accommodated within the 2010 Traffic Signage Maintenance
Budget.
Recommendation 4
Pedestrian crosswalk signal at Burke and Carling - should it be determined that a signalized pedestrian crossing is required, the funding request will be added to the 2011 Draft Capital Budget for Council consideration.
Recommendation 6
There is currently no provision in the 2010 Capital Budget for street lights at this location. Should Council approve the installation of street lights a source of funding would be required to be identified at that time.
Document
1 – Carling Avenue from Moodie Dr to Hertzberg Rd
DISPOSITION
Staff to implement City Council’s decision.
The RCAC Coordinator to notify the Advisory Committee of City Council’s decision.