Report
to/Rapport au :
Comité des transports
and Council / et au Conseil
29 September 2008 / le 29 septembre
2008
R.G. Hewitt, Deputy City Manager/Directeur
municipal adjoint,
Public Works and Services/Services et Travaux
publics
Contact Person/Personne ressource : Michael J. Flainek, M.Eng., P.Eng.,
Director, Traffic and
Parking Operations/Directeur, Circulation et stationnement
613-580-2424
extension 26882, Michael.Flainek@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT:
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PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK AT THE
INTERSECTION OF KING EDWARD AVENUE AND CATHCART STREET |
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OBJET :
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Passage pour piétons à l'intersection de
l'avenue King Edward et de la rue CATHCART |
REPORT
RECOMMENDATION
That Council’s approval of the recommendations
contained in Councillor Bédard’s Report ACS2007-CCS-TRC-002 that “a pedestrian operated traffic signal
be installed at the intersection of King Edward Avenue and Cathcart Street, and
that funds be allocated from the King Edward Capital Project” be rescinded.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que l’approbation du
Conseil relative aux recommandations présentées dans le rapport
ACS2007-CCS-TRC-002 du conseiller Georges Bédard, qui stipule « qu’un
feu de circulation déclenché par les piétons soit installé à l’intersection de
l’avenue King Edward et de la rue Cathcart et que les fonds qui y seront
alloués proviennent du Projet d’immobilisations de l’avenue King Edward », soit annulée.
BACKGROUND
At Transportation Committee on 16 May
2007, a report prepared by Councillor Bédard entitled, “Pedestrian Crosswalk
at the Intersection of King Edward Avenue and Cathcart Street” was
considered. In it, Councillor Bédard
recommended that a pedestrian crosswalk be installed at that location.
Staff comments
in the report noted that this location is not suitable for a pedestrian
signal as the new alignment of the ramp from the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge,
north of that point, does not provide sufficient sight distance for operators
of large southbound trucks with conventional braking systems to see, react, and
stop in time to avoid collisions with queued vehicles that would back up from
the proposed signal at Cathcart Street.
The staff
comments further explained that this particular intersection is situated in a
very complex driving environment and that a combination of factors including
the geometry of the southbound ramp from the bridge, the height of the barrier
walls, the volume, speed and makeup of the traffic, visibility conditions on
the inside of the curve, time requirements for pedestrians to traverse King
Edward Avenue at Cathcart Street, the limited vehicle storage capacity of King
Edward Avenue north of Cathcart Street, the need to retain advance warning
flashers at the entry curve to King Edward Avenue and a number of other
technical considerations, ultimately led to that conclusion.
During discussion of the item, John Buck,
Manager, Traffic Management, emphasized that a signal at this location would be
unsafe and that staff could not recommend under any circumstances, that one be
installed. In addition, Ron Jack of
Delcan Corporation, who managed the Environmental Assessment Study for the King
Edward Renewal Project, told Committee that while he did not disagree with the
community - that a pedestrian crossing would be great to have at Cathcart
Street - it just does not work at this location. Despite that input, Committee approved the report
recommendation that a pedestrian crosswalk be installed.
The report was considered by Council
on 13 June 2007. At
that time, a supplementary memo from Public Works and Services was conveyed to
the Mayor and Members of Council. It is
attached as Document 1 and summarizes the situation as follows:
“In light of our inability to install a pedestrian signal for the reasons cited, please be advised that, should Council endorse the Transportation Committee recommendation, staff will not be able to proceed until such time as funds have been identified and approved to engage specialized consulting engineering expertise to identify whether there are specific measures which can be implemented to allow installation at this location. Implementation funding, expected to be significant, would also have to be budgeted.”
Ultimately, Council approved the recommendation contained in Councillor Bédard’s report (14 yeas, 6 nays) as amended by Transportation Committee that “a pedestrian operated traffic signal be installed at the intersection of King Edward Avenue and Cathcart Street, and that funds be allocated from the King Edward Capital Project”.
DISCUSSION
Since Council's
direction, staff have investigated all possible options to mitigate the risks
associated with the installation of a pedestrian signal at this location. This included extensive research into
traffic sensing equipment, dynamic warning devices and the engagement of two
additional consulting firms, both with extensive expertise in human factors and
road safety.
However, because:
(1)
The
minimum stopping sight distance requirement for large trucks is not met on the
southbound ramp approaching this intersection; and,
(2)
Stopping
sight distance is such a fundamental requirement for the safe operation of
motor vehicles, that it in fact forms the very basis of all highway engineering
and road design standards, including those set out in the Transportation
Association of Canada’s Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads and the
Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s Geometric Design Standards for Ontario Highways;
and,
(3)
The
risks associated with the sight distance limitation at this particular site
cannot be properly mitigated through the installation of standard traffic
control devices;
The consulting firms retained by Public Works and Services to find a solution, determined that there are no measures that can be implemented to enable a signal installation at this location to operate safely.
Therefore, three of the most highly
qualified road safety consulting firms in the country, specifically Delcan
Corporation, Delphi/McCormick-Rankin Corporation and iTrans Consultants, have
now reviewed the proposal to install a signal at this location, and all three
have advised that in view of the associated safety risks, they cannot recommend
such an installation.
In particular in discussing sight distance,
Delphi/McCormick-Rankin’s report authored, by Dr. John Robinson (attached as
Document 2), notes that:
“Sight Distance Available: The provision of stopping sight
distance and in the case of intersections, crosswalks or similar facilities
where vehicles may have to yield the right-of-way to vulnerable road users –
decision sight distance – is critical to the safety of all users of such
facilities. Failure to provide adequate
sight distance in such circumstances jeopardizes public safety and, in the
event of litigation flowing from a collision where lack of sight distance was a
contributing factor, would in all probability be interpreted by the courts as a
failure on the part of the Municipality to meet the standard for their required
duty of care.”
The report prepared by iTrans Consultants
(attached as Document 3), also discusses the sight distance issue noting that:
“Stopping sight distance is
defined as the distance needed by a vehicle travelling at the design speed of a
roadway to be able to stop before reaching a stationary object in its path.
As noted by both Delcan and MRC, the stopping sight distance available on King Edward Avenue southbound to the Cathcart Street intersection is compliant with the 60-65 metres required for a 50 km/h design speed. This statement of compliance was made in reference to the TAC Manual for automobiles and trucks with antilock braking systems. However the stopping sight distance at the 50 km/h design speed is inadequate to provide the 85-110 metres required for heavy trucks with conventional braking systems.
To further complicate the
issue, according to profiles provided by Delcan, the southbound ramp from the
MacDonald Cartier Bridge to Cathcart Street is on a 3% downgrade. The effect of
a downgrade is to increase the required braking distance. By applying table
C2-3 from the Geometric Design Standards for Ontario Highways (MTO) for a
design speed similar to the observed operating speeds an additional 5 metres of
stopping distance is needed.
It appears from the
documents provided to iTRANS for review that the stopping sight distance
required for the design speed of 50 km/h is only marginally compliant at best.
While the stopping sight
distance may be marginally compliant with the theoretical design speed of 50
km/h, it is not adequate for the actual current operating speeds of traffic.
The 85th percentile operating speed
measured by the City along the southbound approach to the intersection is 62
km/h.
Vehicle speeds in excess of
design speeds on any facility will result in challenges for drivers but
particularly so for this location where sight distance and stopping sight
distance is limited.”
The iTrans report concludes that:
“It is
the professional opinion of the undersigned that a signalized pedestrian
crossing at the intersection of King Edward Avenue and Cathcart Street not be
implemented for the reasons expressed ….”
And, Delphi/McCormick-Rankin’s report
concludes that:
“In our
view the complex and layered nature of the risk environment that would be
present should a crosswalk be constructed makes it impossible to develop
cost-effective mitigation measures which could overcome the hazards present in
this risk environment. In the strongest
possible terms we recommend against proceeding with the proposed pedestrian
crosswalk.”
In summary, staff cannot proceed with the
installation of a pedestrian signal at the intersection of King Edward Avenue
and Cathcart Street as directed by Council without exposing the City to
liability. Therefore, Public Works and Services respectfully request that
Council reconsider this matter and rescind the previous decision.
A map of this area is attached at Document
4.
CONSULTATION
No public consultation has been undertaken.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no financial implications at this time.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 - Memo in Response to Transportation Report 16 May 2007
Document
2 - Delphi MRC Memo (available in
pdf only)
Document
3 - iTrans Review (available in
pdf only)
Document 4 - Key Map
DISPOSITION
The report’s recommendation will be implemented following Council approval.
DOCUMENT
1
MEMO IN RESPONSE TO TRANSPORTATION REPORT 16 MAY 2007
M E M
O / N O T E D E S E R V I C E
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