Overview
The City of Ottawa is conducting a Neighbourhood Traffic Calming (NTC) study along Pike Street (between Hunt Club Road and Lorry Greenberg Drive) and Lorry Greenberg Drive (between Pike Street and Conroy Road) in response to traffic concerns raised by residents.
The purpose of this study is to recommend permanent roadway modifications intended to improve safety for all road users, primarily by reducing vehicular speeds.
Traffic calming measures help to reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behaviour, and improve conditions for non-motorized road users. Traffic calming studies recommend localized retrofits to the roadway to address traffic concerns as opposed to a complete reconstruction of the street. More information about the types of traffic calming suitable for City streets.
Proposed Traffic Calming Concept Plan
Based on traffic data, coordination with various stakeholders and project constraints, a conceptual traffic calming plan was developed.
The proposed concept plan for Pike Street and Lorry Greenberg includes:
Pike Street
- Two sets of speed cushions
- Between Hunt Club Road and Huntersfield Drive
- Between Lorry Greenberg Drive and Castlegreen Private
- Painted edge lines
- Between Hunt Club Road and Lorry Greenberg Drive
Lorry Greenberg Drive
- Two sets of speed cushions
- Between Finland Private (east) and Finland Private (west)
- Between Huntersfield Drive and Bramblegrove Crescent
- Painted cycle lanes with buffer from Pike Street to Conroy Road (terminating approximately 90m west of Conroy Road)
- Cyclo-zone delineators are also proposed within the buffer zone. The delineators will be removed during the winter months
- Concrete centre island median
- Approximately 10m north of Bramblegrove Crescent (north)
Intersection of Pike Street and Lorry Greenberg Drive
- Raised crosswalk on the east leg of the intersection
Additional information about the proposed traffic calming measures
This section will provide an overview of the potential traffic calming measures proposed in the conceptual plan, as well as advantages and disadvantages of each type of measure.
Speed Cushions
Speed cushions are raised areas similar to speed humps, but do not span the entire width of the road. They are designed to allow large vehicles to straddle the cushions, while smaller vehicles are vertically deflected.
Pros
- Larger vehicles like buses can pass with limited vertical deflection
Cons
- May slightly affect emergency response time (but less than other vertical deflection measures such as speed humps)
- More difficult to construct compared to speed humps
Raised Crossings
Raised crossings are marked pedestrian and / or cycling crossings at intersections, or mid-block locations, constructed at a higher elevation than the adjacent roadway.
Pros
- Increases visibility of pedestrians and vulnerable road users crossing the road
- Helps improve stopping compliance at stop-controlled intersections
Cons
- May affect driver and passenger comfort, especially at mid-block locations
- May slightly affect emergency response time
Bicycle Lanes
A bicycle lane is a portion of a roadway that has been designated by signage and pavement markings for exclusive use by cyclists. It separates higher speed vehicular traffic from cyclists by providing exclusive space.
Pros
- Reduces cyclist-vehicle conflicts
- Encourages cycling
- Discourages cycling on the sidewalks
Cons
- Curbside parking is prohibited
- May require additional maintenance
Centre Island Medians
Centre island medians are elevated medians constructed on the centreline of a two-way roadway to reduce the overall width of adjacent travel lanes.
Pros
- Can reduce vulnerable street user exposure to traffic by providing refuge between travel lanes at crossings
- Can provide space for street beautification
- If medians are wide enough, vulnerable street users can be elevated, at crossings, improving visibility for oncoming motorists
Cons
- May restrict access
- Cyclists can feel squeezed if no dedicated bike facility present
- May increase vehicle speeds if resulting lane widths remain wide and they are long enough to create a sustained sense of protection from oncoming traffic
Edge Lines
Edge lines are solid white lines that delineate the separation of traffic lanes and shoulders when the shoulder is to the right of the traffic lane in the direction of travel.
Pros
- May discourage speeding by visually narrowing down road width.
- May encourage appropriate parking behaviour
Cons
- Additional cost of line markings.
- Can be confused with bicycle lanes
Online Survey
The purpose of the online survey is to seek public feedback about the proposed conceptual plan. This will assist staff with developing the final functional design plan for the overall project.
We encourage interested members of the public to fill out the online survey below. It should only take about five to ten minutes of your time and will be available online until November 24, 2024.
Next Steps
After the conclusion of the online survey, the results will be summarized in a “Public Engagement Feedback report’ which will be posted to the project web page.
Based on the feedback received in the online survey, adjustments to the proposed plan (if necessary) will be incorporated into the final recommended traffic calming plan.
When study recommendations have been finalized and funding has been secured, the approved traffic calming plan will proceed to design and construction. The entire process from study initiation to final construction can take approximately 2.5 to 4 years to complete.
Contact information
Accessibility is an important consideration for the City of Ottawa. If you require special accommodation, or for any inquiries, please call or email the following City of Ottawa project contact:
Nick Agro
Project Manager – Neighbourhood Traffic Calming
City of Ottawa
613-580-2424, ext. 26836
Nick.Agro@ottawa.ca