Six roads on list for safety upgrades; 4 in Ward 2

To Development & Infrastructure Committee March 2

Four roads in Ward 2 are on the list of the Top Six locations for road safety reviews this year:

1. Brant Street at Prospect Street
2. Fairview Street between Maple Avenue and QEW West Ramp (to Niagara)
3. James Street at John Street
4. Brant Street at Ghent Avenue

Rounding out the Top Six is Walkers Line between Jordan Avenue and Upper Middle Road, and Harvester Road between Appleby Line and South Service Road (East of Appleby Line)

In order to improve safety at Brant at Prospect, and Brant at Ghent, the following steps will be taken this summer:

1. Optimize traffic signal timings between Prospect St and Ghent Ave
2. Request increased police enforcement due to vehicles running red lights.
3. Increase signal awareness through increased signal head size, sun blinders and refelctive tape on signal backboard.

In order to improve safety at James at John, this Spring staff will restrict through movements on John Street during peak hours, buses excepted. Long term, staff are recommending bumps out on both south east and south west corners of John Street to increase the sightlines for both pedestrians and vehicles crossing. (Built into Capital Budget)

In order to improve safety at Fairview Street between Maple Avenue and QEW West Ramp (to Niagara), the following steps will be taken in Spring 2015:

1. Paint pedestrian crosswalk lines across the access to Mapleview Mall on Plains Rd/Fairviews St.
2. Optimize signal timings at both Maple Ave @ Fairview St and Fairview St @ QEW Ramp to increase westbound capacity in the PM peak.

Overall collisions on city and regional roads in Burlington have been steadily declining, from 2,460 in 2009 to 1,186 in 2013. There were 23 motor vehicle collisions involving pedestrians in 2013; the annual average is 30 per year, fluctuating between 21 and 46 accidents annually over the last five years. There were 21 motor vehicle collisions involving cyclists in 2013; the annual average is 28 per year, fluctuating between 21 and 38 accidents annually over the last five years. There were 25 motor vehicle collisions involving alcohol-impaired drivers in 2013; the annual average is 25 per year, fluctuating between 18 and 31 accidents annually over the last five years.

Each year, staff report on collisions and road safety measures. This year’s report will be considered by the Development & Infrastructure Committee March 2, and Council March 23, 1pm, City Hall. You can read the report on the D&I agenda, Item 6.  To register as a delegation to speak to the item, visit: Register as a delegation