Agenda - Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee - 20231025Town of Aurora
Active Transportation and
Traffic Safety Advisory Committee
Meeting Agenda
Date:Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Time:7 p.m.
Location:Holland Room, Aurora Town Hall
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To participate, please visit aurora.ca/participation.
Pages
1.Call to Order
2.Land Acknowledgement
3.Approval of the Agenda
4.Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
5.Receipt of the Minutes
5.1 Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee Meeting
Minutes of June 28, 2023
1
That the Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory
Committee meeting minutes of June 28, 2023, be received for
information.
1.
6.Delegations
7.Matters for Consideration
7.1 Memorandum from Traffic and Transportation Analyst; Re: Traffic
Calming Measures in School Zones Performance Evaluation
6
That the memorandum regarding Traffic Calming Measures in
School Zones Performance Evaluation be received; and
1.
That the Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory
Committee comments regarding Traffic Calming Measures in
School Zones Performance Evaluation be received and referred
2.
to staff for consideration and further action as appropriate.
8.Informational Items
9.New Business
10.Adjournment
Town of Aurora
Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes
Date:
Time:
Location:
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
7:00 p.m.
Holland Room, Aurora Town Hall
Committee Members: Councillor John Gallo (Chair)
Steve Fleck
Owen Heritage (Vice Chair)
Lil Kim
Gino Martino
Klaus Wehrenberg
Members Absent: Giovanni Turla
Other Attendees: Michael Bat, Traffic and Transportation Analyst, Engineering
Services
Palak Mehta, Council/Committee Coordinator
_____________________________________________________________________
1. Call to Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
The Committee consented to extend the hour past 9:00 p.m. for 30 minutes.
2. Land Acknowledgement
The Committee acknowledged that the meeting took place on Anishinaabe lands,
the traditional and treaty territory of the Chippewas of Georgina Island,
recognizing the many other Nations whose presence here continues to this day,
the special relationship the Chippewas have with the lands and waters of this
territory, and that Aurora has shared responsibility for the stewardship of these
lands and waters. It was noted that Aurora is part of the treaty lands of the
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Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 2
Mississaugas and Chippewas, recognized through Treaty #13 and the Williams
Treaties of 1923.
3. Approval of the Agenda
Moved by Lil Kim
Seconded by Owen Heritage
That the agenda as circulated by Legislative Services be approved.
Carried
4. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.50.
5. Receipt of the Minutes
5.1 Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee Meeting
Minutes of April 26, 2023
Moved by Owen Heritage
Seconded by Steve Fleck
1. That the Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes of April 26, 2023 be received for information.
Carried
6. Delegations
None.
7. Matters for Consideration
The Committee consented to consider items in the following order: 7.2, and 7.1.
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Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 3
7.1 Memorandum from Traffic and Transportation Analyst; Re: Centre Street
Speed Limit Amendment
Staff provided an overview of the memorandum noting that Metrolinx will
be installing a second track for the Barrie Line GO Expansion project. A 50-
meter section of Centre Street will need to be reprofiled. The proposed
reprofiling will result in a required speed reduction from the existing speed
limit of 40 kilometers per hour to 30 kilometers per hour on the impacted
section of Centre Street.
The Committee supported reducing the speed limit on Centre Street as a
requirement of the infrastructure project and discussed the need to
express the significance of level-crossings to Metrolinx, as well as the
need for cycling infrastructure along Industrial Parkway to improve access
to the GO Station and asking Metrolinx to improve sidewalks.
Moved by Owen Heritage
Seconded by Klaus Wehrenberg
1. That the memorandum regarding Centre Street Speed Limit
Amendment be received; and
2. That the Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee
comments regarding Centre Street Speed Limit Amendment be
received and referred to staff for consideration and further action as
appropriate.
Carried
7.2 Memorandum from Traffic and Transportation Analyst; Re: Complete
Streets and Bikeway Planning and Design Presentation
Shawn Smith, Senior Project Manager, and Sandy Yang, Project Planner,
WSP provided an overview of the cycling facility design and operation. The
overview included an introduction to Ontario Traffic Manual (OTM) Book
18 and update, design users, cycling facilities, and facility selection.
Dave McLaughlin, Project Director, and Sandy Yang, WSP presented a
progress update on the draft Active Transportation Master Plan ("Master
Plan") including: network development process, route selection criteria,
facility selection tool, informing the facility type, proposed cycling network
with facility types, proposed pedestrian network with facility types, and
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Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 4
next steps. It was also noted that a pilot project (road diet) previously
deferred by Council, regarding a three-lane cross-section and buffer bike
lanes on each side on a downtown section of Yonge Street to increase
economic development in the downtown core, would be revisited.
The Committee and presenters discussed the need for separate cycling
infrastructure and sidewalks along the St. John's Sideroad corridor, and
the opportunity for York Region to consider the proposals in the Master
Plan to at the time of future road rehabilitation.
The Committee and presenters identified and discussed the significance
of level crossings along the rail corridor, grade separations, and funding.
The Committee expressed their support for crossings in the draft Master
Plan in alignment with the Trails Master Plan before it is shared with
Metrolinx. They also discussed opportunities to provide input and increase
active transportation in the community, pedestrian and cycling
infrastructure, traffic safety, and connectivity.
Moved by Lil Kim
Seconded by Gino Martino
1. That the memorandum regarding Complete Streets and Bikeway
Planning and Design Presentation be received; and
2. That the Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee
comments regarding Complete Streets and Bikeway Planning and
Design Presentation be received and referred to staff for consideration
and further action as appropriate.
Carried
8. Informational Items
None.
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Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 5
9. New Business
The Committee discussed speeding concerns expressed by a resident on the
intersection of Henderson Road, Tamarac Trail, and Lee Gate. Staff added there
were also traffic safety concerns expressed by a resident with respect to the
utilization of a pedestrian crossing after the installation of a new intersection
pedestrian signal (IPS).
The Committee further discussed traffic calming measures and the provision of
a comprehensive review and update of traffic calming policy.
The Committee discussed adding a crosswalk at the St. John's Sideroad and
Woodlands Hill Boulevard intersection facing Cliff Trail and funding options.
10. Adjournment
Moved by Owen Heritage
Seconded by Steve Fleck
That the meeting be adjourned at 9:31 p.m.
Carried
Page 5 of 8
100 John West Way
Aurora, Ontario
L4G 6J1
(905) 727-3123
aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Memorandum
Planning and Development Services
Re: Traffic Calming Measures in School Zones Performance Evaluation
To: Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee
From: Michael Bat, Traffic and Transportation Analyst
Date: October 25, 2023
Recommendation
1. That the memorandum regarding Traffic Calming Measures in School Zones
Performance Evaluation be received; and
2. That the Active Transportation and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee comments
regarding Traffic Calming Measures in School Zones Performance Evaluation be
received and referred to staff for consideration and further action as appropriate.
Background
At its meeting on July 23, 2019, Council provided staff direction to implement a Flexible
In-Street Sign Pilot Program at the following locations:
Bridgenorth Drive for the Northern Lights Public School and St. Jerome Catholic
Elementary School;
McClellan Way for the Highview Public School and Light of Christ Catholic
Elementary School; and,
Devins Drive for the Devins Drive Public School
As part of the program, staff installed flexible in-street signs at each identified location.
The key feature of flexible in-street signs is to reduce vehicle travel speed by creating a
“narrowing effect” on the lane and roadway using physical barriers. The flexible signs
are durable and are designed to resist impact from vehicles if hit. If the sign is struck by
a vehicle, it will collapse and rebound back to its initial position.
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Traffic Calming Measures in School Zones Performance Evaluation
October 25, 2023 Page 2 of 3
These signs are removed typically in November to facilitate winter maintenance
activities and reinstated in the spring.
Analysis
Traffic data was collected by using traffic counters which consist of tubes in the road
that collect information when a vehicle drives over it, for a period of seven days. It
captures data both before and after the installation of the flexible signs to measure the
effectiveness of the signs in speed reduction. The findings are summarized in Table 1.
Table 1: Flexible In-Street Sign Pilot Program Evaluation
School Sites Flexible Sign
Locations
Recorded Vehicular Speed
(85th Percentile)
Without
Flexible Signs
With Flexible
Signs
1. Northern Lights Public School
2. St. Jerome Catholic
Elementary School
Bridgenorth
Drive 49 km/h
44 km/h
(Reduced by
5 km/h or
approximately
10%)
1. Highview Public School
2. Light of Christ Catholic
Elementary School
McClellan Way 54 km/h
48 km/h
(Reduced by
6 km/h or
approximately
11%)
1. Devins Drive Public School Devins Drive 45 km/h
42 km/h
(Reduced by
3 km/h or
approximately
7%)
As summarized above, the program has been effective at reducing the 85th percentile
speeds by 3 to 6 km/h. The program has also improved driver compliance and has been
positively received by the school communities and residents.
Since its inception, the Flexible In-Street Sign Pilot Program has generally been
positively received by the residents. However, some concerns received during the pilot
include:
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Traffic Calming Measures in School Zones Performance Evaluation
October 25, 2023 Page 3 of 3
The flexible signs being located too close to individual residential driveways
resulting in accessibility concerns; and,
Insufficient communication to residents when installing the flexible signs
To address the above noted concerns, staff recommend that flexible signs be included
in the Traffic Calming Policy to ensure consideration for any future installation follow
the warrant criteria outlined in the policy.
Warrant No. 1
(Petition):
To ensure that residents in the immediate area are in support of
traffic calming measures. The minimum threshold is 70 per cent of
households on the street.
Warrant No. 2
(Safety
Requirements):
To ensure traffic calming measures are installed to improve traffic
safety. A continuous sidewalk must be on at least one side of the
street.
Warrant No. 3
(Technical
Requirements):
To ensure that traffic calming measures are implemented on
streets that have a proven need for such measures. The 85th
percentile speed over a seven-day period must be a minimum of 15
km/h over the posted speed limit, and the minimum traffic volume
is 1,500 vehicles per day.
In addition, the following minimum clearance distances are recommended for the
installation of the flexible signs once the Warrants have been met:
A minimum distance of 10 metres from residential driveways; and,
A minimum distance of 25 metres from intersections.
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