Glebe Traffic Plan
From
1972 to 2002 - A generation of benefit
posted December 2004
After five long years of community consensus-building and two years of staff analysis, staff's go-forward recommendations out of the GCA/DLRA 2002 Glebe Traffic Plan were approved by Council on November 10th. This basket of improvements will be rolled out as budget permits and as street reconstruction opportunities present themselves (for example on upcoming projects like Fifth/Craig/Lyon; Bank Street Canal to Queensway (slated in two years); 2nd phase of Patterson, Strathcona, and Metcalfe; Allan/ Cobalt/Strathcona; Holmwood; and Ella/Morris.)
Although we didn't get all the measures the 2002 Glebe Traffic Plan proposed, the basket of measures we did end up with amounts to substantial improvements to our streets that will improve neighborhood quality of life over a generation, just as the original 1972 Glebe Traffic Plan did in its time. Some of the highlights are:
-elimination on the Bronson Bridge, of the third northbound turn lane that is dedicated to turning onto Findlay. This measure will be a disincentive to turning onto Findlay leading to decrease traffic as well on Broadway and Torrington. The third lane on the Bronson Bridge will be converted to separate bus-only/cycle lanes;
- another disincentive to turning onto Findlay will be the removal of the channelization island on Bronson at Findlay. This measure will also slow car turning speed and reduce the pedestrian crossing distance;
-off-peak parking on Bronson between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. City staff are considering extending these hours and weekend on-street parking. This measure should slow down speed on Bronson when traffic is lighter.
-a series of measures on Bank St- the guarantee of street trees and landscaping for the reconstruction of Bank St. between the Canal and the Queensway; the removal of the third northbound lane on Bank Street in front of Lansdowne Park by curb extensions; the elimination of the island and right-turn channel from Chamberlain Avenue to Bank St, increasing pedestrian safety. The bus shelter will be moved slightly west of intersection.
-to protect pedestrians and schoolchildren attending First Avenue School, widening of sidewalks on O'Connor over the Patterson Creek Bridge;
- to protect pedestrians and students attending Glebe Collegiate, widening of the sidewalk on the south side of Glebe between Bronson and Percy;
-speed humps, to be installed on Holmwood east of Bank; O'Connor between Holmwood and Fifth; and Lakeside that will reduce speeding and cut through traffic.
-mid-block narrowings on Powell and Muriel; mid-block curb extensions on Glebe reducing speeding and cut through traffic;
- a series of curb extensions on O’Connor and Holmwood that will reduce speed and improve pedestrians safety
-staggering existing parking to create a low-cost chicane effect on Broadway, Findlay, Holmwood, Glebe, Muriel, Lakeside, Madawaska reducing speeding and cut through traffic
-restriction of morning peak period north-bound left turns from Bronson to Madawaska and Kippewa and prohibition at all times of north-bound left turns from Bronson to Old Sunset reducing speeding and cut through traffic ;
Some of the low cost changes will be immediate such as off-peak parking on Bronson between 11 p.m. and 7 p.m. and zebra stripes at intersections such as Bronson and Powell, Bronson and Carling, Bronson and Fifth. Others will take time depending on budget available e.g. two streets every year for the 40 kilometre speed limit and on city reconstructions plans. And there are measures in the plan that has already begun - most notably the 40 km/h speed limit throughout the Glebe which is getting rolled-out two streets at a time.
It’s important to remember that additional opportunities for traffic calming measures will be considered by City staff as streets in the Glebe are slated for reconstructions. The quality of the street reconstruction will also depend on the community getting involved in the re-design plans and insisting on quality changes – not the minimum. For example, a street rebuild with the same design and inadequacies or adding corner bulb-outs protecting pedestrian at intersections and slowing traffic or when large enough, bulb-outs with trees planted in to beautify the street as well. This debate will occur when every street is reconstructed because the tendency of the city is always to choose the cheapest possible alternative, the cheapest lighting, fewest trees possible, smallest, etc. So get involved when you see your street is up for repair or reconstruction.
The one outstanding issue is also one of the Glebe Traffic Plan's central planks - the 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. right-turn prohibition on Bronson from Findlay to Renfrew. This recommendation was supported by staff but has been required by Council to undergo wider consultation with our neighbours to the south, a process which will be undertaken in the coming weeks.
We remain confident that this delay in approval is just that - a delay - and that the majority of Council will recognize that it is a reasonable solution for the local street loop of Findlay, Broadway, and Torrington handling 600+ cars per hour every morning. Council has said clearly on the issue of Albion Road, where a 24-hour closure was approved by Council, that community safety outweighs commuter convenience. This should hold true here especially since we’re only asking for a two-hour prohibition, not a complete 24-hour ban.
It’s impossible to name them all but we would like to thank the hundreds of residents who came out to help us count traffic, participate in walkabouts with traffic consultants and city officials, attend meetings and discuss the many alternatives proposed. As well, over the last seven years, about 30 residents have been active members of the Traffic Committee and we are thankful for their hard work and dedication. A special thanks to Brad Christakos, Pat Steenberg, Brian Carroll, Cam Robertson, Wayne Burgess, Bhat Boy, Sheila Purdy, and of course, Eileen Scotton.
Here's to another generation of safer streets for our community.
Clive Doucet, City
Councillor
Guy Giguère,
Chair, Glebe Traffic Committee
June Creelman,
President, Glebe Community Association