Through the summer the Traffic Safety Committee has been working with Bunt & Associates (transportation consultant for the apartment developer) to design traffic calming measures for 95 Avenue.

The basic reason for implementing traffic calming on the avenue is that it is much wider than a 2-lane residential collector needs to be. The fact that it is nearly as wide as the adjoining 4-lane arterial roads (Connors Road and 85 St) means that when cars are not parked against the curb, aggressive drivers use it as a 4-lane roadway. This type of behaviour poses a significant safety problem, particularly at crosswalks near the school and Montgomery Legion.

The design parameters for the project are:

It is difficult to incorporate all of these parameters as some of them conflict but a solution which satisfies most requirements was shown at the October 4 open house and is documented here. Simple curb extensions are to be constructed to block off the curb lane from use as a travel lane. These extensions will reduce pedestrian exposure to traffic and formally delineate parking areas. Visibility is important, so no bollards, columns or excess signage is proposed to be placed on the extensions. The curb extensions will be very similar to 91 St near Faculté Saint-Jean without the visual distractions.

Accommodating bicycle traffic was a troublesome requirement. A cross section incorporating a formal bike lane could have been implemented by reducing the driving and parking lanes to minimum dimensions but this compromise created conflicts with opening doors of parked cars, and with right turning traffic at each intersection. Instead, a wider travel lane was specified to allow bicycles on the right side with a generous buffer between traffic and parked cars.

An aspect of the apartment redevelopment project that is working in the Community's favour is that the developer will be paying for a large portion of cost of rehabilitating 95 Avenue. This is because underground utilities to the site must be upgraded, including separate storm and sanitary sewage lines. Once a new DC2 agreement has been reached, underground upgrades will be one of the first things to be done. A conflict exists between repaving of 95 Avenue and using it for construction site access for the next 5-7 years. An acceptable riding surface will have to be established, but final paving may be delayed until the apartment redevelopment is completed.

The majority of 95 Avenue will have the same 2-lane cross section with parking on both sides, however, at both the Connors Road and 85 St intersections the cross section will change to a 4-lane cross section without parking. This is done to funnel turning traffic, including buses, into and out of the 2-lane section with minimal conflicts. A dedicated right turn (east to southbound) lane is proposed at 85th street leaving a straight/left (east to northbound) lane. This will discourage aggressive queue jumping during the morning rush.

An opportunity exists to create a "pocket park" at the SW corner of 91 St, in front of the art gallery. The sidewalk at this corner is set back quite a bit from the road right of way because of the angle parking in front of the shops. A small park is proposed at this location to improve street aesthetics, make a connection to the new greenspace elsewhere in the neighbourhood and provide a site for casual socializing amongst community members.

Repaving of 95 Avenue was proposed for 2006, but, by resolution of the City Traffic and Public Works Committee, the schedule is now tied to the developer's DC2 submission to city council. This means that council will be evaluating rehabilitation of the Avenue at the same time as the DC2 submission, but the Avenue will be done whether or not the DC2 is approved. It has to; the pavement is cascading into failure.

~Marcel

LINKS

Community Garden Network

Communities in Bloom

Earth 911

Edmonton Bicycle Commuter's Society

Edmonton Transit System (ETS)

Electronic Recycling Association

Freecycle Network - Edmonton Group

Traffic Calming...for Communities

Walkable Communities, Inc.