30 km speed limit recommended

[SteelTown]

30 km speed limit recommended
Apr 11, 2008

The North End may see Hamilton’s first attempt to foster a pedestrian and child-friendly neighbourhood. A draft transportation plan prepared by a city consultant is calling for 30 km speed limits on all but two streets and the creation of more than 50 traffic-calming structures.

The measures would be implemented in the neighbourhood bounded by the harbour, the CNR and Wellington Street. James North and parts of Burlington Street would have 50 km limits, but on-street parking would be added to slow traffic speeds. The plan also includes new cycling paths, conversion of one-way streets to two-way, and some street closures.

The plan has emerged from a lengthy process that included development of a contentious secondary plan for the neighbourhood as well as proposals to re-develop the Pier 8 area near the Parks Canada Discovery Centre.

Residents were concerned that their neighbourhood was becoming a thruway and a parking lot for harbourfront events, and vigorously fought against plans for ‘traffic mobility’ streets through the area. That battle is reflected in the draft traffic management plan prepared by the IBI consulting group.

“Largely through the efforts of the community representatives, it was realized that there is potential for the North End study to help the entire City achieve its goals for sustainability, and to become a case study for other communities,” explains the report. “It was also concluded that a traditional street by street approach to solving traffic issues was appropriate, and that the solutions would need to be community-wide and comprehensive.”

The proposed solutions include the addition of 37 permanent curb extensions and ‘chokers’ affecting almost all the North End’s streets, including four each on Bay, Hughson and John, and two on Burlington Street. On-street parking would extend the full length of James as well as between Ferguson and Wellington on Burlington Street.

While James, and Burlington east of James, will be excluded from the 30 km speed limit on all other streets, the curb extensions and street parking reflect the specific aim of discouraging drive-thru traffic. One of the stated objectives of the plan is to “divert through traffic as much as possible from the neighbourhood”.

A study using observed licence plates and Ministry of Transportation information confirmed resident arguments that much of the traffic in their neighbourhood comes from elsewhere.

“On Burlington Street west of James Street, approximately 90% of traffic was from vehicles registered outside of the study area – including approximately 50% registered in East Hamilton, Stoney Creek and Niagara/St. Catharines”, says the report. “Similar results were evident for Bay Street, where the amount of non-neighbourhood traffic was recorded at 70%.”

Under the proposal, through traffic would be directed “as much as is possible, to Wellington and Victoria Streets.” There is also a call for permanent transit service between downtown and the waterfront. The HSR currently provides a free summertime shuttle along James Street to Bayfront Park.

Other elements of the plan would convert MacNab to two-way traffic, add bike lanes on Ferguson, Guise and Bay, and enhance pedestrian safety with pavement markings at several intersections. New off-street bike trails would be added along the edge of Eastwood Park and parallel to the railway between Bay and Ferguson.

Estimated costs for the entire plan are $1.6 million. In addition to the physical limitations on streets, the report suggests the reduced speeds could be backed up with increased police enforcement and using photo radar on residential streets if the province changes its rules to allow that.

The reduction to 30 km per hour only became possible in January of last year when the provincial government made changes to the Highway Traffic Act to allow municipalities to set speeds lower than 40 km per hour.