Here is the input I sent to planning:
Hello Mr. Ellerman,
I am writing to you in regards to the proposed Bridgeport Road/Caroline Street, Erb Street And Albert Street reconstruction. Though the plan has many highlights there are also significant shortcomings that keep the proposal from providing an equitable complete streets design in what is the most walkable area in our Region.
Firstly, the width of the proposed lanes falls outside the realm of best practices for safety of drivers, pedestrians and people on bikes. Multiple studies (City Lab: http://www.citylab.com/design/2014/10/wh...ow/381117/) have indicated that lanes wider than 3.25 m widths encourage speeding, which in turn increases the likelihood of accident and fatality in the case of pedestrian or cyclist impact. I understand the Regional standard calls for wider lanes but Uptown sees significantly higher pedestrian and cyclist traffic than most of the Region and should be held to a higher standard. Small changes in this respect can have a massive impact in saving lives (http://slowdownsavelives.com/information...on-on-50k/) and all efforts should be made to mandate narrower lane widths in this high active-use area to improve safety.
Another major way in which safety can be improved is by moving the curb along Erb Street, where the proposal calls for it to abut the sidewalk and bringing it against the travel lane. This has the potential to improve walkability along the street by provide a grass median along the north side of the street to enhance the perceived and actual safety along the road for pedestrians. If this were to happen, the lane markings could also be adjusted to provide a smaller buffer along the North of Erb and a buffer between the through lane and the sidewalk on the South side of Erb. Today, this road sees little pedestrian traffic on account of feeling highly hostile to those street users. A likely increase in foot traffic will arise as a result of the significant volume of residents that are starting to call the Barrel Yards home and making their way to the businesses along King Street. All efforts should therefore be made here to enhance the pedestrian experience and encourage active use.
Additionally, a crosswalk should be provided at Albert Street to facilitate a better pedestrian connection. A vision of 0 pedestrian deaths (CityLab: http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2016/01...ty/424149/) has been embraced by many municipalities around the world and should be a goal for our Region too. Personally, I have worked at the Marsland Centre for nearly a decade and know of co-workers who pick driving to businesses on the South side of Erb over walking because of the lack of a crossing here and others who are discouraged from patronizing the business they look out across the street because it would take too long to get there by walking to one of the crossings at King or Caroline. As stated above, this is a highly walkable area of our Region and should be held to a higher standard in that regard as a result.
The Albert street changes that have been proposed are great but could be improved by moving the parallel parking lane to the opposite side of the street. Without relocating the bike lane, the parked vehicles could serve as the Region's first protected bike lane (People for Bikes: http://www.peopleforbikes.org/green-lane...-lanes-101) by creating a safety buffer between moving traffic and the people on bikes. Many find it difficult to parallel in the traditional manner and will find it even harder to do so on the "wrong" side of the street.. This could also address the issue of eliminating the left turn off Albert and onto Caroline by maintaining the short crosswalk distance at the intersection and while allowing for safe left turns off Albert with the travel lane on the left of the road.
Though the the proposed EA for a trail on the North end of Erb Street is not completed in time for this project, a justification for suddenly widening Erb Street from a two lane road to a three lane road at this particular point must also be questioned. Vehicular left turns off the Bridgeport side of Caroline are minimal and likely to remain so. Vehicular right turns off Caroline onto Erb from the opposite direction are also going to remain limited given the ION related narrowing of the street. Traffic increases at this point will therefore be negligible. Without the need to widen Erb today it would be much easier to implement a bike trail along the North end of Erb street, should the EA indicate it is warranted. This would further enhance active use of the street by provide a measure of safety acceptable to those 8 to 80 years old (Canada Bikes pdf: https://bikehub.ca/sites/default/files/i...ission.pdf). As proposed though, sharrows are completely inappropriate (University of Colorado: http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/new-stud...afety.html) on all but very minor roads.
Though again outside of the scope of this project, a consideration must be made to how the Erb and Caroline streets intersection is handled. Anything that can be done to alter the design of this intersection should be considered and pursued because this intersection is a very important juncture for trail users in the city of Waterloo It serves as the crossing of the:
1. Laurel Trail from West Waterloo
2. Iron Horse Trail (via the on-road trail which will run from Allan Street to here)
3. New Spur Line Trail (via the Waterloo Square)
4. Approved cycle track along King Street North (via proposed Bridgeport trail)
5. The Laurel Trail to the East end of Waterloo
6. Potential Erb Street trail from Margaret street
It is for this reason, that the Erb/Caroline intersection is more than likely to become the busiest active transportation juncture in the Region over the coming years. Safety to all active users must therefore be benchmark setting and a bike box that forces trail users around right turning vehicles onto Caroline street, as proposed today is unsafe. A Dutch style junction along the north end of the intersection that connects to the trail on the South side of Caroline and the potential trail along Erb would significantly improve safety at this intersection and encourage use. There are many applied examples around the world of how to implement such an intersection with this video (YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlApbxLz6pA) serving as a great jumping off point.
I am excited to see attention is being given and changes are proposed to improve active use, safety and usability of this important area in the city of Waterloo and believe that with some of the above changes, this area of our Region can not only improve but become a hallmark of city planning that will be used as a benchmark throughout the Region and beyond.
Thank you for your consideration,
Hello Mr. Ellerman,
I am writing to you in regards to the proposed Bridgeport Road/Caroline Street, Erb Street And Albert Street reconstruction. Though the plan has many highlights there are also significant shortcomings that keep the proposal from providing an equitable complete streets design in what is the most walkable area in our Region.
Firstly, the width of the proposed lanes falls outside the realm of best practices for safety of drivers, pedestrians and people on bikes. Multiple studies (City Lab: http://www.citylab.com/design/2014/10/wh...ow/381117/) have indicated that lanes wider than 3.25 m widths encourage speeding, which in turn increases the likelihood of accident and fatality in the case of pedestrian or cyclist impact. I understand the Regional standard calls for wider lanes but Uptown sees significantly higher pedestrian and cyclist traffic than most of the Region and should be held to a higher standard. Small changes in this respect can have a massive impact in saving lives (http://slowdownsavelives.com/information...on-on-50k/) and all efforts should be made to mandate narrower lane widths in this high active-use area to improve safety.
Another major way in which safety can be improved is by moving the curb along Erb Street, where the proposal calls for it to abut the sidewalk and bringing it against the travel lane. This has the potential to improve walkability along the street by provide a grass median along the north side of the street to enhance the perceived and actual safety along the road for pedestrians. If this were to happen, the lane markings could also be adjusted to provide a smaller buffer along the North of Erb and a buffer between the through lane and the sidewalk on the South side of Erb. Today, this road sees little pedestrian traffic on account of feeling highly hostile to those street users. A likely increase in foot traffic will arise as a result of the significant volume of residents that are starting to call the Barrel Yards home and making their way to the businesses along King Street. All efforts should therefore be made here to enhance the pedestrian experience and encourage active use.
Additionally, a crosswalk should be provided at Albert Street to facilitate a better pedestrian connection. A vision of 0 pedestrian deaths (CityLab: http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2016/01...ty/424149/) has been embraced by many municipalities around the world and should be a goal for our Region too. Personally, I have worked at the Marsland Centre for nearly a decade and know of co-workers who pick driving to businesses on the South side of Erb over walking because of the lack of a crossing here and others who are discouraged from patronizing the business they look out across the street because it would take too long to get there by walking to one of the crossings at King or Caroline. As stated above, this is a highly walkable area of our Region and should be held to a higher standard in that regard as a result.
The Albert street changes that have been proposed are great but could be improved by moving the parallel parking lane to the opposite side of the street. Without relocating the bike lane, the parked vehicles could serve as the Region's first protected bike lane (People for Bikes: http://www.peopleforbikes.org/green-lane...-lanes-101) by creating a safety buffer between moving traffic and the people on bikes. Many find it difficult to parallel in the traditional manner and will find it even harder to do so on the "wrong" side of the street.. This could also address the issue of eliminating the left turn off Albert and onto Caroline by maintaining the short crosswalk distance at the intersection and while allowing for safe left turns off Albert with the travel lane on the left of the road.
Though the the proposed EA for a trail on the North end of Erb Street is not completed in time for this project, a justification for suddenly widening Erb Street from a two lane road to a three lane road at this particular point must also be questioned. Vehicular left turns off the Bridgeport side of Caroline are minimal and likely to remain so. Vehicular right turns off Caroline onto Erb from the opposite direction are also going to remain limited given the ION related narrowing of the street. Traffic increases at this point will therefore be negligible. Without the need to widen Erb today it would be much easier to implement a bike trail along the North end of Erb street, should the EA indicate it is warranted. This would further enhance active use of the street by provide a measure of safety acceptable to those 8 to 80 years old (Canada Bikes pdf: https://bikehub.ca/sites/default/files/i...ission.pdf). As proposed though, sharrows are completely inappropriate (University of Colorado: http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/new-stud...afety.html) on all but very minor roads.
Though again outside of the scope of this project, a consideration must be made to how the Erb and Caroline streets intersection is handled. Anything that can be done to alter the design of this intersection should be considered and pursued because this intersection is a very important juncture for trail users in the city of Waterloo It serves as the crossing of the:
1. Laurel Trail from West Waterloo
2. Iron Horse Trail (via the on-road trail which will run from Allan Street to here)
3. New Spur Line Trail (via the Waterloo Square)
4. Approved cycle track along King Street North (via proposed Bridgeport trail)
5. The Laurel Trail to the East end of Waterloo
6. Potential Erb Street trail from Margaret street
It is for this reason, that the Erb/Caroline intersection is more than likely to become the busiest active transportation juncture in the Region over the coming years. Safety to all active users must therefore be benchmark setting and a bike box that forces trail users around right turning vehicles onto Caroline street, as proposed today is unsafe. A Dutch style junction along the north end of the intersection that connects to the trail on the South side of Caroline and the potential trail along Erb would significantly improve safety at this intersection and encourage use. There are many applied examples around the world of how to implement such an intersection with this video (YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlApbxLz6pA) serving as a great jumping off point.
I am excited to see attention is being given and changes are proposed to improve active use, safety and usability of this important area in the city of Waterloo and believe that with some of the above changes, this area of our Region can not only improve but become a hallmark of city planning that will be used as a benchmark throughout the Region and beyond.
Thank you for your consideration,