06-01-2016, 10:28 PM
Claiming that a normal trip of 4-5min is now 20min longer is hyperbole. I'm sure that it feels like adding 20 minutes to the trip, but that does not seem plausible. Plus the current lane reductions/restrictions are temporary for construction and not relevant to the discussion, the only comparisons should be normal flows under the current conditions versus normal flows under any proposed scenarios.
The region does annual traffic signal timing reviews. Using GPS units in the field they repeated track vehicle movements along arterial roadways and to determine the location, types and extent of traffic delays at various times of day in different conditions. The data is analyzed and the timings are tweaked to try and reduce delay and improve operational efficiency. The report says, "Perfect synchronization for one direction of traffic on a street results in frequent stops and delays to the other direction. Staff tries to establish balanced traffic flow in each direction for the corridors as well as balancing major crossing arterials. If balance cannot be achieved, then staff favours the arterial and the direction with heavier traffic flow.” In November of 2010 one of the sections they focused on was Erb (Roslin to Margaret, ~2.6km, 8 intersections) and Bridgeport (Bluevale to Albert, ~2km, 8 intersections).
Before they optimize the Erb section took 4min 44sec to traverse and by the time they were done optimizing it was 3min 55sec or a 49 second (17.2%) improvement. If you don’t believe the region’s data then using Google/Bing maps it says it should take 5min in light traffic, 4min without traffic. For the Bridgeport section the before time was 4min 02sec and the after time was 3min 38sec for a 24sec (10.7%) savings. Again, supported by Google/Bing maps 4min in moderate traffic, 3min without traffic. Even now with extensive Ion detours Google suggests it would only take 6-9min in the morning rush, and 7-12min in the afternoon rush to go between Roslin to Margaret or Bluevale/Albert. 3-7min.
Any changes to the street form are going to be minimal for drivers.
As for the street types the region classes Erb and Bridgeport as “neighbourhood connectors.” “Neighbourhood Connectors are supposed to balance active transportation (bicycles and pedestrians), transit and vehicle movement, providing a higher level of priority (design and comfort) for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users. At the moment the streets are not living up to that function. Further, there are two classes of neighbourhood connectors, avenue and main street. Parts of both Erb and Bridgeport are part neighbourhood connector (avenue) and part neighbourhood connector(main street).
Bridgeport is a neighbourhood connector (avenue) from Lancaster to the Peppler pedestrian crossing, and neighbourhood connector (main street) from the Peppler pedestrian crossing to Albert (the neighbourhood connector continues as Caroline to Erb). Erb is a neighbourhood connector (avenue) from Lancaster to Devitt and a neighbourhood connector (main street) Devitt to Euclid.
What do those sub-street class designations mean?
Neighbourhood connector avenues are:
“…roads designed to support active transportation (including walking and cycling) and transit. These roads are good candidates for transit priority lanes. They can prioritize vehicular traffic, but need to support a mix of adjacent land uses that typically require individual access to and from the road.”
"Avenues have larger right-of-way’s than main streets and include many opportunities for re-urbanization. The designs for Community Connectors typically incorporate wide, landscaped centre medians.
“Avenues will serve an important future role in the Region. They represent roadways that can and should transition to transit supportive and pedestrian friendly streets.”
Typically they have an ideal width of 30m and have posted speed limits up to 50-60kph.
Neighbourhood connector main streets are:
“Main Streets are supportive of and prioritize active transportation and transit.”
“Main streets are located in existing built up areas characterized by buildings that address the street with small or no setbacks. Buildings, lot sizes and right-of-way widths are typically smaller that those found within Avenues.”
Typically they have an ideal width of 26m and posted speed limits up to 50kph.
All this to say the region is going to make these streets more complete at some point; the current status quo will be phased out at some point in the near future.
More background information at these links:
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/doingB...ile_sz.pdf
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/doingB...elines.pdf
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/doingB...rkbook.pdf
The region does annual traffic signal timing reviews. Using GPS units in the field they repeated track vehicle movements along arterial roadways and to determine the location, types and extent of traffic delays at various times of day in different conditions. The data is analyzed and the timings are tweaked to try and reduce delay and improve operational efficiency. The report says, "Perfect synchronization for one direction of traffic on a street results in frequent stops and delays to the other direction. Staff tries to establish balanced traffic flow in each direction for the corridors as well as balancing major crossing arterials. If balance cannot be achieved, then staff favours the arterial and the direction with heavier traffic flow.” In November of 2010 one of the sections they focused on was Erb (Roslin to Margaret, ~2.6km, 8 intersections) and Bridgeport (Bluevale to Albert, ~2km, 8 intersections).
Before they optimize the Erb section took 4min 44sec to traverse and by the time they were done optimizing it was 3min 55sec or a 49 second (17.2%) improvement. If you don’t believe the region’s data then using Google/Bing maps it says it should take 5min in light traffic, 4min without traffic. For the Bridgeport section the before time was 4min 02sec and the after time was 3min 38sec for a 24sec (10.7%) savings. Again, supported by Google/Bing maps 4min in moderate traffic, 3min without traffic. Even now with extensive Ion detours Google suggests it would only take 6-9min in the morning rush, and 7-12min in the afternoon rush to go between Roslin to Margaret or Bluevale/Albert. 3-7min.
Any changes to the street form are going to be minimal for drivers.
As for the street types the region classes Erb and Bridgeport as “neighbourhood connectors.” “Neighbourhood Connectors are supposed to balance active transportation (bicycles and pedestrians), transit and vehicle movement, providing a higher level of priority (design and comfort) for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users. At the moment the streets are not living up to that function. Further, there are two classes of neighbourhood connectors, avenue and main street. Parts of both Erb and Bridgeport are part neighbourhood connector (avenue) and part neighbourhood connector(main street).
Bridgeport is a neighbourhood connector (avenue) from Lancaster to the Peppler pedestrian crossing, and neighbourhood connector (main street) from the Peppler pedestrian crossing to Albert (the neighbourhood connector continues as Caroline to Erb). Erb is a neighbourhood connector (avenue) from Lancaster to Devitt and a neighbourhood connector (main street) Devitt to Euclid.
What do those sub-street class designations mean?
Neighbourhood connector avenues are:
“…roads designed to support active transportation (including walking and cycling) and transit. These roads are good candidates for transit priority lanes. They can prioritize vehicular traffic, but need to support a mix of adjacent land uses that typically require individual access to and from the road.”
"Avenues have larger right-of-way’s than main streets and include many opportunities for re-urbanization. The designs for Community Connectors typically incorporate wide, landscaped centre medians.
“Avenues will serve an important future role in the Region. They represent roadways that can and should transition to transit supportive and pedestrian friendly streets.”
Typically they have an ideal width of 30m and have posted speed limits up to 50-60kph.
Neighbourhood connector main streets are:
“Main Streets are supportive of and prioritize active transportation and transit.”
“Main streets are located in existing built up areas characterized by buildings that address the street with small or no setbacks. Buildings, lot sizes and right-of-way widths are typically smaller that those found within Avenues.”
Typically they have an ideal width of 26m and posted speed limits up to 50kph.
All this to say the region is going to make these streets more complete at some point; the current status quo will be phased out at some point in the near future.
More background information at these links:
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/doingB...ile_sz.pdf
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/doingB...elines.pdf
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/doingB...rkbook.pdf
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.