In spite of a plea for traffic pattern changes in Cranberry, the status quo will likely be maintained.
In June of this year, City of Powell River Council’s committee of the whole received a request from Cranberry Ratepayers Association to reduce speed limits along the main corridors and to install a three-way stop sign at Cranberry Street and Marlatt Avenue to slow traffic past Lindsay Park. Tor Birtig, the city’s director of infrastructure, recommended to the committee of the whole at its Thursday, October 16, meeting, that the requests be denied.
Birtig said the city follows the Transportation Association of Canada’s Canadian Guide to Neighbourhood Traffic Calming to provide guidance in traffic issues.
“What we did with respect to these items is carry out some speed counts,” Birtig said. “In the neighbourhood of Magpie’s [Diner], we did two counts: one in November 2012 and one in June. In November, prior to Magpie’s opening, we found the majority of traffic averaging 52.2 kilometres per hour. Following the opening in June, we experienced a lot more traffic, but the speed was below that posted, at 49 kilometres per hour.
“On that item, we don’t believe it’s warranted to make any dramatic changes to the speed limit, although monitoring by the RCMP is always welcome.”
In monitoring Marlatt, what was discovered was that in the 30-kilometre per hour zones, during the day in the playground area at Lindsay Park, traffic moved beyond the posted speed limit, averaging 39 kilometres per hour.
“I think that is indicative that there is not a lot of use at that park, but when there is, I believe the traffic does slow down and even in the 50-kilometre per hour zone. In the evening hours, the 85 percentile was at 49 kilometres per hour,” Birtig said.
He added that accident reports were also reviewed and, at Marlatt and Cranberry, there were no accidents reported between 2009 and 2013.
“We don’t feel a stop sign is warranted to slow traffic down,” he said. “With respect to a 40-kilometre per hour speed limit in other areas of our city, what we would like to do is continue to monitor the successes or failures from what Vancouver and Victoria are experimenting with with specific zones to see how successful they are.”
Birtig said from what has been observed in the monitoring process, the majority of drivers are in compliance with posted speed limits.
“There’s always a few per cent that go ripping through these areas,” he said.
Councillor Jim Palm said he was disappointed that more could not be done for the ratepayers, but he understands the study has been completed and money is tight. He asked if there had been any communication to the ratepayers regarding the findings. Birtig said that there has not been communication as of yet. Mac Fraser, chief administrative officer, said a letter could be sent indicating there is no need for action but the situation will continue to be monitored.
When asked if the increased parallel parking beside Magpie’s might be one reason that the vehicle speed has dropped, Birtig agreed.
“It has narrowed down the roadway, it has provided more congestion,” he said. “That’s what traffic calming, in essence, does. It narrows down the roadway. You have to slow down to manoeuvre through that area.”
Councillor Myrna Leishman recommended extending the 30-kilometre per hour zone from DA Evans Park along Cranberry through to Manson Avenue. The current 30-kilometre per hour zone ends before the block in which Magpie’s is situated.
Birtig said it was his opinion that the park zone should not be extended.
“If we were to extend it artificially, it creates other problems,” he said. “You will have people who are ignoring it, or getting frustrated.”
Councillor Maggie Hathaway said she would bring the matter up at the next meeting with the RCMP and ask for more surveillance. She said what also slows people down is the sign that flashes the car’s speed back to the driver. She said she’d see if one could be put there for a while.
The matter will be referred to city council for final consideration.
