Traffic-calming measures not working in West Kelowna
Some people driving faster through neighbourhoods than before measures were put in place, council to hear
Traffic-calming measures tried in several West Kelowna neighbourhoods have had little effect in slowing vehicle speed, city council will hear Tuesday.
In a few cases, people were actually driving faster through traffic-calmed neighbourhoods a year after the measures had been installed.
As a result of the review, municipal staff recommend council take a go-slow approach to deploying more traffic-calming measures.
“Post-installation traffic data at Vineyard Drive, Gregory Road and Mission Road indicate that traffic calming measures such as speed reader boards, median installation, and additional signage had little impact on the overall behaviour of drivers,” reads part of a staff report to council.
Speeds may dip initially after traffic calming measures — such as the installation of medians, speed bumps, enhanced pavement markings, and deployment of signs that flash vehicle speeds — are implemented.
“And then, as drivers become accustomed to the markings, speeds return close to the original rates,” the staff report states.
For example, a year after traffic calming was tried on Elliott Road, vehicles were still travelling at 68 km/h, the same rate as before. The speed limit on the road is 50 km/h.
On MIssion Hill Road, speeds actually increased after traffic calming measures were implemented, from 58 to 63 km/h.
But traffic calming measures, which included two roundabouts, were more successful in the Glenrosa neighbourhood, which has some of West Kelowna’s speediest drivers.
Vehicle speeds on Webber Road have been cut from an average of 66 km/h to 33 km/h, considerably below the posted limit of 50 km/h.
The reduction in speeds, however, have come at the cost of increased driver frustration.
“Public reaction to the road geometry changes on Webber Road (median and traffic circles) has been negative, but travelled speeds have been reduced significantly,” the staff report says.
“This neighbourhood is a good example of the challenges in traffic calming. Residents living on streets with high volumes and speeds prefer to have lower operating speeds and drivers prefer to exceed posted speeds, making it challenging to find a balance between the two.”