Last night Councillor Dudas hosted a Bradley Estates Traffic and Safety Community meeting to a packed room.
In short, presentations were given by the following individuals (not necessarily in this order):
- City of Ottawa Traffic Services Engineer Mike Giampa - City of Ottawa Traffic Specialist Riley Carter - City of Ottawa Safer Roads Ottawa Coordinator Rob Wilkinson - Ottawa Police Services Community Constable Marc Leroux - Ottawa Police Services Sgt Craig Roberts
*We will post the slide deck once it is made available and any updates and minutes taken by the Councillor's staff.
To summarize the Renaud Road School Zone Traffic Calming project:
The engineer presented an updated map from the previous plan we were presented in April, with an additional speed table at Pin Cherry. We are now up to 3 (down from 5, but up from 2). The GOOD news is that whatever is installed, it will be before start of school 2019.
However, this continues to be an ineffective location as it is far from the school pedestrian crossing, and there is only one measure on the westbound/AM traffic side which is the problematic side. The other two speed tables continue to be located between Penency and Glenlivet, west of the pedestrian crossing towards Navan Road.
Again, ineffective for the main purpose this solution was supposed to address.
We reminded City staff last night that Renaud Road past Compass will not be urbanized this summer (i.e. two more lifts of asphalt and curbs, etc.. are still pending), therefore that speed table could not be installed before start of school 2019.
Furthermore, they are now "tables" and not "humps". Tables are significantly LESS aggressive than humps (for example, drive down Viseneau for tables, and Barrington or Frank Bender, or Page, for humps, to see the difference). This is to appease OC Transpo and also to ensure emergency services are not delayed. We had insisted that if tables were to be installed that there should be the original 5, but alas....
I followed up with Mr. Giampa, Mr. Carter, and Councillor Dudas following the meeting with the following email:
"1. The obvious one, I'll repeat again that the speed cushions (be it humps, tables, walls) must be installed on either side of the PXO, or focussed for westbound traffic.
2. Speed cushions with the gaps for larger vehicles had been recommended for Renaud Road (west of Navan). Can they not be considered for the school zone? They could still be aggressive, and they would allow for OC Transpo and Emergeny Services."
Councillor Dudas responded this morning that Mr. Giampa should work directly with BECA to identify the most effective locations for the speed tables so that this process is not delayed any further, and the developers can get started on the work.
We also understand that due to time constraints, the updates on traffic calming measures on the west side of Navan Road (i.e. Spring Valley and Bradley Estates) could not be given. Again, we'll share any information from the Councillor's office.
We look forward to provided you all with an update, and hopefully the one that best meets the requirements of the problem that we've all been so concerned about for years!
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