Opus International Memo - Christie Point Traffic Review
Technical memorandum reviewing transportation impacts, parking requirements, and road signalization for the development.
recommend the Town obtain the Ministry of Transportation modelling data and review this data in conjunction with the TIA results published for this development.
The Bunt TIA report showed modelling results for mitigated solutions caused by the development with existing traffic while ignoring any future background traffic increases or decreases. The results of the future background traffic changes with the development should also be included in the traffic modelling analysis for the mitigated solutions.
On-site parking rates should be representative of the number of bedrooms per unit. It is recommended to provide different parking rates for different size units within the development. We are recommending the following:
- 1.3 stalls per 1 or 2 bedroom units
- 1.5 stalls per 3 bedroom units
- 0.15 stalls per unit for visitor parking
Signalization at Island Highway with Shoreline Drive for pedestrian accessibility and for southbound to eastbound left turn movements will improve delay for exiting vehicles and provide another location for pedestrian mobility. However, the vehicle spillback to Island Highway/Craigflower Road at Admirals Road would require micro-simulation modelling to understand the impact. Signal timing will require coordination to ensure green time is not lost at Island Highway/Craigflower Road/Admirals Road intersection due to spillback. A recommendation on how it would be coordinated and the effect of spillback should be considered in the report.
Additionally, due to the alignment of Island Highway, if signals are installed at Island Highway/Shoreline Drive, advanced warning of the signal (and potential queue) should be provided for eastbound motorists and this will also provide increased safety for pedestrians.
As recommended in the Bunt report (2007 and current TIA report), a westbound merge lane from Shoreline Road along Island Highway should be constructed if this development proceeds. We recommend the length of this merge lane to be more in line with the 2007 Transportation Master Plan rather than what is shown in the recent Bunt Christie Point TIA report. We recommended a 180 metre lane and 85 metre taper.
The improvement of trails are also important in promoting sustainable transportation options and studies have shown that they increase cycling usage. A commitment of improving the trail from Shoreline Drive at the school to Island Highway should also be undertaken for pedestrians and cyclists if this development proceeds.
During non-congested times, speeding can be an issue along Island Highway. Consideration of electronic speed boards that indicates the drivers’ speeds should be considered.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Christine Benedek at 250-868-4925 ext. 214.
Regards
Christine Benedek Senior Transportation Engineer
Reviewed by:
Jesse Arsenault Transportation Engineer
Appendix A
Site Visit Observations
Island Highway and Admirals Road Intersection notes:
7:05 AM
- South bound traffic on Admirals Road is stop and go from Colville Road to Thomas Road.
- Northbound traffic on Admirals Road is free flowing.
7:10 AM,
- Island Highway and Admirals Road Intersection, no delays in any direction.
- There is steady traffic heading east as we drive west on Island Highway.
- Stop and go traffic heading east on Island Highway starts at Helmcken Road and continues towards Colwood, approximately 3 km
7:24-7:39 AM,
- Driving east on Island Highway from Wilfert Road through Island Highway and Admirals Road Intersection takes 15 minutes
- Traffic is stop and go to Helmcken Road and flows freely after Helmcken all the way to Tillicum Road
- East bound bus stops: 0 waiting at view Royal Fire Department, 6 at Stewart, 6 at Plowright
7:47- 8:22 AM,
- Island Highway and Admirals Road Intersection is steady and free flowing in all directions
- Maximum queue length is 10 vehicles in each lane
- Talked to crossing guard from the school, She mentioned that traffic is much worse in the afternoon from 2-5PM
8:30 AM,
- Walked up to Shoreline Drive, there were no queues.
- It is noted that there is no left turn signal from Shoreline onto Island Highway, so there could be a potential queue leaving the school.
8:40 AM,
- Stop and go traffic heading east on Island Highway starts at Helmcken Road and continues to Highway One junction, approximately 1 km
9:30-AM,
- Driving east on Island Highway from Wilfert Road through Island Highway and Admirals Road Intersection takes 5.5 minutes
- Traffic is free flowing in all directions
11:45 -12:45
- Island Highway and Admirals Road Intersection, no delays in any direction.
- Queue length of less than 10 cars more all movements
- N and S bound have more traffic than E and W bound
- Very limited traffic on Shoreline Drive (12:30-12:40 no vehicles turned left onto Island Highway)
2:18PM
- Similar to noon – traffic volumes increased slightly, no delays
2:25 PM
- Northbound turning left onto Island Highway, queues are getting longer – 10 in each left turn lane
2:39 PM
- Northbound turning left onto Island Highway, queues are getting longer – Not all the cars are getting through on the green left turn signal
- South bound – Right turn on island highway is starting to queue – 8 cars in queue
- West bound traffic steady, but not backing up at intersection
- Eastbound traffic is not delayed
2:50-3:03 PM
- Northbound turning left onto Island Highway, queues are getting longer – Not all the cars are getting through on the green left turn signal
- Southbound – Right turn on island highway queue has not increased
- Walked to observe Shoreline Drive as school gets out. The traffic heading west on Island Highway is so constant and is merging into one lane that the only way cars can turn right or left off Shoreline Drive onto Island Highway is if west bound traffic stops to let them in. This seems to be dangerous as it is uncoordinated and children are walking home from school. This happens regularly when school gets out and backs traffic up to Island Highway and Admirals Road Intersection so that sometimes cars do not have room to go through the intersection on a green light.
3:05 PM
- Island Highway and Admirals Road Intersection, queue increasing for west bound traffic to get through intersection, backed up approximately 200m
- Northbound turning left onto Island Highway, queues are now out of sight from intersection
3:10 PM
- Drove to observe Northbound queue, traffic is back up to Isbister Street. (approx. 1600m)
- Cars were queued up on Maplebank Road and Thomas Road to turn left onto Admirals Road
3:20-3:24 PM
- West bound Traffic is backed up to Cooper (approx. 600m). It takes 4 minutes to get through intersection from Cooper.
3:25 PM
- Northbound traffic still backed up to Isbister Street
3:31 PM – 3:53PM
- North bound traffic is backed up to Coles. We enter queue and it takes 22 minutes to make it through Island Highway and Admirals Road Intersection
3:55 PM
- Westbound traffic is now backed up to Tillicum Road (approx. 2000m)
4:00-4:05 PM
- South bound traffic is backing up to cross walk just past bridge, waiting to turn right onto Island Highway(approx. 250m)
- Observing a car it, took 5 minutes to make to make right turn from back of queue
4:35 PM
- NB traffic backed to Colville
4:40 PM
- Enter WB Queue at starting at Tillicum Road
- It takes 15.5 minutes to make it through intersection
4:55 PM
- SB Traffic turning right onto Island highway, now backed up to Gorge Road
5:30 PM
- Queues are back to normal
Appendix B
Signal Warrant Sensitivity Analysis
Document Images
(1)