Executive Summary
The MSSTF Executive Summary will be
written following initial endorsement of the draft document by the
Transportation Committee and Council.
1.1 Problem Statement
Drivers who do not comply with the Highway
Traffic Act impede road safety. This has
become a major problem on Markham’s local roads as drivers
speed through residential neighbourhoods, ignore stop
signs and fail to yield right of way to other drivers, cyclists and
pedestrians.
Town roads, which are generally found in
residential neighbourhoods and employment districts,
are the subject of this report. Town roads
are defined as all roads that fall under the jurisdiction of the Town of Markham. Town roads do not include arterial roads,
such as Warden Avenue, Kennedy Road, Yonge Street or Highway 7,
which fall under the jurisdiction of the Region of York, or provincial highways
such as Highway 404 and Highway 407.
1.1.1
Public Concerns
about Speeding on Local Roads
The Town of Markham has been
receiving numerous complaints from residents about speeding for several
years.
A number of studies conducted on local
roads show that the majority of people who speed within neighbourhoods
are residents of those same neighbourhoods. Furthermore, the studies have shown that all
age groups are equally responsible for the problem. It is not just young drivers who are
traveling too fast on our roads.
Seniors, parents delivering their children to school or sport
activities, and all other age groups who drive on our roadways are speeding.
The statistics speak for themselves. Less than 10% of drivers obey the speed limit
on Markham’s local neighbourhood streets.
In areas with posted speed limits of 40 km/hour:
§
60% of drivers travel at speeds in excess of 50 km/hour
§
34% of drivers travel faster than 55 km/hour
§
7% of drivers are traveling faster than 60 km/hour.
Figure 1.0
Drivers Exceeding Posted Speed Limit of 40 km/hour on
Local Roads
According to police statistics, speeding and
driver error are the primary causes of collisions. In today’s fast-paced society, many drivers
appear to more focused on where they are going than on
how they are getting there. Whether they
are traveling to work or running errands, too many drivers are speeding through
the residential neighbourhoods where they live.
In 2001, the Environics
survey, which subsequently became the basis of the Engage 21st
Century Markham initiative, was
completed. The majority of residents
surveyed indicated that they want Markham to have the
following characteristics:
§
Small town atmosphere
§
A focus on the quality of day-to-day life for residents and
their families
§
Citizen participation in municipal decision-making
Furthermore, 67% of residents indicated
that, “It is not for individuals to decide what is right or wrong. We all have a duty to live by the same
code.” Most residents see themselves as
law abiding and dutiful, and in many cases this is true. For example, York Region Police have
identified that Markham has the highest
per-capita use of seat belts in all of York Region.
Unfortunately, as noted above, almost one-third
of drivers are exceeding the posted speed limit of 40 km/hour by more than 15
km/hour. They are putting themselves,
their passengers, other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists at risk. By not observing the speed limit, these
drivers are also modeling inappropriate driving practices for any children who
are in the vehicle with them. Part of
the problem may be due to the fact that the difference between 40 km/hour and
55 km/hour does not seem significant to a driver who is used to traveling 80
km/hour or more along major roads and highways.
When they are stopped for speeding, many drivers say that they “didn’t
realize” how fast they were going.
The fact remains, however, that the 40
km/hour speed limit is posted as a safety precaution. Drivers who comply will have more time to
react if a child suddenly darts onto the road in front of them, or if the road
is wet and slippery. It must also be
noted that the posted speed limit is the maximum recommended speed. Until drivers start to recognize the impact
that 15km/hour can have on local street safety, the problem will not be
resolved.
1.1.2
Additional Highway
Traffic Act Infractions on Local Roads
Although speeding is a primary concern,
aggressive driving is another problem that impacts road safety. Those who fail to stop at stop signs or
pedestrian crossings, tailgate
and try to “beat” the red lights at intersections are a real danger to everyone
else on or near the road. Aggressive driving contributes to the
deterioration of common courtesy and triggers road rage.
Additional areas of concern include school
safety zones, drivers who do not stop when school buses with flashing lights
are picking up or dropping off students, drivers who fail to yield right of way
to pedestrians and other drivers, unsafe passing, and commercial vehicles that
do not meet safety standards.
1.2 Neighbourhood
Transportation Committee
In the spring of 1998, the Town of Markham created a
Transportation Committee to deal with the increasing number of traffic concerns
being raised by residents and businesses.
Further input from the community through public forums identified four
primary areas of concern:
§
Speeding
§
Traffic infiltration into local neighbourhoods
§
Non-compliance with traffic signs and signals
§
Increasing traffic congestion
Following the public forums, a working
group comprising approximately 40 volunteer residents, Councillors
and staff was established to deal with these key issues. Participants had the understanding that the
process being developed would become the basis for resolving localized traffic
concerns as well as the issues affecting the rest of the Town. The Transportation Committee working group
developed the following guidelines to enable the implementation of solutions
that neighbourhoods would support:
a)
Identify the real problem, not just the perceived concern;
b)
Quantify the problem to determine its extent and nature;
c)
Consider improvements to the regional arterial network and
municipal collector network first, because motorists typically do not short cut
unless there is a reason;
d)
Consider measures on an area-wide basis, not on a localized
site-by-site-basis, as this reduces the probability of simply moving the
problem to another location;
e)
Consider self-enforcing measures that maintain a 24-hour
presence and do not require scarce police resources to ensure their
effectiveness;
f)
Avoid restricting access and egress for residents and other
members of the community, to ensure they are not unduly affected;
g)
Avoid impeding non-automobile modes, such as bicycles,
pedestrians and transit;
h)
Consider all services, including police, fire, ambulance,
waste collection, snow removal and street cleaning, since delays to these
important services could have dire implications and result in opposition to the
solution; and
i)
Monitor and report progress to the community, which helps
to identify needed refinements to process and measures, to illustrate the
benefits of the measures, and to justify future expenditures.
It was determined that a consistent,
systematic and thorough process be used to implement acceptable solutions with
the involvement and endorsement of area residents, businesses, institutions,
Council and staff, and in 2000 four Neighbourhood
Transportation Committees were established for Thornhill,
Unionville, Markham and Milliken.
1.2.1 Existing Purpose and Role
Each Neighbourhood Transportation Committee
(NTC) is comprised of volunteer residents or businesses representing the area
and is co-chaired by two local Councillors. Committees meet on a regular basis to provide
an ongoing link between the communities and the Town, to screen projects
brought forward by the community, and to make recommendations to the
Transportation Committee for the endorsement of projects that are forwarded to
Council for approval and funding.
The procedures established in conjunction with the NTCs
provide a solid basis from which to address vehicular operational safety
concerns. Local traffic issues are
evaluated on a point basis determined by accident history, weekday traffic
volumes, and average traffic speeds (see Appendix ‘A’ for more information). Suggested traffic solutions were divided into
four categories (A, B, C and D) according to ease of implementation, timing and
required resources.
Solutions identified during the public forums as more suitable for
application in a broader sense were considered longer term solutions since they
would involve major road or traffic signal improvements or changes in driver
behaviour through extensive public campaigns.
Appendix ‘A’ provides more information about the evaluation of traffic
issues and proposed solutions.
In many instances, the NTCs have recommended
physical traffic calming initiatives such as speed humps to reduce vehicle
speeds on local roads. There is however,
increasing concern that a proliferation of speed humps will begin to negatively
impact some of the guidelines originally developed by the Transportation
Committee working group (such as the efficient movement of transit and
emergency vehicles).
The installation of stop signs at locations where they would not
normally have been installed has also created new problems with drivers who
either do not observe the signs, or speed away from the location in an attempt
to “make up” the time they lost by stopping.
It has become increasingly clear that
traffic calming initiatives are not, by themselves, enough to stop speeding and
aggressive driving behaviour on a town-wide basis. It is time to augment the process with some
of the longer-term solutions originally identified during the public forums to
achieve the desired result.
1.3 MARKHAM COUNCIL INITIATIVE
On January 27, 2004, the Town of Markham approved the
following initiatives for 2004 through a Council resolution:
- Environment
- Safe Streets
- Corporate/Community Character
As part of this resolution, Markham
Council approved the terms of reference to create a Markham Safe Streets Task
Force (MSSTF) with a mandate to develop a diversified, holistic solution to
improving safety on Town roads.
1.3.1
Markham Safe Streets Task Force
The MSSTF reports
to the Town’s Transportation Committee and Council, and comprises four local Councillors, 8 residents who represent each of the
municipality’s wards, representatives from York Regional Police and York Region
School Boards, staff from several Town departments, external advisors and
additional community partners. The
membership was appointed by the MSSTF Chair in early February 2004, and
dissolution of the Task Force will take place following the MSSTF program
launch expected in the Fall of 2004.
Figure 1.1 - Markham Safe Streets Task Force Structure
1.3.2
Purpose and Role
of the MSSTF
The role of the
MSSTF is to develop a strategy on the implementation of measures to improve
road safety. Key objectives include:
Activities to be
undertaken will include the following:
§
Print posters and other collateral materials
§
Host special events
§
Develop key area maps
§
Fund the public facilitator for public meetings
§
Fund promotional strategies
§
Fund effectiveness studies
§
Launch the program in the Fall of 2004
The work completed by the Transportation
Committee working group and the NTCs provides a
foundation on which to base the MSSTF strategy in terms of issues analysis and
the process for implementing appropriate solutions.
This MSSTF Strategy has been prepared to
provide Markham Council and Staff with a document that can be referenced as the
project moves forward over a three-year period.
The report details the proposed engineering, education and enforcement
strategies, implementation plan and performance
measurement.
2.0 The MSSTF 3-Point Strategy
The MSSTF approach
will combine the 3Es –Education, Enforcement and Engineering. Each of these elements provides a number of
opportunities to reduce speeding and other unsafe driving practices, especially
when deployed in a strategic and integrated manner. A primary objective of this approach is to
measure results as the MSSTF program is being implemented in order to monitor the
progress that is being made and adjust the strategy as required.
To affect behavioural
change in a positive manner requires clear, consistent messaging over an
extended period of time. Since behavioural changes are linked to lifestyle choices,
messages must be relevant and meaningful to the people they are intended to
reach.
The benefits of safe driving practices
must be conveyed in a realistic manner that raises overall public
awareness. Expectations must be reasonable
and enforceable. Enforcement will ensure a sustainable
level of compliance, and demonstrate to the community that speeding and other
Highway Traffic Act infractions are under control on Markham’s streets. Engineering initiatives should only be introduced
when the results of education and enforcement activities are not by themselves
sufficient to affect change or if there are unsafe driving conditions that need
to be addressed.
The overall
objective of the MSSTF program is to change driver behaviour to increase Highway
Traffic Act related compliance and safety on Town roads, including speed and
stop sign compliance.
Measures to
achieve this objective will include:
§
Introducing new communications tools and public relations
campaigns
§
Efficient management and response to all residential
traffic complaints
§
Reducing the percentage of drivers who exceed posted speed
limits
§
Performance measurement
§
The establishment of a Traffic Safety Committee to direct
implementation of the MSSTF strategy
§
Expanded partnerships with other organizations and programs
operating within or applicable to the Markham community, and with the residents themselves
§
Strategic use of existing enforcement
§
Alternative enforcement initiatives (i.e., red light
cameras, photo radar, etc.)
§
Applicable traffic calming initiatives
A primary goal is
to reduce the proportion of local streets with posted speed limits of 40
km/hour and operating speeds greater than 50 km/hour from 60% to 45% in three
years. Existing traffic operating
conditions shall be the benchmark for effectiveness measurements, and traffic
data will continue to be collected to facilitate before-and-after comparison
studies.
New methods of
dealing with minor traffic infractions should also be explored, especially in
the case of first offences. In Barrie and Scarborough, for example, alternative options to traffic tickets
are now provided. Drivers who are caught
speeding must attend a lecture about unsafe driving and/or successfully
complete a written test that emphasizes the importance of safe driving
practices.
As the Engineering and Enforcement Aspects
of the MSSTF strategy are determined, Education initiatives will be implemented
to teach and reinforce safe driving practices.
The launch of the program in October 2004 will provide an opportunity to
showcase the planned strategy in a manner that will immediately increase public
awareness of key issues.
By communicating initiatives through a
number of associated partnerships, and managing the process through the
development of a Communications plan, the project will leverage resources to
optimize impact on behavioural change.
There are many
opportunities to extend and integrate communications for the Markham Safe
Streets program through partnerships with other programs and organizations
already operating in the community. This
approach will help to increase awareness by delivering a consistent message to
the intended audience through a variety of sources.
It was also noted
by several task force members that some existing programs designed to achieve
the same results as the MSSTF program are already operating in York Region, and
that there was no need to “reinvent the wheel” whenever these programs could be
integrated into the MSSTF strategy.
Internal and
external partnerships will be confirmed to identify potential sponsorships and
clarify the best channels of communication.
There are a number of opportunities to advertise and/or place articles
in existing Town of Markham
publications, such as the Recreation
Guide and About Markham, as well
as external partner newsletters and websites.
Internal Partnering Opportunities
a) Town of Markham Departments
To ensure the
MSSTF has a clear working relationship with the Town’s current structure, the
Task Force reports to the Transportation / Council Committee. The following Town Departments offer
communication and staff resource opportunities for the Markham Safe Streets
program:
§
Information Markham provides free information and referrals to a wide
range of resources, programs and services available to Markham residents, and can distribute information about the
MSSTF program.
§
Corporate Communications coordinates the weekly Town page in local newspapers,
media releases, web pages and a number of municipal publications. Staff are providing the
MSSTF with website administration to facilitate public feedback, program
overview, FAQs, posting of meeting minutes, and
promotion of events and activities. The
April issue of About Markham, distributed
to all Markham households, included an article about the MSSTF.
§
Recreation provides programs for children, teens, adults and
seniors at 13 community centres located in Markham. Over 80% of Markham’s households use the Town’s community centres, which also offer opportunities for local public
meetings, workshops and special events.
The department’s Strategic
Services Division provides support for building community and private
sector partnerships, marketing and Special Events. Hundreds of Special Events, local festivals
and celebrations are held in Markham throughout the year, and some offer opportunities to
communicate with key demographic targets.
Others, such as Safetyland (which is organized
in partnership with York Regional Police, Markham Fire and Emergency Services,
and Markham Hydro), provide an outstanding venue to showcase safe driving
initiatives.
§
Fire and Emergency Services operates six Markham fire stations.
Firefighters attend a number of community,
corporate and special events each year. Risk Watch, a program delivered through local schools, is an injury
prevention program to reduce childhood injuries and death. It includes motor vehicle, bike and
pedestrian safety lessons.
§
Bylaw Enforcement & Licensing provides information on regulations and enforcement,
one of the three components of the Markham Safe Streets program strategy.
b) Markham Public Libraries
Public Libraries are located in Markham Village, Milliken Mills, Thornhill
and Unionville. A new library will be
opening later this year in the Angus Glen Community Centre. According to a recent survey, over 80% of Markham households also use local library services.
c) Character
Community Initiative
The Town of Markham is committed to sustaining and enhancing its
communities as
places where families are strong, homes and streets are safe
and neighbours care about one another. Although a number of key character attributes
apply, three in particular can be related to driving behaviour:
§
Respect
– Treating themselves and others with consideration, high regard and dignity.
§
Responsibility – Being accountable for their actions and reliable,
and keeping their commitments.
§
Integrity – Doing what is right, and ensuring there is no
difference between what they say and what they do.
The Character
Community initiative, which accentuates the positive, has recently been
expanded from the Town of Markham throughout York Region, in partnership with the
Region, York Regional Police and both school boards. It can provide a foundation for the most
important partnership of all—with the residents who drive on Markham’s roadways.
d) Markham Transportation
Planning Strategy (MTPS-2000)
Roads and Public
Education and Awareness are two elements of the MTPS 4-point strategy to
improving transportation and mobility within the Markham community.
Although neighbourhood streets are not a
primary focus of the strategy, they are an extension of the roadway network and
the planned pedestrian and cyclist initiatives that the MTSP addresses through
its communications with the public.
External Partnering Opportunities
a) Regional,
Provincial and Federal Governments
There are a number
of opportunities to work with York Region, Province of Ontario and Government of Canada to increase awareness about
unsafe driving behaviour in local neighbourhoods. MPs and MPPs can be
invited to participate in special events and presentations to the
community.
§
Ontario Ministry of Transportation licensing offices are located in Thornhill,
Unionville and Markham and may provide an opportunity to distribute information
to individuals who are renewing their driving permits.
§
York Region departments include Public Health Services, Roads and
Transportation, and York Regional Police (which is discussed below in more
detail.
b) York Regional Police
In an ongoing
effort to reduce collisions on our roadways, York Regional Police (YRP) has
introduced the following traffic safety initiatives, all of which are relevant
to the Markham Safe Streets program:
§
Save-a-Life Campaign focuses on road safety and encourages public
responsibility and accountability.
Partners include the Ministry of Transportation, Public School Board,
Regional Transit, EMS, Student Transportation Services and members of the
private sector. Although this program is
primarily focused on regional roadways, its strategy is also based on
Engineering, Enforcement and Education.
As a result, Markham’s
MSSTF strategy is a natural extension of this initiative.
§
Safe Streets, Nice Neighbourhoods is a philosophy, not a program. Police will target residential roadways,
respond to citizens’ complaints, target driver behaviour and develop community
partnerships.
§
Road Watch aims at making drivers more aware of their actions,
and provides citizens with an opportunity to report unsafe driving
behaviour. Markham is the only municipality in York Region that does not
currently have Road Watch, and the
MSSTF recommends that the Town move forward with implementing this
program.
§
Bus Watch is a program that
provides school bus drivers with an opportunity to report drivers who fail
to stop when the bus lights are flashing to YRP.
§
c) York Region Boards of
Education
Both the Public
and the Catholic District School boards work with York Regional Police to increase
awareness about School Zone Safety and School Bus Safety. The Supervisory Officer at York Region plays
a liaison role with Regional Council and provides a point focus to supplement
the children’s programs, lesson plans and activities.
Providing
awareness to parents through children’s education helps to raise awareness
about unconscious decisions that are being made within neigbourhoods
and households. In some locations,
Community Safety Zones have been established in cooperation with York Regional
Police to address the problem of unsafe driving practices in these areas. The Parent Councils at local schools also provide opportunities
to communicate with residents who have school age children.
Schools within
York Region support the Character Community initiative with Character Education
programs. They offer driver safety
programs that are proven effective in teaching good driver behaviour.
With regard to the
MSSTF program, two additional opportunities have been identified: assembly programs for secondary school
students (14 – 16 years of age) that emphasize peer influence on driving behavour; primary
programs for young children with captivating slogans related to traffic safety,
school bus safety and school safety zones.
These programs should be interactive (as opposed to just sending letters
home to parents) with a focus on building awareness.
Although both
school boards have an educational requirement to offer all programming
Region-wide, it may be possible to establish a pilot program in Markham that can then be expanded to the other municipalities
in the Region.
d) Community Safety Village of York Region
Located at Bruces Mill in Whitchurch-Stouffville,
the Community Safety Village of York Region will open in the fall of 2004 to
provide safety education to citizens of all ages.
During regular
school hours, the Village will instruct young children in traffic and fire
safety. In the evenings and on the
weekends, the Village will provide a unique venue for building awareness about
a number of public safety initiatives, including safe driving practices.
e) Community
Organizations
There are over 100
community-based organizations in Markham, including ratepayers groups, service clubs, sports
associations, religious organizations, and family and social services
agencies. Each of these organizations
can provide opportunities to distribute information or host presentations to
members about road safety. Key
demographic targets can also be reached through organizations such as Seniors
Groups and the Mayor’s Youth Task Force.
Corporate Partnerships
Strategic corporate partnerships can augment
municipal funding and provide in-kind services to enhance communication initiatives
with key demographic targets.
a) Insurance Bureau of Canada
Driver education
is instrumental in improving driver behaviour, and there is an opportunity to
partner with the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) to provide warnings about the
impact of unsafe driving convictions on insurance rates. The IBC can channel information through its
distribution channels in much the same way that it supported the “Yield to
Buses” campaign, and may be interested in sponsoring certain aspects of the
MSSTF strategy as a pilot project since speeding and other Highway Traffic Act
infractions on local roads are not unique to the Markham area.
Effective
solutions can be replicated throughout the GTA and Province of Ontario. An IBC
representative, who attended MSSTF planning sessions, recommended that contact
be made with the Public Affairs Division in this regard.
b) Canadian
Automobile Association
As the travellers' advocate,
the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) speaks out to its members on issues
of traffic safety and mobility. Some of
the organization’s key initiatives include improving child safety in vehicles,
and reducing impaired and aggressive driving.
c) Markham Board of Trade
The
Markham Board of Trade is comprised of representatives of the local business
community and provides a number of opportunities to communicate with
corporations and their employees through After Hours Networking, Breakfast
Networking, Luncheons and its newsletter.
The organization also supports a Youth Committee which may provide MSSTF
with an additional venue to communicate with young drivers.
d) Driver
Training Companies
Most new drivers
complete a driver training program in order to receive reduced insurance
rates. In addition to partnering for
communication purposes, some driver education organizations may be willing to
sponsor specific aspects of the Markham Safe Streets program
e) Communications Media
Rogers cable television, and larger TV stations such as CTV
and CITYTV have the ability to increase awareness through news editorials,
sponsored commercials and programming.
f) Television
Bureau of Canada
The Television
Bureau of Canada is a self-regulated organization
that monitors appropriate content in programming and commercials. Through the Advertising Standards of Canada,
there are opportunities to challenge unsafe role models, or depictions of
speeding or other unsafe driving behaviours. The organization’s website, at www.adstandards.com
, provides a form and procedure to register a complaint.
2.2.2 Brand
Development
A branding strategy will be developed to
provide a logo and facilitate clear, consistent messaging to the primary target
audiences through print and electronic communication channels. Part of this process will include the development
of associated campaign “tag lines” and templates for newsletters, media
releases and presentations.
An annual
Communications Plan will be developed to coordinate all communication channels
for maximum efficiency, impact and timely delivery of information. Projects developed in partnership with other
local municipalities and the Region of York will be incorporated. This plan will be updated each year to
provide a central focus for all communications with stakeholders by linking
marketing campaigns, advertising and media relations with project timelines and
community-based initiatives.
The Communications
plan will include a production schedule for collateral materials in conjunction
with planned special events and public relations campaigns. The schedule will incorporate the necessary
timing for multilingual requirements, the coordination of approvals required
from project partners (such as York Regional Police or Town of Markham
Departments), and the dissemination of public information (such as high risk
intersections and the results of before-and-after traffic studies in neighbourhood zones).
2.2.4 Collateral Materials
The goal is to produce a core set of
collateral materials that can augmented for use throughout the various
marketing campaigns, at special events associated with the program, and in
conjunction with enforcement activities.
The production schedule for collateral
materials is a key component of the Communications Plan. Collateral materials include brochures,
newsletters, flyers, posters, banners, fact sheets, stickers, advertising
slicks, promotional items, display materials and multimedia presentations. The opportunity to produce a promotional
video short in partnership with Rogers Cable or a corporate sponsor will also
be investigated.
A series of marketing campaigns will be
developed to enhance public education and awareness with key target
audiences. Opportunities to obtain
endorsement of the program by local entertainment or sport celebrities will be
explored. Campaigns would include local
community-based activities, town wide initiatives and school-based
programs.
Preliminary campaign suggestions include
the following:
§
Catch the Wave!
This campaign would focus on courteous driving behaviours, such as letting someone into a stream of
traffic or giving a pedestrian or cyclist the right of way at an
intersection. In addition to “catching”
waves, drivers would also be reminded that courtesy works both ways and that
they should always acknowledge courteous behaviour by others.
§
Welcome Home…Thank you for driving safely! could include signs at
entrances to residential subdivisions and/or in the front windows of homes to
remind people to observe speed limits on the streets where they live.
§
You are not alone! would remind drivers
that they are not the only ones using the roadways in our communities. They must share the roads and respect the
rights of pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers at all times.
A public event will launch the Markham
Safe Streets Program in the fall of 2004.
A plan will be developed to incorporate all of the elements required to
promote and deliver a successful event, including public relations, venue,
agenda, keynote speakers, presentation materials, and displays or
exhibits. Merchandising sponsorship
could also be considered for this event.
A list of the special events most suitable
for communicating MSSTF initiatives will also be developed. In partnership with community groups and
associations, opportunities to implement neighbourhood
programs will be explored. These could
include local barbeques, meetings at schools or community centres,
or a Car Safety Rodeo. Neighbours could be invited to sign a charter, complete a
written “driving test”, tie ribbons to car antennas, or become ambassadors for
safe driving in their own neighbourhoods.
2.2.6 Speed Education and Awareness Program
(S.E.A.P.)
The objective of this
program, which is already operating in the Town of Markham, is to raise
awareness about speeding in local neighbourhoods.
The Town currently
owns one radar unit that can be set up to register vehicle speeds for a single
lane of traffic. This unit, which is set
up by Town staff in various locations throughout the community, includes a
large display board that raises awareness by showing each driver the speed at
which he or she is traveling.
The equipment is manned during times of
operation by volunteer residents, who agree to follow established operating and
safety guidelines while monitoring traffic.
The traffic
monitoring can continue for a two-week period at each location depending on
time constraints. During the first one
or two days of operation, the purpose is to raise awareness and education
through street signage and the speed display board alone. Following this period, volunteers log the
date, start and end times, direction and location where the awareness program
is being conducted and record the license numbers of the vehicles that are
exceeding the speed limit by 15 km/hour or more. This information is forwarded to York
Regional Police who issue warning letters to the vehicle owners. Since the quality of information is more
important than the quantity, it is important that volunteers record the license
plates accurately and include the vehicle description and colour.
Task force members
agree that the S.E.A.P. should be incorporated into the MSSTF strategy to
further raise public education and awareness.
A number of printed materials that support S.E.A.P. are already in existence and will be reviewed in conjunction
with the other collateral materials being developed.
Since the MSSTF
strategy focuses on positive change through behaviour modification, enforcement
will be required in situations when drivers continue to speed or drive
aggressively in residential neighbourhoods. Staff will work with the York Region Police
Services Board and Solicitor General’s Office to investigate acquiring
additional resources to enforce moving violations.
During the latter
half of 2003, York Regional Police (YRP) Chief Armand La Barge launched the Safe Streets, Nice Neighbourhoods
program. This new philosophy was
developed with the intent to increase driver awareness in local communities by
taking a proactive enforcement approach within subdivisions. The goal is to change driver behaviour.
Community Oriented
Response (COR) Units are located throughout York Region, with the 5 District
COR Unit located in Markham
and the 2 District COR Unit in Thornhill. COR
Units provide Traffic Enforcement Officers with a top ten list of complaint
locations, and appropriate resources are then deployed to address the concerns
through increased police presence.
The Safe Streets, Nice Neighbourhoods program consists of five key
components:
§
Addressing of traffic complaints from the public
§
Fostering strong partnerships with the private and public
sectors (i.e., Town of Markham)
§
Appropriate enforcement action
§
Measuring the success of deployment actions
§
Feedback to complainants
A complaint
management database has been created to capture, analyze and manage all of the
traffic related complaints received though letters, e-mail, Road Watch, Bus Watch, telephone, verbal
conversations, municipal offices and police observation. Once a complaint has been received and
logged, it is reviewed by a Supervisor or his or her designate to determine the
appropriate course of action. This
review includes contacting the designated Municipal Traffic Review Committee
(or the appropriate Regional/Municipal Transportation Department) to request
assistance in determining the validity of the complaint. Based on feedback, the Supervisor or
designate will either close the complaint or forward
it to the appropriate District and request action.
Once a complaint
has been forwarded, it becomes the responsibility of the District front line
Officer, COR Officers and Traffic Enforcement Officers to review and act upon
that complaint and update the database.
All open complaints will be periodically reviewed by the Supervisor or
designate to monitor what action has been taken, to determine if further action
is required or to close the complaint.
If the complaint is found to be warranted and chronic, it will remain open
for further review. Additional measures,
such as problem-oriented policing projects or working in partnership with
stakeholders to determine appropriate action, can be taken. Once it has been determined that a reasonable
amount of enforcement has been conducted and that driver behaviour has been
changed, the complaint will be closed and the complainant will be advised as to
the outcome. Additional communication
through media releases or flyers may also be undertaken to identify the steps
taken by YRP in resolving a particular complaint.
The District CORs have engaged municipal councils to request that they
create residential traffic committees to assist in receiving, processing and
responding to complaints, and to recommend that the respective COR Units become
a part of those committees.
Members of the
Traffic Enforcement and COR Sergeants have been trained in the use of the
complaint database, and all uniformed members of YRP will receive
training. Statistics will be compiled
and reports generated as required. The
MSSTF recommends that Markham participate to provide database information and use
the database, since traffic issues on local roads and regional roads are not
mutually exclusive. A comprehensive database
will facilitate the monitoring and enforcement of all roads in the
community.
YRP Public Affairs
will provide updates to the public regarding key messages and the success of
the Safe Streets, Nice Neighbourhoods . Key messages
include:
§
YRP are committed to being the Benchmark of Excellence in
road safety
§
Most violators are residents of the neighbourhoods
from where the complaints are received
§
Drivers must be aware of young pedestrians traveling to
school, and should reduce speed and come to a complete stop at intersections to
increase driver and pedestrian safety
§
There is a concern that too many drivers are disobeying
traffic laws as soon as they leave their homes, endangering the lives of those
who are living around them.
By partnering with
municipal residential traffic committees, YRP expects to identify and
strategically deploy enforcement through enhanced analytical capabilities,
while enhancing the education and awareness initiatives that complement the
goals and objectives of its Traffic Safety Strategy Committee. YRP representatives attending the MSSTF
planning sessions indicated that in addition to enforcement, Police Officers
would also be willing to distribute educational messages to motorists on local
roadways.
In many ways, Safe Streets, Nice Neighbourhoods
is a logical extension of the Save a
Life program first introduced by YRP in 1998 to improve public safety on
regional roadways. Since that time, the
strategy has been refocused to become identifiable, marketable, proactive, directed
and measurable. The objective of Save a Life is to increase compliance
with traffic laws including speed limits, seat belts, school zones, railway
crossings, road racing, intersections and impaired driving. Like the MSSTF strategy, the key components
are engineering, education and enforcement.
Engineering identifies roadways that are high risk and have the greatest
potential for a decrease in collisions, and conducts before-and-after speed and
intersection compliance studies to measure the success and halo effect of
enforcement. Enforcement is the
responsibility of YRP, COR Unit officers and front-line officers in partnership
with the CPR Police and Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Education initiatives are the responsibility
of the York Region Health Services Department and disseminated through a series
of media blitzes, during the issuing of an offence notice or warning and during
the R.I.D.E. program. Campaigns include
Community Safety Zones, Traffic Control Signals, Railways Crossings, School
Buses and School Zones, Seatbelts, R.I.D.E. and Pedestrian Safety.
In 2004, Save a Life launched a new initiative, Operation Winter Blitz, to reduce
speeding and aggressive driving during adverse weather conditions. This campaign combined high profile/covert
deployment, zero tolerance enforcement, and the targeting of specific offences
including careless driving, unsafe lane changes, following too closely, and
improper passing. In addition, a link
was posted on the YRP website to promote suggestions for safe winter
driving. This program further highlights
the fact that posted speed limits are the maximum limits under ideal road
conditions, and that drivers should slow down during the winter months.
The MSSTF endorses
partnering with YRP so that “we are all delivering the same message” in a
united and marketable manner. The Safe Streets, Nice Neighbourhood
program provides an excellent opportunity to more effectively increase
enforcement on Town roads.
Road Watch is a community-based program that currently exists in
every municipality in York Region except Markham. The program
is aimed at making drivers more aware of their actions, and provides citizens
with an opportunity to report unsafe driving behaviour. Vehicle owners who
are reported will receive a letter from the police. If a vehicle owner receives more than one
letter, a Police Officer will make personal contact.
According
to York Regional Police, the number of repeat offenders (tracked through a
consolidated data base) is minimal.
Communities such as Richmond Hill successfully launched the program with a
heightened public awareness campaign that included a float in the Santa Claus
parade, mall displays and corporate sponsors.
The MSSTF recommends that a Road
Watch program be implemented in Markham. Road Watch goals and objectives are
appended to this report for reference purposes.
2.3.3
Bus Watch
By providing
student services bus drivers with an opportunity to report drivers who fail to
stop when the school bus lights are flashing, the Bus Watch program operates in a similar manner to Road Watch.
Bus drivers complete reports that are
forwarded to YRP, and the vehicle owners are contacted. The Bus
Watch program is operating throughout York Region.
In 2002, the Province of Ontario authorized a two-year pilot project with 5
participating municipalities to assess the effectiveness of red light cameras
at intersections. Initial results were
positive, and the test was extended an additional 2 years. A decision from the provincial government
regarding the use of red light cameras in other municipalities is expected in
the Fall of 2004.
During the test
period, it was found that red light cameras were most effective at major road
intersections with sufficient traffic volumes to be cost effective. Based on the pilot project, the conviction
rate is 90% (50% prepay the fine, and 40% have trial convictions). Collisions at targeted intersections are
down by 18%, but more significantly, right-angle collisions that normally
result from drivers who enter the intersection after the traffic signal has
turned red, are down by a significant 48%.
Property damage has also decreased by 26.7%.
Although there are
only a few intersections in the Town of Markham where red light cameras would be justified, the MSSTF
recommends that Council work with the Region of York to request red light
cameras pending provincial legislation.
In addition to improving safety on arterial roadways, cameras can be
moved from one location to another and might also be used at key intersections
on a temporary basis.
In March 2004, 28 Mayors
and Regional Chairs from across the GTA called on the Province of Ontario to let them use photo radar cameras to persuade
speeders to drive more slowly. The
Ministry of Transportation has indicated that it is considering granting
permission to municipalities to enforce speeding violations through photo radar
if it can be shown that the technology will enhance safety. New legislation will require a
complete review to ensure that it incorporates all applicable laws and current
legal procedures within the province.
Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary are among the Canadian cities that use photo radar,
which automatically snaps pictures of speeding vehicles. Tickets are then issued to the registered
vehicle owners. In Alberta, jurisdictions
regain slightly more than 83% of the fine revenue generated by ticketing in
their area.
In Ontario, a photo radar program on Provincial Highways was started
in August, 1994. The program was halted
in 1995 by the provincial government in response to public opinion, which
regarded photo radar as a “Big Brother” revenue generator and substitute to
police enforcement. The fact that
tickets were issued to car owners instead of the offending drivers, in some
instances several weeks after the infractions had occurred, was also a concern.
In November 2000, Bill 148 was enacted to permit the
use of photo radar on a dangerous section of Highway 401 between London and Windsor.
The MSSTF believes that photo radar would be a useful
enforcement tool on Town roads if permitted by provincial legislation. Should Council
wish to request an amendment to the Highway Traffic Act to permit the use of
photo radar in Markham,
there are two possible approaches:
§
Request the Province of Ontario to introduce new legislation permitting the Town of Markham to operate photo radar on its streets (this has
already been done);
§
Petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to introduce
new legislation that will permit the Town of Markham to operate photo radar on its streets, and request
that the Town of Markham
be consulted during the development of any new legislation.
MSSTF supports
further review of opportunities to increase enforcement including alternative
enforcement strategies such as paid duty officers, retired officers and special
constables.
To be effective in
combination with the education and engineering initiatives discussed in this
report, enforcement is required on a consistent, ongoing basis. The MSSTF strategy is dealing with the issue
of local priorities, and in many cases the Town has the responsibility without
the authority to handle residential complaints about speeding and aggressive driving
behaviours on Town roads. It is not always possible for York Regional
Police to deal with one-off issues because of many conflicting priorities.
In the past, the
Town had contacted the Police Service Board (PSB) to inquire about the
possibility of purchasing additional enforcement that would be funded by the
area requesting it, but the PSB was not interested in pursing this direction at
the time. There is an opportunity to
acquire Pay Duty officers on a temporary basis on the understanding that these
officers may be required to leave in the case of an emergency situation
occurring elsewhere in the Region. The
Town of Aurora hired Pay Duty officers on a pilot project basis to
provide additional resources to deal with traffic issues in the municipality. The results of this project will be reviewed
and evaluated as the MSSTF strategy moves forward.
The MSSTF reviewed the possibility of employing
Special Constables as part of the Town’s Bylaw Department. These Special Constables would provide an increased
focus on addressing the enforcement of traffic issues on Town roads and augment
the work already underway by YRP. Task
force members indicated that they would prefer to see enforcement managed by
York Regional Police, but agreed to leave the option open for further
review. It was also noted that there may
be an increased role for the Town’s Bylaw officers in conjunction with the MSSTF
education strategy and Road Watch.
2.4 Engineering
2.4.1 Traffic Calming Device Types and
Applicability
Traffic calming measures can include both
vertical and horizontal measures.
Vertical measures affect a change to the
level of the road. Speed humps, raised
crosswalks, raised intersections and sidewalk extensions are examples of
vertical traffic calming measures.
Horizontal measures include bump outs, chicanes, parking bays, centre
medians and traffic circles and roundabouts.
At the present time, speed humps have been
used as the primary traffic calming measure because they are easy to construct
and effective. Before-and-after studies
show that speed humps reduce average traffic speed by over 10 km/hour on the
roads where they are installed as well as by a few km/hour on adjacent
roads. In general, speed humps have also
been accepted by residents.
There are however
a number of negative aspects associated with speed humps. They reduce response time for fire and
emergency medical services and increase travel times for public transit. Speed humps increase the cost for road
maintenance operations, negatively impact streetscapes and, in some cases, have
generated negative feedback from residents.
Although economical, there is also a financial cost associated with
installing and maintaining speed humps.
The Town of Markham has been
budgeting $300,000 per year to finance traffic calming measures, primarily speed
humps. There are now 26 kilometres of roads with speed humps. To achieve a 10 km/hour reduction in speed,
it costs the Town approximately $17,500 per kilometer. Horizontal measures are more expensive,
ranging from three to four times the cost of speed humps.
2.4.2
Existing and New Developments
Within existing developments, there is a
need to balance the effectiveness of traffic calming initiatives with potential
negative impacts on existing traffic movement.
Consideration must be given to the priority routes used by public
transit and emergency service. Minimum
criteria thresholds have therefore been established for the use of vertical, horizontal
and other traffic calming measures within existing developments.
For new developments, Town of Markham staff will work
with developers and York Regional Police to incorporate horizontal traffic
calming concepts into road networks, establishing grid-like networks with curved
roads, short blocks and connector roads to facilitate the dispersion of
traffic. Any required horizontal
measures can be incorporated into the initial design for new subdivisions, with
special attention paid to those areas where schools and other public facilities
are located. Prior to the assumption of
roads by the Town, developers would be responsible for retrofitting routes
which require additional traffic calming measures.
2.4.3
Data Collection
and Analysis
Historical data, including available speed
counts and collision statistics, will be compiled for each of the neighbourhood zones.
In locations for which data is not available, new statistics will be
compiled. This information will be used
to prepare “before and after” comparisons as the MSSTF program is implemented
throughout the Town. The information
will also be used to determine specific areas within the community where
resources can be applied most effectively.
2.4.4 Proposed Criteria for Traffic Calming
Strategy
The MSSTF has approved the following
criteria for considering traffic calming measures on Town roads:
a) Major Collector Roads (4 lanes) – no traffic
calming with the exception of heritage districts (i.e., Main
Street Markham). This classification includes such roads as John Street, Denison Street, Birchmount Road, Apple Creek
Boulevard, Carlton Road, Middlefield Road and Rodick Road. These roads are candidates for enforcement
and education strategies.
b)
Industrial/Commercial Park Roads – no traffic calming; candidates for
education and enforcement.
c) Priority Routes (Emergency Services and Public
Transit) – Speed averages must be greater than or equal to 55 km/hour to
qualify for vertical or horizontal traffic calming measures; otherwise, they
are candidates for enforcement and education strategies.
d)
All Other Roads – Following the implementation of
enforcement and education initiatives, speed averages must be greater than 50
km/hour to qualify for consideration of vertical or horizontal measures
2.4.5
Other Measures
There are a number of other Traffic
Solutions identified during the public focus group sessions held in 1998 that
are less expensive than horizontal and vertical traffic calming measures and
could have the potential to reduce speeding and other aggressive driving behaviours in specific locations when combined with
education and enforcement initiatives.
These include pavement markings to narrow roadways, increased signage (e.g.,
Children at Play), posting of fines
and intersection lane improvements. For
more information, refer to Appendix ‘A’.
3.1 Traffic Safety Committee
To develop and implement the
MSSTF strategy, a Traffic Safety Committee will be established in the fall of
2004 to replace the NTCs involved in 2004.
3.1.1 Composition and Structure
The Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) will
report to the Transportation Committee as an advisory committee and be
comprised of:
§
8 Residents (1 per Ward)
§
York Regional Police representatives
§
Town Staff
§
2 Councillors
The TSC will
partner with the organizations identified in Section 2.2.1 of this report to
implement the MSSTF strategy during an initial three-year period. MSSTF members will be invited to participate
as potential members of the TSC for the first year of operation.
3.1.2 Application
Strategy
The TSC will
implement a 3-year plan with short and long term goals. Strategy implementation, commencing during
the fall of 2004 into 2005, will include the following initiatives:
§
Begin education campaign
§
Review effectiveness statistics
§
Prioritize and select candidate streets for education,
enforcement and engineering initiatives (previous NTC mandate)
§
Oversee Road Watch program
§
Identify and increase traffic enforcement on specific Town
roads
§
Begin preliminary enforcement strategy on Town’s worst
roads
§
Compile a list of problem streets to enable YRP to
concentrate efforts on those streets prior to the MSSTF kick-off event
§
Provide input on any new initiatives
§
Review before-and-after traffic studies
§
Review other traffic safety concerns (i.e., turning and
truck prohibition compliance, traffic signal complaints, etc.)
As implementation
of the MSSTF strategy continues, maintenance activities such as follow-up
educational materials and surveys, will be considered for enforcement,
engineering and education initiatives.
3.1.2 Resource
Allocation
The Traffic Safety Committee will seek
funding approval through the Transportaton Committee
to Markham Council in order to achieve its objective of improving safety on
Town roads.
Town staff will work with the TSC
to apply the MSSTF strategy by:
·
Ranking existing Town roads (per Appendix ‘A’)
·
Evaluating available YRP resources
·
Evaluating education initiatives and required resources
·
Identifying top Town roads for education and enforcement
initiatives
·
Implementing education and enforcement initiatives
·
Measuring the effectiveness of these initiatives after a
12-month period
·
Assessing the potential for physical traffic calming
measures per Section 2.4.4 in locations where these initiatives have not
achieved the desired results
·
Continue education and enforcement initiatives in locations
where these initiatives have delivered desired results
The process for
handing traffic complaints from residential and business communities will be
handled as shown in Table 3.1.
Table 3.1
Process Steps for Managing Traffic Complaints in the Town of Markham
|
|
Step
|
Explanation
|
|
A.
|
Perception of Problem
|
· Process begins with traffic
complaints from the public
|
|
B.
|
Preliminary Investigations
|
· Staff undertakes site
investigation collecting data to classify traffic conditions as described in
Section II
|
|
D.
|
Minor
|
· Describes a situation that is
local (i.e. signage), marginal in nature, or can be dealt with outside of
this process
|
|
E.
|
Major
|
· Describes a situation that is neighbourhood-wide, affects a number of residents and
requires some degree of action
|
|
F.
|
TSC endorsement of project
|
· All projects that are classified
“Major” would be vetted through the
Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) for its review
· TSC can decide if this project is
a valid candidate for the process and recommend appropriate education and
enforcement solutions
|
|
G.
|
TSC to make recommendations to
Transportation Committee
|
· TSC will be responsible to
prioritize all the projects brought to them, and make recommendations and
provide updates to Transportation Committee (TC) to obtain authorization to
proceed to next step from Council
|
|
H.
|
Contact District COR Unit
|
· Update District COR on situation
and request feedback/additional enforcement
|
|
I.
|
Implementation of education and
enforcement initiatives
|
· The recommended education and
enforcement initiatives will be implemented for a 12-month period for authorized
projects
|
|
J.
|
Measure Results through the
collection of Field Data/Surveys
|
· Determine if desired results have
been achieved
· If results have been achieved,
continue education and enforcement initiatives
· If results have not been achieved,
proceed to next step
|
|
K.
|
TSC to make recommendation to TC
for endorsement
|
· TSC will advise TC that traffic
calming measure may be required
· TC will forward recommendations to
Council for endorsement and funding distribution
|
|
L.
|
Staff to provide direction and
input
|
· Staff will provide the technical
expertise (i.e., planning, design, implementation) to facilitate the
Environmental Assessment (EA) process
|
|
M.
|
Public Meeting
|
· Once a traffic calming project
receives Council endorsement to proceed, a public meeting is held to outline
the problem
· The meeting will collect
information from the public to refine the scope of work, issues to be dealt
with and outline the process
|
|
N.
|
Survey of residents for acceptance
of solutions
|
· For the project to proceed, 60% of
the affected frontages within the defined catchment
area must accept the proposed solution
|
|
O.
|
Council Approval
|
· TSC forwards public survey results
to TC to obtain Council approval and funding of traffic calming measures
|
3.1 ACTION PLAN
Following Council approval, the MSSTF
strategy will be implemented as outlined below over a three-year period
beginning in the Fall of 2004. During the third year, the strategy will be
reviewed and updated by the Traffic Safety Committee for a subsequent
three-year period.
3.1.1 Year One (2004-2005)
|
·
Merge NTC with Transportation Safety Committee
|
|
·
Confirm members, meeting schedules
|
|
·
Complete assessment of Special Constable feasibility
(legal, administrative, financial)
|
|
·
Finalize Traffic Calming standards for new developments
|
|
·
Lobby for legislation required for Red Light Camera and
Photo Radar
|
|
·
Develop Communications Plan, Branding and Collateral
Materials
|
|
·
Program Kick-off
|
|
·
Launch Road Watch in conjunction with Program Kick-off
|
|
·
Submit budget to Transportation Committee
|
|
·
Develop Enforcement Schedule for strategic deployment of
resources
|
|
·
Identify Top Streets for Education/Enforcement initiatives
|
|
·
Launch Town-wide and local community education
initiatives
|
|
·
Monitor enforcement / field data
|
|
·
Launch enforcement portion with existing YRP resources
|
3.1.2
Years Two and Three (2006-2007)
|
·
Review results of engineering and enforcement initiatives
|
|
·
Identify candidate streets for engineering traffic
calming (based on criteria)
|
|
·
Undertake EA studies for potential traffic calming
projects
|
|
·
Subject to legislation, work with York Region to identify
priority locations for Red Light Cameras, based on safety reviews
|
|
·
Review requirements for Photo Radar implementation
(legal, technical, financial)
|
|
·
Assess enforcement strategy
|
|
·
Subject to legislation and financial feasibility,
implement Red Light Cameras, Photo Radar and/or Special Constables
|
|
·
Assess the overall MSSTF results
|
|
·
Initiate Strategic Plan for subsequent three-year period
|
