Report to: Development Services Committee Date of Meeting: October 17, 2006

SUBJECT: Rodick Road Speed Limit Reduction

PREPARED BY: Prasenjit Roy, Senior Transportation Engineer x2625,

Arup Mukherjee, Manager of Transportation, x8120

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the report entitled “Rodick Road Speed Limit Reduction” dated October 16, 2006, be received;

AND THAT Schedule C (60 km/h) of Speed Limit By-Law 105-71 be amended to delete Rodick Road between Highway 7 and 16^th Avenue;

AND THAT Schedule F (50 km/h) of Speed Limit By-law 105-71 be amended to include Rodick Road between Highway 7 and Woodbine Avenue and that the attached By-law be approved;

AND THAT a 30 km/h warning sign be installed before the start of the curve just south of Whitehall Drive as per the attached signage plan;

AND THAT the Operations and Asset Management Department be directed to install the appropriate signs upon approval of the attached by-law;

AND THAT the York Regional Police Department be requested to enforce the reduced speed limit upon installation of the signs.

1. Purpose 2. Background 3. Discussion 4. Financial

5. Others (Environmental, Accessibility, Engage 21st, Affected Units) 6. Attachment(s)

PURPOSE:

This report reviews the curvature on Rodick Road north of Highway 7 and recommends a posted speed limit reduction from 60 km/h to 50 km/h on Rodick Road between Highway 7 to 16^th Avenue.

BACKGROUND:

Rodick Road Bridge over Highway 407 is currently under construction. The first section from Yorktech Road to Miller Avenue will be opened to the public this month. Upon completion, the expanded Rodick Road will connect Woodbine Avenue from north of 16^th Avenue to Riviera Drive and ultimately expand southwards to Esna Park Drive by 2010. At the August 28^th General Committee meeting, staff were requested to review the curvature on Rodick Road north of Highway 7 and report back on the results.

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

Staff conducted a review of the roadway curvature based on the Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, 1994 edition published by the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC). The Geometric Design Guide is considered as an industry standard for engineering design for roadways in Canada.

The jog created north of Highway 7 is essentially the result of two opposite curves and is called a reverse curve. The reverse curve has centerline radii of 63 metres and 70 metres, which translates to a design speed of 42 km/h. Speed studies show that motorists are travelling along the curve at approximately 50 km/h. The collision history shows four collisions on this section in the last four years. This type of collision history is not unusual for a 4-lane major collector road with average daily traffic volumes of 7000 vehicles. The roadway surface on the curve has been recently micro-surfaced to improve vehicle traction. There have been no collisions reported in 2006 to date.

Based on the investigation results, staff recommend reducing the speed limit to 50 km/h on Rodick Road, between Highway 7 and 16^th Avenue. This is consistent with the existing speed limits on Rodick Road south of Highway 7 and other four lane collector roads in Markham, for example, Bur Oak Avenue and Denison Street. At the location of the reverse curve a 30 km/h advisory already exists northbound on Rodick Road. Staff recommend posting advisory signs of 30 km/h southbound on Rodick Road before the start of the reverse curve and implement signage as per the attached signage plan.

FINANCIAL TEMPLATE:

The cost of labour and materials to implement these measures are accounted for in the 2006 budget for the Operations Department.

RECOMMENDED BY:

________________________ ________________________

Alan Brown, C.E.T Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P

Director of Engineering Commissioner, Development Services

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment A – Speed Limit Signage Plan

Attachment B – By-law

Q:\Development\Engineering\REPORTS\2006\October\Rodick Road Speed\Rodick Road Speed Reduction.doc