Town of Cobourg

Division Street ImprovementsPublic Information Centre

October 1, 2015Image Courtesy of Google 2015

Introductions

+Town of Cobourg– Barry Thrasher– Bill Watson

+CIMA+– Will McCrae– John Unruh

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Agenda

+Presentation – 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm– Project background– Existing Conditions– Issues– Active transportation– Proposed alternatives– Costs/Schedule

+Openhouse– 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm– View proposed alternatives– Questions / feedback– Sign register– Complete comment sheet if you wish

(if you take a comment sheet home, please return to the Town of Cobourg by October 14, 2015).

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Project background

Division Street / Park and Munroe Streets Intersection+ Reconfigured to offset intersection in early 2000’s

– Community feedback confusing to navigate– Increased collision rate– Inefficient vehicle queueing – Improvements (2013): Munroe Street left-turn queue lane and access to

adjacent properties

Division Street Corridor: Buchanan Street to University Avenue+ Recognized need for further corridor and intersection improvements

– Phase 1 of current project initiated– Technical Memorandum: Existing Conditions at VIA Rail Access, February 2010

– Phase 2 of current project initiated– Division Street Traffic Study, December 2014– Active Transportation Study, May 2015– Memo: Proposed Cross-Section, July 2015

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Existing conditions: Traffic Circulation

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Existing Conditions: AM Peak-hour Traffic Volumes

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Existing Conditions: PM Peak-hour Traffic Volumes

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Existing Conditions: Weekend Midday Traffic Volumes

Issues

Division Street / Park and Munroe Streets Intersection+ Complicated turning movements+ Collision rate low prior to reconfiguration in early 2000’s and

significantly higher after reconfiguration+ Vehicle queues block entrances

VIA Rail access at Division Street+ Improvements needed to address sight lines and safety concerns+ Historically high collision rate

Local development and growth in traffic volumes+ Increase delay as traffic volumes stress existing capacity+ Improvements needed to maintain level of service

Discontinuous cycling facilities+ Improvements to existing facilities required+ Additional facilities required to provide continuity of service

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Issues: Collision rates – 2006 to 2009 (Phase 1 Study)

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Issues: Collision rates – 2008 to 2012 (Phase 2 Study)

25 Collisions 19 Collisions

Issues: Traffic Operations

Critical Points+ Midtown Mall Redevelopment: approximate threefold increase in employment

expected between 2011 and 2021.

+ Close proximity between associated entrances and intersection operations will reduce long-term capacity of traffic operations in this area.

+ Limited opportunity to widen road south of Munroe Street to continue four-lane road profile

+ Park Street contributes and receives comparatively low volumes of traffic to the Division Street / Munroe and Park Street intersection.

+ Traffic queues back up to the VIA Rail access on southbound approach to Division Street / Park and Munroe Streets intersection which impacts operation of adjacent entrances.

+ Pedestrian Access: Midtown Mall is the most significant destination of choice for pedestrian traffic, fed largely by the residential areas east, south and west of the Midtown Mall area.

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Issues: Cycling Facilities

Critical Points+ Provision of continuous cycling facilities from University Avenue to Elgin Street is

desired.

+ Narrow right-of-way (street width) from University Avenue to beginning of multi-use trail just south of CN bridge. Difficult to meet cycling facility guidelines and standards and maintain required width of vehicular travel lanes using on-road shared facilities.

+ Existing two-way multi-use pathway on east side of Division Street from Elgin Street to just south of CN bridge terminates midblock – no viable access to Division Street for southbound cyclists.

+ Fewer pedestrians north of CN bridge; however, potential for conflict between pedestrians and cyclists using and motorists crossing multi-use pathways is undesirable. Caution signage required.

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Summary of Alternatives

Alternative 1

1. Continuous left turn lane (University to Spencer)

2. Dedicated left turn lane (Spencer to Munroe)

3. Reconfigured T-intersection at Division and Munroe

4. Access to Park Street restricted to right-in only

5. Transition from three to four lanes on Division north of Munroe (no change)

6. Shared on-road cycling facilities (University to Munroe)

7. New multi-use pathways (off-road facilities) east and west side of Division from Munroe to north end of study area

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Summary of Alternatives

Alternative 2

1. Road widened on the east side (University to Munroe)

2. Continuous left turn lane (University to Spencer)

3. Dedicated left turn lane (Spencer to Munroe)

4. Reconfigured T-intersection at Division and Munroe

5. Access to Park Street restricted to right-in only

6. Transition from three to four lanes on Division north of Munroe (no change)

7. Dedicated on-road cycling lane (University to Munroe)

8. New multi-use pathways (off-road facilities) east and west side of Division from Munroe to north end of study area

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Summary of Alternatives

Alternative 3

1. Continuous left turn lane (University to Munroe)

2. Dedicated northbound right turn lane on Division at Munroe

3. Reconfigured T-intersection at Division and Munroe

4. Access to Park Street restricted to right-in only

5. Continuous left turn lane (Munroe to VIA Rail access)

6. Transition from three to four lanes on Division north of Buchanan

7. Shared on-road cycling facilities (University to Munroe)

8. Dedicated on-road cycling lane with buffer (Munroe to multi-use pathway at Buchanan Street access)

9. New multi-use pathways (off-road facilities) west side of Division to Ewart

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Summary of Alternatives

Alternative 4

1. Road widening east side of University to Munroe

2. Continuous left turn lane (University to Munroe)

3. Dedicated northbound right turn lane on Division at Munroe

4. Reconfigured T-intersection at Division and Munroe

5. Access to Park Street restricted to right-in only

6. Continuous left turn lane (Munroe to VIA Rail access)

7. Transition from three to four lanes on Division north of Buchanan

8. Dedicated on-road cycling lane (University to Munroe – shared at dedicated right turn from Division to Munroe)

9. Dedicated on-road cycling lane with buffer (Munroe to multi-use pathway at Division Street access)

10.New multi-use pathways (off-road facilities) west side of Division to Ewart

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Removal of Park Street from Existing Intersection

Modifications to Park Street (sensitivity analysis)+ Given the low existing traffic volumes on Park Street and the lower volumes expected

upon the proposed closure of the Park Street to eastbound turning and through movements, it is expected that loss of existing service on Park Street will not be considered significant by the travelling public.

Average travel time = 1:29 minutes (Existing route)

Average travel time = 1:49 minutes (Proposed route)

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All Park Street Movements All Exiting MovementsPark Street Division Street Munroe Street* Intersection

Out Left In Right In Total Total Total Total

AM Volume 20 4 27 31 1030 205 1266% of total 1.6% 0.3% 2.1% 2.4% 81.4% 16.2% 100%

PM Volume 39 10 32 42 1132 214 1388% of total 2.8% 0.7% 2.3% 3.0% 81.6% 15.4% 100%

Weekend Volume 18 11 16 27 977 145 1149% of total 1.6% 1.0% 1.4% 2.4% 85.0% 12.6% 100%

*includes traffic leaving intersection via Pioneer Gas Station Access

Cost and Schedule

Cost+ Approved OSIF funding: $675,000

– Award of funding is dependent on project completion by December 31, 2016

Schedule+ Project Tender date: Late 2015+ Construction to begin: Spring of 2016

Questions?

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Alternative 1 2 3 4Estimated

Cost $700,000 $900,000 $650,000 $775,000