25th Ave and 27th st exit. (STAFF REPORT)

Agenda Package - 5.45 MB P.6 and 7. (CITY OF VERNON- COW AGENDA)
SUBJECT: Realignment of the intersection of 27th Street and 25th Avenue

At its regular meeting held on July 13,2009, Council requested that staff provide information regarding the realignment of 25th Avenue at its intersection with 27th Street. Concerns have been raised regarding this intersections visibility at the stop sign, the new angle of entry onto 27th Street and the swept path of school buses turning right onto 27th Street.

Staff Response
The alterations to this intersection was undertaken as an Accident Remedial Project to address the sixteen accidents that had occurred over a five year period. The previous layout required vehicles exiting 25th Avenue to merge with vehicles already traveling northbound on 27th Street. This often led to inappropriate approach speeds and the drivers exiting 25th Avenue were required to view the directly approaching traffic and check their blind spots, by looking backwards over their shoulder. These factors are known to lead to misjudgments regarding the distance, speed and location of safe gaps in the approaching traffic.

When two lanes merge, rather than intersect, a longer length is created over which vehicle to vehicle conflicts can occur. Research has also established that "such angled intersections pose particular problems for older drivers due to the decline in head and neck mobility which usually accompanies advancing age." lt should also be noted that it is requirement of the Motor Vehicle Act to ensure any maneuver is a safe one by undertaking visual checks and that the sole reliance on a single mirror would not meet this requirement.

Given the number and type of accidents at this intersection it was clear that drivers were failing to merge safely and therefore the Accident Remedial Project was implemented. The new road alignment was designed and constructed so as to require drivers, exiting 25th Avenue, to approach 27th Street on a reduced angle and to stop. This reduces the distance over which vehicular conflicts can occur and enables drivers then to simply look to their left to see the oncoming traffic directly and be better able to judge speed and distance.

At the design stage the turning requirements for a school bus were overlaid on the design drawing to ensure that a bus could make the right turn onto 27th Street. At the construction stage Al Hemming of School District 22 was contacted and on October 31, 2008, a school bus was successfully driven though. However, to ensure ease of use by the school bus the curbline was altered by 0.8m. The first phase of the construction work was completed last year prior to the fall of snow. The second phase, to widen the shoulder on the east side of 27th Street between Highway 6 and 25th Avenue, is planned to be undertaken October this year. This final phase will further improve sight lines of the approaching traffic, whilst providing a more bicycle friendly shoulder on this well used part of the Bike Network. As with all projects in the City, its use and any future accidents will be monitored to ensure it meets the desired aims of reducing traffic accidents at this location and improving facilities for cyclist.

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Don Quixote Note: This is the staff report that will be shown to Council at Monday's COW meeting at 8:40AM. My unscientific poll on right has not attracted many people's opinions to date. Any comments (of a civil nature) are welcome -(anonymous comments have been turned back on for 2 days) ! As I am operating from a backup computer with limited availability these comments may be slow in been posted-sorry!)

I think the report is well detailed and explains fully why the original change was made.
Don Quixote Note: The letter from the retired Police Officer that brought this matter before Council can be found in the Morning Star's letters to editor.