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Traffic Calming Strategy

The purpose of the Town’s Traffic Calming Strategy is to incorporate best practices in traffic calming with local context to provide an efficient, flexible and systematic framework to address traffic safety issues relating to excessive speeding, traffic infiltration, and collision frequency and severity.

Traffic Calming Measures - Toolbox

For full details be see the Traffic Calming Strategy - Appendix A (page 19-41)

Different types of Traffic Calming Measures are available below. Click on the section title to expand and learn more.

Full-Lane Transverse Bars 

  • Full-lane transverse bars are a series of parallel pavement markings which extend across the majority of the travelled lane width. The series of markings may be placed closer together with distance to create the illusion that a vehicle’s speed is increasing to alert the driver of the need to reduce speed.

On-Road ‘Signs’ Pavement Markings

  • On-road ‘sign’ pavement markings provide information that would typically be shown to drivers through signage but are painted on the roadway to provide a larger image, and one that is directly in the driver’s line of sight. Some examples could be speed limit, ‘SLOW’, 'Stop ahead, etc.

Peripheral Transverse Bars

  • Peripheral transverse bars are a series of parallel pavement markings along the edge of the travelled lane widths. The series of markings may be placed closer together with distance to create the illusion that a vehicle’s speed is increasing. This is done to alert the driver’s awareness of the need to reduce speed. Peripheral transverse bars are similar to full-lane transverse bars but require less maintenance of pavement markings. 

On-street parking

  • On-street parking is the reduction of the roadway width available for vehicle movement by allowing motor vehicles to park adjacent and parallel to the curb. Angled parking is not appropriate as a traffic calming measure, due to the increased potential for conflicts. The effect of using onstreet parking to narrow the effective roadway space is to reduce vehicle speeds and to reduce possible short-cutting or through traffic.

Lane Narrowing

  • Lane narrowing is the process of reducing lane widths using pavement markings (for example, centreline, urban shoulders, bicycle lanes). The intention is for drivers to perceive the roadway to be less comfortable at higher speeds due to the narrowing of the lanes and ultimately reduce operating speeds. 

Road Diet

  • A road diet where the number of travelled lanes and/or the effective width of the road is reduced in order to allocate the reclaimed space for other uses, such as wider sidewalks, turning lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian refuge islands, bike lanes, parking, etc. Typically, a Road Diet involves converting an existing four-lane, undivided roadway segment to a three-lane segment consisting of two through lanes, a centre two-way left turn lane, and two bicycle lanes. However, other conversions are possible, such as 4-lane to 5-lane, 2-lane to 3-lane, 3-lane to 3-lane, and 5-lane to 3-lane.

Curb Extension

  • A curb extension (also known as neckdown, choker, curb bulb, or bulb-out) is a horizontal intrusion of the curb into the roadway resulting in a narrow section of roadway. The curb is extended on one or both sides of the roadway to reduce its width to as a little as 6.0 m for two-lane, two-way traffic. In urban environments, it is possible to implement curb extensions by removing existing parking spaces. The purpose of a curb extension is to reduce vehicle speeds, reduce crossing distance for pedestrians, increase visibility of pedestrians, and prevent parking close to an intersection. 

Traffic Delineators

  • The use of vertical treatments such as flexible post-mounted delineators or raised pavement markers to create a centre median. This could be used to give drivers a perception of lane narrowing and create a sense of constriction. Flexible post-mounted delineators are similar in appearance to bollards. They are commonly used in work zones, high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, and on ramp exits to direct vehicles or prevent particular movements.

Textured Crosswalk

  • A sidewalk extension is a sidewalk continued across a local street intersection at the level of the roadway. Textured/patterned elements that contrast the roadway can be incorporated into the sidewalk extension. The purpose of a sidewalk extension is to visually enhance a pedestrian crossing location so drivers become more aware of its presence. It is not intended to indicate whether drivers or pedestrians are required to yield (traffic must comply with local or provincial regulations governing the type of pedestrian crossing system being enhanced by the sidewalk extension / textured crosswalk). With a sidewalk extension/textured crosswalk the continuation of the surface and enhanced visual/tactile identification of the crosswalk area emphasizes pedestrian priority. 

Textured Pavement

  • Textured pavement is roadway pavement that incorporates a textured and/or patterned surface which contrasts other adjacent roadways in the surrounding area. The difference in texture alerts drivers of the potential need to reduce speed.

Transverse Rumble Strips

  • Transverse rumble strips are raised buttons, bars or grooves closely spaced at regular intervals on the roadway that create both noise and vibration in a moving vehicle. The purpose of a rumble strip is to alert motorists to a traffic control device which is associated with unusual or changing conditions ahead. Rumble strips are sometimes incorrectly used in a standalone mode as a speed control device. With rumble strips, motorists are alerted by minor vertical deflection of vehicle wheels, and audible warning created as vehicle wheels pass over. 

Red Light Cameras (RLC)

  • Red light Cameras are automated enforcement of signal violation at intersections. They reduce intentional red light running behaviours.

Radar Speed Signs

  • A speed display device is an interactive sign that displays vehicle speeds as oncoming motorists approach. Vehicle speed is captured using radar and can trigger the display board to show when vehicles approach at predetermined unsafe speeds. Can be used upstream of manned speed enforcement. 

Traffic Circle/Roundabout

  • A traffic circle/traffic button/mini-roundabout is an island located at the centre of an intersection, which requires vehicles to travel through the intersection in a counter-clockwise direction around the island. Mini-roundabouts are designed in accordance with full size roundabout design principles presenting splitter islands and deflection of vehicles on all approaches, except that they have a smaller diameter and traversable islands. A traffic circle is typically smaller than a mini-roundabout and does not have splitter islands on the approaches. A traffic button is similar to a traffic circle, however, the former is typically made of coloured asphalt while the latter is landscaped. The turning radius for left turning trucks, buses, or emergency vehicles may require a diameter which would be larger than the intersection space commonly available. Consequently, vehicles may turn in left in front of the traffic circle or mount the centre raised island rather than travelling around it. Yield traffic control is recommended. 

Raised Crosswalk

  • A raised crosswalk is a marked pedestrian crosswalk at an intersection or midblock location constructed at a higher elevation than the adjacent roadway. The purpose of a raised crosswalk is to reduce vehicle speeds, improve pedestrian visibility, and reduce pedestrian–vehicle conflicts.

Speed Hump

  • A raised area of a roadway that causes the vertical upward movement of a traversing vehicle. The purpose of a speed hump is to cause discomfort for drivers travelling at higher speeds and to reduce vehicle speeds.

Tiger Tails

  • Tiger tails are alternating stripes placed below a stop sign to capture the driver's attention. They are generally more frequently used at All-way Stop Controlled intersections when compared to Minor Road Stop Controlled intersections.

Left-side STOP sign

  • Left-side STOP signs are a second set of signage at a stop-controlled approach meant to increase the driver’s visibility of the stop sign. They are generally used at where horizontal curves impair the sight of All-Way Stop Control intersections.

Left-turn Traffic Calming

  • Rubber speed bumps are placed before and after the crosswalk on the centre line of an intersection. These additions “harden” the centerline and encourage drivers to approach the crosswalk at a sharper angle instead of cutting across intersections diagonally, resulting in slower turning speeds and better visibility of people walking and cycling. 

Reflective Strip on STOP signposts

  • Addition of retroreflective strips on stop sign posts may be beneficial when additional attention needs to be drawn to a stop sign. This may be particularly true at night.

Coming Soon

Residents can submit a request for traffic calming measure at a specific location prior to November 1st of a calendar year for implementation in the following calendar year. (Timing subject to change, more details coming soon)

Contact:

Curtis Roach

Senior Project Manager, Capital Projects
Engineering & Public Works
Town of Stouffville
curtis.roach@townofws.ca

Accessible formats available upon request. Contact 905-640-1900 or customer.service@townofws.ca for assistance.
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