Avenue I South (11th Street West to 12th Street West)

Traffic Calming Update - September 2024

A survey was sent out to residents on the block to gauge their preferences for exploring a directional closure, proceeding with speed humps or removal of all traffic calming.

The advantages and disadvantages of the two traffic calming measures are outlined below.

Measure	Speed Hump	Directional Closure
General Information	Speed humps are designed to slow traffic as they pass over the vertical deflection. Speed reductions between 6 and 13 km/h and traffic volume reductions between 15% and 27% have been realized in other communities.	A directional closure is a curb extension or vertical barrier extending to approximately the centerline of a roadway, effectively obstructing (prohibiting) one direction of traffic.
Example Photo	Speed Hump in Avalon	Directional Closure in Mayfair
Advantages	Reduced operating speeds Reduced traffic volumes Traffic noise may be reduced due to lower speeds Reduced vehicle conflicts	Reduced traffic volumes Reduced vehicle conflicts
Disadvantages	Traffic noise may be increased due to braking and accelerating Emergency vehicle response times may be increased May have negative effects on routine maintenance, such as snow grading and street sweeping Some debris may collect at the edges of the speed hump	Emergency vehicle response times may be increased May have negative effects on routine maintenance, such as snow grading and street sweeping Some debris may collect at the edge of the curb extension or vertical barrier

^{*If the residents of the block would like us to explore a directional closure, additional engagement will be undertaken.}

Community engagement

A review of the the mid-block pinch point on the east side of Avenue I South from 11th Street W to 12th Street W involved a public drop-in session on November 15, 2022 with this engagement material on display and a mailed and online survey of affected residents. The majority of the people who provided feedback did not support the recommendation to install a permanent pinch point in place of the temporary one. 

On April 20^th, 2023, a walk-through of the 1000 block of Avenue I South was completed to determine potential locations for a speed hump to replace the temporary pinch point. An invitational flyer was delivered to residents on the block and two residents attended the walk-through. Both residents in attendance preferred designating Avenue I South as a one-way with a directional closure instead of installing a speed hump.

Traffic calming review

The recommendations from the 2021 Neighbourhood Traffic Review in Holiday Park and King George included changes for Avenue I South, which were implemented in spring 2021. The following measures were taken to improve safety and reduce traffic volume for Avenue I after the closure of Spadina Crescent near the Water Treatment Plant.

• Remove parking on east side of Avenue I South from 11th Street West to 12th Street West and on the south side of 12th Street West from Avenue H South to Avenue I South.
• Install a mid-block pinch point on the east side of Avenue I South from 11th Street West to 12th Street West.

Observations

Traffic data was collected in December 2020 prior to the installation of the mid-block pinch point and in April 2022 after the installation of the mid-block pinch point to measure changes in traffic.

^{*Note: Operating speed is the speed at which 85% of vehicles were at or below.}

On March 1, 2021, the Holiday Park - King George Traffic Plan was presented to the Standing Policy Committee for Transportation. The plan was developed with feedback from meeting with residents in these neighbourhoods between October 2019 and December 2020.

It includes a number of traffic calming devices and signage to improve conditions in the neighbourhood. The recommended traffic calming devices will be installed temporarily. The devices will be reviewed and monitored. Devices that are performing effectively will be installed permanently as funding becomes available. Traffic calming devices that are not performing as intended or have created operational issues will be removed. ​​

Thank you to everyone who sent in transportation concerns for the Holiday Park - King George  Neighbourhood Traffic Review! 

Neighbourhood Traffic Review Video Series

The neighbourhood traffic review video series contains valuable information about the traffic review process, how we collect and analyze data, and various topics that often come up during neighbourhood traffic reviews. Additional information is provided on the Neighbourhood Traffic Review webpage.

Program Introduction

Data Collection and Analysis

Traffic Control

Pedestrian Crossing Devices

Traffic Calming

Parking Restrictions

Maintenance Issues

Schedule and Next Steps

A complete list of the Neighbourhood Traffic Reviews undertaken to date is available at saskatoon.ca/NTR.