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RECOMMENDATION(S):
That Council receive the “16 Avenue and Zero Avenue Traffic Conditions Update” report; and further
That Council authorize traffic signal installation at 216 Street and 16 Avenue.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The role, function, and safety of both the 16 Avenue and Zero Avenue corridors have been the
subject of several safety studies and a significant consultation process. Safety improvements have
been implemented on these corridors including: signage, rumble strips, flashing beacons, RCMP
radar pull out bays, road markings, left turn bays, traffic signals, and raised intersections.
The collision history, traffic volumes, and traffic speeds were examined for both corridors. There is
an increasing trend in the number of collisions on 16 Avenue that is likely due to increased traffic
volume. When compared to other locations within the Township, the number of collisions at
intersections on 16 Avenue is relatively low. There is no discernable pattern in the number of
collisions on Zero Avenue.
With the exception of the period of time when the Fraser Highway was under construction,
16 Avenue has maintained a growth rate consistent with regional growth. The traffic volume on
Zero Avenue dropped by 800 vehicles per day following the installation of raised intersections. The
vehicle travel speeds on 16 Avenue appear to be relatively consistent over the past several years.
The travel speeds on Zero Avenue between the raised intersections appears to be relatively
unchanged; however, there has been a reduction in travel speeds at the intersections.
The Traffic Association of Canada recognizes that traffic signals and roundabouts are both nationally
accepted methods for traffic control. At 216 Street and 16 Avenue, due to issues involved in future
expansion of 16 Avenue, capital costs, and the need to implement controls in this construction
season, Engineering recommends the construction of a signalized intersection.
The Zero Avenue corridor has been classified as a local road, but has a role and function similar to a
minor collector. The 16 Avenue corridor is classified as an arterial route, which is consistent with
neighbouring municipalities. Future upgrades and connections are planned for 16 Avenue in both
Surrey and Abbotsford, while nothing is planned for Zero Avenue. There are connectivity issues with
Zero Avenue at the Highway 13 border crossing that limit its ability to act as an east/west corridor.
As part of the Major Road Network (MRN), 16 Avenue is eligible for 100% of the operating and
maintenance costs and up to 50% of the capital upgrade costs. Any costs incurred on Zero Avenue
are 100% the responsibility of the Township.
16 AVENUE AND ZERO AVENUE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS UPDATE
Page 2 . . .
PURPOSE:
To provide historic and current information on the safety and performance of Zero Avenue and
16 Avenue, confirm upgrades to be implemented in 2009, and to obtain Council authority to install
traffic signals at 16 Avenue and 216 Street.
16 AVENUE AND ZERO AVENUE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS UPDATE
Page 3 . . .
BACKGROUND/HISTORY:
Improving safety of both the Zero Avenue and 16 Avenue corridors has been important to the
Township for several years. An ICBC sponsored safety study on 16 Avenue was conducted in
1995, and updated in 1999. Toward improving safety on Zero Avenue following the paving of a
previously unpaved portion of the road in the 1990’s, the Township undertook an ICBC
sponsored corridor safety study in 2002. There was also a study on the impact of the proposed
safety measures on traffic volumes and potential diversion of traffic to 16 Avenue. Attachment A
summarizes the previous safety improvements and initiatives undertaken on both Zero Avenue
and 16 Avenue.
The Traffic Association of Canada recognizes that traffic signals and roundabouts are both nationally
accepted methods for traffic control. At 216 Street and 16 Avenue, due to issues involved in future
expansion of 16 Avenue, higher capital costs, and the need to implement controls in this
construction season, Engineering recommends the construction of a signalized intersection.
The Zero Avenue corridor has been identified in the Township’s Highway Classification Map as
a “local road”. As a result, it is intended to carry relatively low volumes of traffic. The current
draft Master Transportation Plan identifies Zero Avenue as a minor collector road due to the
connectivity that it provides to the east and west. It is primarily constructed to a 2-lane country
road standard with no paved shoulders. It is not designed or constructed to carry significant
volumes of traffic.
Consultation Activities:
Because Zero Avenue and 16 Avenue are parallel east-west corridors within the Township,
there is a potential diversion of traffic from one corridor to another due to safety improvements
being undertaken. In order to mitigate these concerns, the Township has undertaken significant
technical analysis and public and council consultation on the proposed improvements. The
consultation process included Council reports, memos, letters, and presentations to Council as
well as public meetings, a public workshop, and feedback questionnaires. Attachment B
provides a summary of the many of the formal consultation activities undertaken.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
Township staff reviewed the effectiveness of the raised intersection on both the safety of
Zero Avenue and the impact to 16 Avenue. It is common practice to evaluate safety
improvements after their installation when sufficient time has passed to allow for trends or
patterns to emerge. Three years of post implementation data are now available for the raised
intersections on Zero Avenue, completed in the spring of 2005. The typical type of data
collected is collision history, traffic volumes, and vehicle speeds. Attachment C summarizes the
available collision data for both corridors.
16 AVENUE AND ZERO AVENUE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS UPDATE
Page 4 . . .
Collision History:
Collision history along a corridor, based solely on the number of collisions occurring within a
given year is inadequate. Further examination of the collision history, specific locations, and
contributing factors to collisions should be considered. In addition, the number of collisions on
this corridor should be assessed and compared to other roads of a similar nature to determine
the priority for improvements. Based upon the available data, there appears to be a general
increase in collisions on 16 Avenue, which could be attributed to increased traffic volumes.
16 Avenue
Fatal Crashes
Fatal crashes are relatively rare and random events in the context of the total number of
vehicles on the corridor per day and millions of kilometers driven on the corridor each
year. The RCMP has provided some information on the contributing factors to the fatal
crashes that occurred on 16 Avenue, including:
Hot Spots
There are several intersections along the corridor which have a higher number of
collisions. The Township examined the last three years of data in further detail to
determine the number of collisions at each intersection along the corridor. The highest
collision locations were:
The intersections of 16 Avenue at 200 Street and 264 Street are the highest traffic
volume locations along the corridor, resulting in a higher incidence of collisions. The
intersection of 16 Avenue at 216 Street is proposed to be upgraded in 2009. The
intersection of 16 Avenue at 240 Street is proposed to be upgraded with left turn lanes in
2009. Intersection improvements on 16 Avenue at 248 Street were deferred pending
further evaluation of alternative traffic control measures.
16 AVENUE AND ZERO AVENUE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS UPDATE
Page 5 . . .
The number of collisions each year at the intersection of 200 Street at 64 Avenue
exceeds the total number of collisions along the entire 16 Avenue corridor. Only one
intersection on 16 Avenue is included in the list of top collision locations within the
Township. This is the intersection with the highest traffic volume, 16 Avenue at
200 Street.
Zero Avenue
There does not appear to be a discernable pattern for the collision trend on
Zero Avenue. The collision trend from year to year is also difficult to distinguish as many
of the collisions on both corridors are influenced by outside factors such as weather.
Traffic Volumes
The Township has a program of periodically monitoring vehicle traffic volumes on major
roads. Due to the concerns raised by south Langley residents, traffic counts were
conducted on numerous occasions on both 16 Avenue and Zero Avenue. Traffic counts
were conducted at several locations along each of the corridors. The traffic counts were
all conducted at the same time of the year in the July/August summer months in order to
maintain consistency for comparison purposes.
The following table and chart summarizes the average daily traffic volume in each year
for both corridors. As counts were conducted in multiple locations most years, the data
shown is for the highest traffic volume location along the corridor. 16 Avenue and
Zero Avenue Average Daily Traffic Volumes:
16,000
14,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
Year
In 2005-07, upgrading works on the Fraser Highway were in progress and volumes
appear to have “spiked” on 16 Avenue (14,007); since their completion, volume has
subsequently declined to 11,532.
Also, in 2005, raised intersection on Zero Avenue decreased volume in that year by 800
vehicles per day; which, in part, contributed to the “spike” on 16 Avenue.
Vehicle Speeds
The Township does not typically undertake vehicle speed surveys except in
circumstances where significant concern has been expressed by local residents, or at
locations where excessive speed may be a contributing factor to collisions. The
Township has undertaken some speed surveys on both the Zero Avenue and 16 Avenue
corridors. The surveys undertaken from 2000-2005 were conducted at random on
several locations on each corridor utilizing a radar gun. Each survey typically contains a
data set of 200-300 vehicles per direction during daylight hours. The surveys
undertaken in 2008 were conducted using road traffic tube counters and were collected
for seven days, 24 hours per day, at several locations in the summer of 2008.
The data collected was summarized and the average, median, and 85th percentile
speeds were calculated. The 85th percentile speed is the speed at which 85 % of the
traffic is traveling at or below. In addition, the surveys undertaken in 2005 included the
speeds approaching at and beyond the raised intersections, as well as locations mid-
block away from any potential influence of the raised intersections. Similarly, the road
tube surveys conducted in 2008 were conducted either approaching, beyond, or at mid-
block to the raised intersection. It is not possible to collect vehicle speed data at raised
intersections with the road tubes. The following table summarizes the average, median,
and 85th percentile speeds on both Zero Avenue and 16 Avenue.
16 AVENUE AND ZERO AVENUE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS UPDATE
Page 7 . . .
The vehicle travel speeds on 16 Avenue appear to be consistent between 2002 and
2008. There is a minor change in vehicle travel speeds along Zero Avenue at the raised
intersections. The vehicle travel speed between the raised intersections is consistent
with speeds recorded in previous years. The Township has recently installed several
“VCalm” speed reader boards which are to be supplemented with RCMP enforcement
on 16 Avenue. The VCalm units are intended to be a public education measure to
influence driver behavior in locations where other measures, such as traffic calming,
cannot be implemented. Speed data is being collected on these units, but is not
available at this time.
Other Considerations
There are several other factors that should be considered when examining the role and function
of both 16 Avenue and Zero Avenue.
The intersections at 216 Street, 224 Street and 240 Street are “hot spots”;
The ditches and narrow shoulder make enforcement problematic;
Dips and hills create sight distance restrictions;
Lack of roadway illumination and potential additional illumination at intersections;
Intersections with 2-way stop control should be reviewed for potential upgrades;
With increased traffic volumes, collisions will likely increase proportionally;
Motorists may attempt to cross 16 Avenue when not safe to do so which is made
more difficult with higher vehicle speeds;
Construction of pullouts along 16 Avenue to aid enforcement efforts.
16 AVENUE AND ZERO AVENUE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS UPDATE
Page 8 . . .
East/West connectivity:
As part of the draft Master Transportation Plan, the Township consulted with adjacent
municipalities on their future road plans.
The City of Abbotsford plans to construct a connection along Zero Avenue to the
Abbotsford Airport.
The City of Surrey plans to widen 16 Avenue to four lanes and is also in discussions with
the Ministry of Transportation on potential connections to Highway 99. Neither the City
of Surrey nor City of Abbotsford have any plans for Zero Avenue.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul Cordeiro
MANAGER, TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
for
ENGINEERING DIVISION
ATTACHMENT A
Following the 1995 Safety Study, 1999 and 2002 updated safety studies the following
improvements have been undertaken on 16 Avenue:
ATTACHMENT B
CONSULTATION ACTIVITIES
16 AVENUE AND ZERO AVENUE
April 17, 2000 Report 00-116: Intersection of 16 Avenue and 208 Street;
April 17, 2000 Report 00-117: Intersection of 16 Avenue and 232 Street;
April 17, 2000 Report 00-126: 16 Avenue Corridor Review Update;
October 2, 2000 Report 00-298: Traffic Concerns on Zero Avenue;
February 26, 2001 Report 01-046: Traffic Concerns on Zero Avenue;
February 26, 2001 Report 01-047: Intersection of 16 Avenue at 232 Street;
June 11, 2001 Report 01-155: Drainage Improvements at 21379 Zero Avenue;
December 3, 2001 Report 01-311: Safety Improvements to the 16 Avenue Corridor;
January 21, 2002 Report 02-016: 16 Avenue Intersection Safety;
May 6, 2002 Report 02-119: Road Improvements at 21379 Zero Avenue;
May 6, 2002 Report 02-130: Zero Avenue Traffic and Safety Issues;
May 27, 2002 Report 02-138: Road Improvements at 21379 Zero Avenue;
July 22, 2002 Report 02-211: Zero Avenue and 16 Avenue Traffic Report Update;
September 30, 2002 Report 02-247: Road Improvements on Zero Avenue 204 Street to
212 Streets;
October 21, 2002 Report 02-271: 16 Avenue Corridor Speed Mitigation;
October 20, 2003 Report 03-286: Cost Estimates for Budget Purposes, Widening of
Zero Avenue, North Side Shoulder;
September 27, 2004 Report 04-271: Zero Avenue Safety Improvements;
November 15, 2005 Memo: Zero Avenue and 16 Avenue Traffic Data;
November 29, 2006 Memo: Proposed 16 Avenue Road Improvements;
November 8, 2007 Memo: Signage on Zero Avenue for Raised Intersections;
December 4, 2007 Letter to MoT: Zero Avenue/264 Traffic Concerns;
Presentation to Council May 14, 2001: Zero Avenue Enforcement Strategy;
Presentation to Council May 3, 2002: Zero Avenue Traffic and Safety Issues;
Public Meeting Presentation June 25, 2002: Zero Avenue Corridor Safety Study (ICBC);
Public Meeting Presentation June 25, 2002: Zero Avenue Corridor Recommendations for
Safety Improvements;
Presentation to Council July 22, 2002: Zero Avenue and 16 Avenue Traffic Report Update;
Public Workshop August 12, 2002: Zero Avenue and 16 Avenue;
Presentation to Council July 5, 2004: Zero Avenue Workshop.
16 AVENUE AND ZERO AVENUE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS UPDATE
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ATTACHMENT C
There are two sources of collision data available to the Township. The first set of data is based
upon RCMP reported collisions and the second set of data is based upon ICBC claims. As the
RCMP data is based upon collision reports, they often contain more specific information on the
conditions that may have attributed to the collision. This type of information is often used to
examine potential safety improvements and their effectiveness. As many claims are not
reported to the RCMP, the ICBC data is often used to evaluate general trends in terms of total
number of collisions at an intersection or along a corridor. The following tables and charts
summarize the RCMP and ICBC collision data for both the Zero Avenue and 16 Avenue
corridors.
120
100
Number of Collisions
80
60
40
20
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
ICBC RCMP
16 AVENUE AND ZERO AVENUE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS UPDATE
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40
35
Number of Collisions
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
ICBC RCMP
16 AVENUE AND ZERO AVENUE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS UPDATE
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ATTACHMENT D
It should be noted that the Township has recently undertaken or will be undertaking the
following improvements that should address some of the collisions at these intersections: