Transit City Etobicoke - Finch West LRT
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Delcan Corporation Toronto Transit Commission / City of Toronto Etobicoke-Finch West Light Rail Transit Transit Project Assessment Environmental Project Report - Appendices Transit City Etobicoke - Finch West LRT APPENDIX C - Existing and Future Traffic Operations March 2010 March 2010 Appendix C Delcan Corporation Toronto Transit Commission / City of Toronto Etobicoke-Finch West Light Rail Transit Transit Project Assessment Environmental Project Report It is assumed that with the introduction of the LRT in the median, the majority of the Finch Avenue West corridor will 1. ASSUMPTIONS AND METHODOLOGY FOR TRAFFIC ANALYSIS OF maintain two through lanes for general traffic in each direction. The exception is the section of Finch Avenue West in ETOBICOKE-FINCH WEST LRT CORRIDOR proximity to Highway 400, between Jane Street and Weston Road, where three lanes in each direction have been retained (except under the CPR structure just east of Weston Road, which will narrow to two traffic lanes in each direction). [The Highway 400 portion of Finch Avenue will be discussed later in this section, and, as noted, the Existing traffic conditions in the corridor have been analyzed using the Synchro 7 software program and its Sim-Traffic analysis is described in detail in Appendix E.] microsimulation component to model traffic behaviour on the streets and intersections of the study area. Due to the significance of the operations of the corridor at the interface with Highway 400, a separate detailed microsimulation The level of service for traffic at major intersections is expected to be lower (more congested) than at present with the was carried out in the vicinity of Highway 400 using the AIMSUN program. Results of this separate study are reported introduction of the LRT because of the additional U-turn traffic demand in left-turn lanes; the removal of bus bays, in Appendix E. which were de facto right-turn lanes; and the removal of “permissive” left-turn movements on Finch Avenue at signalized intersections as a safety feature for the LRT operation. The signal operations on all but the Highway 400 1.1 General configuration of traffic facilities in the corridor section of the Finch Avenue West LRT corridor have been analyzed using standard software (Synchro 7) with original traffic volumes and traffic signal timings provided by the City of Toronto. Intersection approaches are deemed to be at Existing lane configurations will be maintained by widening the curb-to-curb roadway to establish the new LRT capacity when the analysis reveals that the average vehicle delay is equal to or exceeds 55 seconds. This condition is trackway in the median. At some intersections, bus bays will be replaced by the relocated through lanes because bus commonly expressed as Level of Service (LOS) E and F. service will be replaced by the LRT service. These bus bays also function as short right-turn lanes when buses are not present, but right-turn lanes will not be provided in the future in order to: limit road widening impacts upon properties; protect opportunities for enhanced sidewalk, landscape and streetscape amenities, and to keep pedestrian crossing distances at intersections to the minimum width possible. 2. EXISTING CONDITIONS 1.2 Traffic measurement All signalized intersections across the corridor were analyzed, including those mid-block and driveway intersections where LRT stations will not be located. Analysis results are illustrated later in this Appendix. All of the 13 intersections The traffic capacity and level of service for traffic on an arterial road is typically measured at major signalized that currently experience at-capacity traffic conditions on Finch Avenue West are expected to continue to do so once intersections during normal morning and evening weekday peak hours where the traffic signal timing (which controls the LRT is operational. An additional 8 intersections are also expected to be at-capacity under the future LRT conflicting movements of pedestrians, streetcars, bikes and other vehicles) represents a constraint to traffic flow. scenario, and are listed in the table below: When calculating the impacts of the LRT project on traffic capacity along the Finch Avenue West corridor, numerous Finch Avenue West Peak Hour Intersection Approaches At-Capacity assumptions have been made, which represent a “worst case scenario” for traffic operations: This method allows the disclosure of a theoretical maximum impact for EA purposes. Actual impacts may be less after mitigation and design Cross street Approach Existing Peak Hour With LRT Peak Hours interventions. Assumptions for the EFW LRT project and other TTC Transit City lines are as follows: Yonge Westbound AM AM and PM i) The volume of existing traffic will be unchanged in the future, minus Finch West buses; ii) Additional traffic generated by new, large, approved developments (at the time of the analysis) has been Yonge Eastbound AM and PM AM and PM added; Talbot Westbound AM iii) Traffic previously executing left-turn movements into or out of driveways and unsignalized intersections has been rerouted to adjacent signalized intersections as U-turn movements; Senlac Eastbound AM and PM iv) LRT vehicles will proceed with the through movement of general traffic on Finch Avenue; v) All left-turn and U-turn traffic manoeuvres from Finch Avenue West will only proceed with a “protected” green Bathurst Westbound AM and PM arrow traffic signal phase, to ensure the movements do not conflict with LRT flow; Bathurst Eastbound PM AM and PM vi) Pedestrian crossing timings have been provided in conformance with City of Toronto standards; vii) Vehicular traffic signal phases have been optimized to achieve the most efficient balance of the remaining Virgilwood Westbound AM AM green time during peak hour traffic signal cycles. Dufferin Westbound AM and PM AM and PM Dufferin Eastbound AM and PM The adoption of these assumptions is considered a “worst case scenario” because some portions of the existing single occupancy vehicle drivers are expected to shift to a different mode of transport, primarily the LRT itself, and Alness/Champagne Eastbound PM AM and PM others will find alternate routes for all or a portion of their previous use of Finch Avenue West. This shift in mode or Alness/Champagne Westbound AM and PM route also addresses any potential traffic growth which may otherwise have occurred along this corridor in the future. Chesswood Eastbound and AM and PM Westbound March 2010 Appendix C - 2 Delcan Corporation Toronto Transit Commission / City of Toronto Etobicoke-Finch West Light Rail Transit Transit Project Assessment Environmental Project Report Cross street Approach Existing Peak Hour With LRT Peak Hours 3. MITIGATION MEASURES CONSIDERED Keele Eastbound AM AM and PM Mitigation measures have been considered for these locations, and determined to be unfeasible at the locations noted Keele Westbound AM and PM above, with the exception of Highway 27. Jane Eastbound AM and PM AM and PM a) Prohibition of left-turn/U-turn movements at major intersections Norfinch/Oakdale Eastbound AM and PM AM and PM This treatment was studied at four intersections along the Finch Avenue corridor, namely at Bathurst Street, Dufferin Street, Jane Street, and at Weston Road. In all cases, the potential alternate routes were anticipated Norfinch/Oakdale Westbound AM and PM AM and PM and assessed. In the cases of Bathurst Street and Jane Street, it is predictable that significant volumes of Highway 400 northbound off Eastbound and AM and PM traffic would infiltrate onto local residential streets in the immediate area. At Dufferin Street and at Weston ramp Westbound Road, which border industrialized areas and thus are both serving a mixture of traffic including numerous large trucks, the number of alternate routes are limited. Any potential detour would take this traffic to Highway 400 southbound off Eastbound and AM and PM intersections which are already predicted to be at capacity. ramp Westbound b) Provision of new “Downstream” U-turn traffic signals combined with the prohibition of left/U-turn prohibitions Signet/Arrow Westbound AM and PM AM and PM The concept is to create new signalized U-turn opportunities for traffic wishing to turn left beyond the major Signet/Arrow Eastbound AM and PM AM and PM intersection where the left turns are prohibited. In all cases, the creation of such new signals was deemed unfeasible because of the need to accommodate the movement of large tractor trailers which have very broad Weston Westbound PM AM and PM turning radii, and because of the large number of driveways, other turning movements, and congested traffic Weston Eastbound AM and PM AM and PM conditions in close proximity downstream from the subject intersections. Islington Westbound AM and PM c) Introduction of double left/U-turn lanes for heavy movements on Finch Avenue The impact of building relatively short double left-turn/U-turn lanes compared to long single left-turn/U-turn Islington Eastbound PM lanes was assessed at four major intersections for the following critical approaches: eastbound at Bathurst Kipling Westbound PM Street; westbound at Dufferin Street; eastbound at Alness Street; and westbound at Chesswood Drive. In each case, the resultant double turn lane design requires more property takings than the single lane design, Kipling Eastbound PM and additional road construction costs are also anticipated. The double turn lane design also results in longer Albion Rd. Westbound PM PM crossing distances for pedestrians, and thus a less pedestrian-friendly environment in locations where pedestrian crossing activity is encouraged, and where pedestrian access to LRT platforms is required. Double Albion Rd. Eastbound PM AM and PM left turns were considered as a means of keeping the cycle length relatively low due to a relatively shorter left Martin Grove Westbound AM and PM turn phase requirement, and the lower cycle length can be better for both pedestrians and transit.