Hawstead Road Traffic Calming Pilot

Oct 19, 2020

Residents of Hawstead Road reached out to me in early 2019 to see what I could do to calm the speeding traffic and reduce the volume of traffic on Hawstead Road. I requested the engineers in the Public Works department study the problems and report back. In spring of 2020, the engineers provided a comprehensive Hawstead Road report – key findings were:

Average weekday traffic volumes are in the order of 2,000 vehicles a day which is twice the intended volume for a local street like Hawstead Road.
Average vehicle speeds are between 36 km/h and 37 km/h and approximately 1% of vehicles travel above 55 km/h. While 1% seems minimal, 1% of 2000 vehicles a day equivalates to 20 speeding vehicles a day.
The 2019 traffic study revealed 990 vehicles make a southbound left turn during a 15 hour period

While the engineers don’t know exactly where these 900 vehicles are going – engineers suspect the majority are using Hawstead as a ‘cut through’ to Pembina Hwy and beyond. By restricting left turns onto Hawstead Rd – the City engineers anticipate a reduction in upwards of 900 vehicles a day. Bairdmore and Kirkbridge Road are ‘collector roads’ and are designed to handle the higher traffic volumes.

QUALITY OF LIFE & INCONVENIENCE:

I want to help improve the quality of life for the residents on Hawstead Road – and am supporting the engineer’s recommendation of a one year pilot to monitor the impact of no left turns.
While Hawstead Rd was built as a through road, it was never built to handle the capacity it is receiving today.
Residents have to back out of their driveways onto Hawstead Road, and find this to be an almost impossible task with the current volume of traffic. 20 speeding vehicles a day and twice the volume of traffic are really having a negative effect on lives.
I recognize this may add 3- 4 minutes of driving time for area residents who must now enter the neighbourhood from another direction. I hope you can fit this extra time into your schedule, to help improve the quality of life for residents living on Hawstead Road.
I also recognize this will be a change from your regular driving routine, and understand not all change is embraced – but again, ask you to think of the residents living on Hawstead Road and the issues they face daily.

YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT:

Residents can provide feedback on the Hawstead Road Traffic Calming Pilot through the year by calling 311 or emailing 311@winnipeg.ca
Residents can also register to receive periodic updates on the Hawstead Road Traffic Calming Pilot. Register your contact information by calling 311 or emailing 311@winnipeg.ca

IN SUMMARY:

I ask for your patience for this one year pilot. Engineers estimate it will add perhaps 3-4 minutes of driving time for residents.
Traffic cutting through Richmond West is the result of a much larger problem – that I am working on solving – and that is the build out of Bison Drive. Please see Bison Drive Extension for more details.

Letter mailed to area residents:

Hawstead Road Traffic Calming Pilot

Dear residents,

Neighbourhood safety and livability concerns related to traffic were raised by residents of Hawstead Road. The City of Winnipeg’s Public Works Department conducted a traffic study in the Fall of 2019 and the results can be found at: https://winnipeg.ca/publicworks/transportation/pdf/studies/Hawstead-2020-03-03.pdf Key highlights from the study are:

Hawstead Road is used as a shortcutting route between Waverley Street and Pembina Highway. Average weekday traffic volumes are in the order of 2,000 vehicles a day which is twice the intended volume for a local street like Hawstead Road.
Existing vehicle speeds on Hawstead Road are appropriate for the 50 km/h speed limit. Average vehicle speeds are between 36 km/h and 37 km/h and approximately 1 percent of vehicles travel above 55 km/h. While 1% seems minimal, 1% of 2000 vehicles a day equivalates to 20 speeding vehicles a day.

One-Year Hawstead Road Traffic Calming Pilot

The Public Works Department is initiating a one-year traffic calming pilot project to address the neighbourhood safety and livability issues related to shortcutting traffic on Hawstead Road. Traffic calming measures will be implemented for a one-year period starting this fall. During the one-year pilot period, the City will conduct speed and traffic volume studies, and will survey residents to gather feedback.

To receive periodic updates on the Hawstead Road Traffic Calming Pilot, please register your contact information by calling 311 or emailing 311@winnipeg.ca
Following the one-year pilot and review of data and resident feedback, additional changes may be implemented.

PHASE ONE:

Left turns will be prohibited from southbound Bairdmore Boulevard to eastbound Hawstead Road at all times (24 hours a day, 365 days a year).

The 2019 traffic study revealed 990 vehicles make a southbound left turn during a 15 hour period, and 90 vehicles make this movement during am and pm peak hours.
Signage will be installed on Bairdmore Boulevard prohibiting southbound left turns onto Hawstead Road.
Bairdmore Boulevard is a collector street and is built to handle large volumes of traffic.

Monitoring and Evaluation of the Hawstead Road Traffic Calming Pilot:

Throughout 2021, the City will conduct various monitoring activities:

Video cameras will be installed to monitor driver compliance.
Road tubes will be installed to monitor speed and traffic volumes.
Residents can register feedback throughout the year for the Hawstead Road Traffic Calming Pilot by calling 311 or emailing 311@winnipeg.ca.
A survey will be conducted in Spring 2021 to gather resident’s feedback.
All data and resident feedback will be analyzed and a summary will be provided to residents by the Fall of 2021.
Residents will be consulted if additional traffic calming measures are required.

PHASE TWO:

If restricting left turns from southbound Bairdmore Boulevard are proving to be ineffective, additional traffic calming measures will be discussed with residents and implemented in the Fall of 2021.

The Public Works Department recognizes traffic calming measures may create an inconvenience for some residents.

Residents can provide feedback on the Hawstead Road Traffic Calming Pilot through the year by calling 311 or emailing 311@winnipeg.ca
Residents can also register to receive periodic updates on the Hawstead Road Traffic Calming Pilot. Register your contact information by calling 311 or emailing 311@winnipeg.ca
Residents can also reach out to Councillor Janice Lukes who is aware and supportive of the one-year pilot project.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Peterniak, M.Sc., P.Eng., RSP₁

Community Traffic Engineer

Transportation Division

Public Works Department

City of Winnipeg

311@winnipeg.ca