City considers removing traffic lights at three downtown intersections

The city's public works and engineering services staff are considering scrapping traffic signals at the intersections of Queen and Church, Albert and Elgin, and Albert and Dennis Streets.

"Unwarranted signals can cause driver frustration, which in turn causes drivers to seek alternate routes on roads unable to handle the additional traffic or to disobey the traffic rules," says Maggie McAuley, municipal services and design engineer.

City council will be asked on Monday to approve removal studies and public consultations on the three intersections, possibly including temporary 'bagging' of traffic lights to determine whether they are necessary.

The following are excerpts from a report prepared by McAuley for Mayor Shoemaker and city councillors:

Background

The function of a traffic signal is to alternate the right-of-way between conflicting traffic and pedestrian movement. Currently, there are 78 traffic signals in operation throughout the city.

The need for traffic signals is determined through warrant calculations established in the Ontario Traffic Manual (OTM) Book 12.

The justifications take into consideration the volume of traffic on the major and minor streets, pedestrian activity, collision history, physical configuration and delay to vehicles and pedestrians.

When installed in accordance with the OTM, traffic signals make traffic flow smoother and safer for all road users.

Properly timed traffic signals can also benefit surrounding streets by creating a gap in traffic that allows for turn movements from nearby unsignalized intersections. Signals can reduce the severity and frequency of certain types of crashes.

Unwarranted signals can cause driver frustration, which in turn causes drivers to seek alternate routes on roads unable to handle the additional traffic or to disobey the traffic rules.

When operating properly and signal timing efficiency is optimized, the capacity of movement through a signalized intersection is improved and driver delay is minimized.

The city uses a software system called Centracs to remotely monitor the operation of traffic signals, receive alerts and alarms, change setting and other key functions.

Centracs also allows communication between adjacent traffic controllers to adjust signal timing. For example, when an advanced left turn signal is extended at one intersection, Centracs allows the controller to send this information to other controllers at nearby signalized intersections to automatically adjust the signal timing.

Currently, 34 of the traffic signals are in the Centracs system, mostly at major intersections and corridors.

Within the Centracs program, there is an additional module called Signals Performance Measures (SPM) that provides a higher layer of traffic management. The software analyzes the previous week’s traffic data and recommends adjustments to the signal timing.

Only 10 traffic signals have this additional module. They are located on the Great Northern Road corridor, from Northern Avenue to the Home Depot/Soo Mill intersection, and on the Second Line corridor, from Pine Street to Peoples Road.

At signalized intersections, the city makes use of cameras, buried traffic sensors and programmed timing patterns to prompt phases such as advanced left turns and pedestrian crossings.

At signalized intersections without technology to trigger the change in the traffic signal, the signal is pre-programmed to change at certain intervals. This can be a reason why drivers experience delays at signalized intersection during off-peak times.

Other signalized intersections have buried traffic sensors under the asphalt. This is older technology that is vulnerable to failure due to environmental and traffic loading conditions. Broken technology is another reason that drivers may experience delays at these signalized intersection.

Instead of buried traffic sensors, newer constructed or upgraded systems have cameras installed that will recognize an approaching vehicle and trigger that change in the signals. In addition to the above, some of the traffic signals can be actuated by pushing the pedestrian button.

When a vehicle approaches a red light, or a pedestrian pushes the pedestrian button, they will not always see an immediate reaction from the traffic signals. All traffic signals have a minimum amount of time that must be met before it can change the signal. This ensures that the intersection can be cleared before changing the right-of-way to the other direction.

Alternatively, if the signal that is green has been extended beyond its minimum time, cars or pedestrians that approach the red light will see an immediate reaction with the traffic signals. This is why drivers may experience delays from minor roads during the off-peak times.

Of the 78 signalized intersections, 10 have cameras, 60 have buried traffic sensors. All signals have some level of pedestrian activation and some signals, mostly in the downtown core are pre-timed.

It is unknown how many buried traffic sensors are functional. The city is made aware of broken sensors through investigation and complaints.

Evaluation of existing signals

To begin this study, staff reviewed the most recent traffic data for the 78 signalized intersections and eliminated the signals that were considered to have a high volume, signals that are already part of the Centracs/SPM system, signals that were reviewed as part of a recent study or environmental assessment, and traffic signals that will be reviewed as part of studies that have been identified to begin in the near future.

This resulted in nine intersections being recommended for further study and data collection. New data was collected in the field and a further five signals were determined to be justified, leaving four intersections for consideration for removal.

Using the OTM warrant process, four intersections do not meet the justification for traffic signals: Albert Street and Brock Street, Albert Street and Elgin Street, Albert and Dennis Street, Queen Street and Church Street.

When considering the signals on Albert Street, they do not meet the justification for minimum traffic volume, which requires 100 per cent compliance with a minimum number of vehicles in the heaviest eight-hour period. However, their compliance ranges from 70 per cent to 90 per cent of meeting the justification.

There is some concern that with the revitalization of downtown and the development of higher density residential properties, the traffic along Albert Street could increase enough to meet the justification requirement for a traffic signal. For this reason, the intersection of Albert Street and Brock was removed, because volume compliance was 80-90 per cent.

While the same concern applies to the Queen Street and Church Street intersection, there is also a concern that the removal of the signal will eliminate a controlled pedestrian crossing near the Hub Trail and eliminate the gaps in traffic that allow turn movements from the stop controlled intersections east of Church Street.

When removing traffic signals, the OTM recommends determining the appropriate traffic control, removal of sight-distance restrictions, public consultation followed by removal of the hardware.

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration of the United States Department of Transportation. This document recommends the phased removal of traffic signals once the decision for removal has been made. The phased approach includes:

• determining appropriate traffic control
• removing sight distance restrictions
• informing the public of the removal study
• flash or cover the signal heads for a minimum of 90 day and install the appropriate traffic control
• remove the signal if the data collected during the removal study confirms that the signal is no longer needed.

Staff is recommending proceeding with the above phased approach and public consultation of the following intersections:

• Queen Street East and Church Street
• Albert Street and Elgin Street
• Albert Street and Dennis Street

This will allow staff to review the impact on pedestrian and cyclist movement through the intersection as well as assess the impact on the surrounding side streets through public consultation. Final recommendations will be presented to council for approval.

Recommendations for removal will take into consideration the costs associated with the proposed changes. Based on recent pricing, it is estimated that full removal of the signals is approximately $5,000, while installation of a new signal is in the range of $300,000 and installation of a PXO [pedestrian crossover] where the removal of the signal prompts a new controlled pedestrian crossings is approximately $75,000.

Status of existing system

The hardware servicing the city's signalized intersections can be upwards of 30 years old. The intersections have been slowly upgraded when budget has been made available.

All traffic control equipment is being reviewed as part of Phase 2 of the Asset Management Plan. It is anticipated that the plan will produce a prioritization list for upgrades to the system with the associated estimated budget. In addition to the recommendations of the Asset Management Plan, funding has been allocated each year of the next 5-year Capital Transportation Program to upgrade traffic signal controllers.

The city continues to upgrade hardware at intersections as funding is available. By the end of 2023, public works expects to install cameras at two intersections at a cost of approximately $25,000 per intersection.

The city is working towards replacing buried traffic sensors with cameras and adding pedestrian push buttons where none exist.

Future budget requests, in line with the future Asset Management Plan, will be required to accelerate the upgrading of the signalized traffic system. This will aid in the optimization and coordination of the signal timing and help reduce unwarranted delays.

Alternate traffic management techniques

Staff have discussed construction of roundabouts with the consultant providing traffic advisory services. Roundabouts are recommended for review at locations where new traffic signals are being considered, or to solve a problem at existing intersections when an upgrade to the intersection is required.

Staff continue to monitor possible locations for roundabouts using the guidance provided in the Transportation Master Plan.

Flashing signals at night or during off-peak hours is a topic that has been previously discussed at council. It was staff’s opinion that there is a well-documented increase in liability with the implementation of late-night flashing signals as collisions typically increase. This opinion has not changed and is consistent with municipalities across Ontario.
 
Improvements to the timing of advanced green arrow, and off-peak phase adjustments can be addressed through coordination, timing, and equipment upgrades.

Staff have been working with the traffic advisory consultant to provide a Signal Timing Procedures and Policies. This is currently in the draft phase. It addresses pedestrian signal timing, vehicle clearance process, warrants for left turn phase, modelling parameters and signal timing optimization and coordination.

Next Steps

Staff will continue to work on the following items to improve our traffic system:

• complete the removal study and public consultation for the intersections of Queen Street and Church Street, Albert Street and Elgin Street, and Albert Street and Dennis Street. This may include the bagging of the signals for a trial period
• there will be a request in the 2024 budget deliberations for funding the expansion of the Centracs system. Expansion will add approximately 40 more intersections into the Centracs system in addition to the 34 intersections that are currently in the software
• future implementation of the Asset Management Plan, and individual budget requests to upgrade the equipment at signalized intersection to install cameras and pedestrian push buttons
• expand the use of the Centracs and SPM to more intersections to improve optimization and coordination of traffic corridors
• continue to review signalized intersection warrants when conducting engineering studies, road diets and capital reconstruction projects
• finalize the Signal Timing Procedures and Polices and present to council for adoption. As new technology is implemented at traffic signals, review and update signal timing policy and procedures
• plan update of the Transportation Master Plan