Avoid the worst and put safety first

 

 

This was the message brought by Queen’s University students to a meeting of the Environment, Infrastructure and Transportation Policies (EITP) Committee of Kingston City Council on February 14, 2012. Members of a Pedestrian Safety Initiative, the students advocated for a lowering of speed limits on campus, due to the high number of students crossing Union and University Streets, two major arteries for city traffic flow. As part of their case, the students informed councillors that from 2005-2010, 82 collisions have occurred at intersections in, or on the edge of, campus. These involved combinations of vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians and resulted in 17 injuries. As research has found that speed is the best predictor of number and severity of collisions, the students advocated for a reduced speed limit. The EITP recommended that city staff investigate the lowering of speed limits on campus.

Solar-powered smart signs now greet drivers on two streets: on Union, near Frontenac if driving east, and near Division if travelling west, and on University Avenue, near Grant Hall (see photo). Why are they smart? They read the speed of oncoming vehicles and broadcast that information to drivers: if under 40 kph, the number is solid yellow; if over 40, it flashes and if very high it turns red. Installed and paid for by the City of Kingston at the request of Queen’s University, the signs are there on a semi-permanent basis and can track the essential average speed. If the City’s study shows the average speed to be consistently too high, advocates may propose another method of traffic calming, such as a scramble intersection at Union and University streets. Let’s hope these high-tech green signs motivate drivers to ease off on the gas pedal as they make their way through one of Kingston’s most pedestrian-clogged areas.

 

 

 

Cycle Sundays are one of the best promoters of active transportation

On Sunday, September 29, from 9 am to 1 pm, part of Front Road should present a dream picture for lovers of active transportation. As the two westbound lanes will be closed to vehicle traffic for the morning, cyclists and others using non-motorized transportation can safely travel the 3.8 km stretch. It’s a free, family friendly event that will happen rain or shine.

 The site is bounded by Centre 70, a Cycling Skills and Safety Checkpoint sponsored by Cycle Kingston, and Lake Ontario Park, where there will be live entertainment, demonstrations, vendors and information booths. According to Anne McPhail, of KFL&A Public Health, Cycle Sunday is designed to promote awareness of cycling as an active transportation option in the City; encourage family participation in active transportation activities; provide an opportunity for residents to participate in a fun, low-cost community event while demonstrating the relative ease of using active transportation as a form of commuting; and promote a cycling event as a standalone rather than in conjunction with other existing events , such as the Princess St. Promenade.

 Kingston’s Cycle Sunday is part of larger movement called Open Streets or Ciclovias, where the streets are opened to people and closed to cars. One of the strongest advocates of such events is 8-80 Cities www.8-80cities.org, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to urban walking and cycling. As their website says, from Guadalajara to New York, the open streets movement is gaining fans: “They are an entire community building and social engagement exercise in itself. They provide free recreational opportunities and public space for people to meet, interact, and make social connections.” Check out their website for videos of cyclovias in cities in North and South America and Europe. Will Kingston be posted next? Let’s hope so!