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Road Safety & Vision Zero Plan

Far off, in another land, the other side of the rainbow....there's hope and respect...for some things at least:
Automatic speed limits planned for all new cars
Safety groups hail biggest overhaul in 50 years
Graeme Paton, Transport Correspondent
March 27 2019, 12:01am, The Times

All new cars will be fitted with devices that make sure they automatically keep to the speed limit in a move billed as the biggest overhaul of road safety in more than 50 years.
Within the next three years, models sold in Europe are expected to use technology that detects limits and slows down vehicles travelling too fast.
It will be one of 15 new safety features fitted as standard to cars, HGVs or buses. Other measures include technology that detects when drivers are losing concentration or falling asleep, a system that keeps cars in the centre of lanes and accident black boxes that record vehicle movements.
All cars will also be fitted with automatic emergency braking, which brings vehicles to a stop when pedestrians step into the road or a car ahead suddenly slams on the brakes.
The measures were approved by the European Commission and are expected to be rubberstamped by the European parliament and member states in September. The UK government has already said that vehicle standards will be aligned with those in the EU after Brexit, meaning that the same rules will be expected on British roads.

Road safety groups described the measures as possibly the biggest single improvement since front seatbelts were made compulsory. However, the AA warned that “intelligent speed assistance” could prove problematic if a vehicle is suddenly slowed down when another car is driving too close behind.
The changes will be applied to all wholly new models of cars by 2022. New versions of existing cars will be fitted with the technology from 2024. Many new cars, particularly premium models, already have some or all of the systems.
Nine in ten crashes are believed to involve some form of human error.
Speed assistance uses GPS technology to detect the limit on a road. A vehicle driving too fast when a speed limit changes will be automatically slowed down, which campaigners hope will help to change motorists’ behaviour.
It will not be possible for the driver to switch off the system completely. However, in a move designed to smooth public acceptance of the technology, drivers will be able to override it when it kicks in by pushing down on the accelerator. This will allow motorists to overtake a vehicle just in front.
The move follows the publication of figures by the Department for Transport showing that 4,805 accidents were logged in 2017 in which the driver was exceeding the speed limit. Of those, 203 involved a death, representing one in seven fatal crashes on British roads.
Volvo announced weeks ago that it would roll out technology to limit the top speed of cars to 112mph from 2020.
Edmund King, president of the AA, welcomed measures such as automatic emergency braking but warned: “This sort of technology can be problematic when you suddenly switch from a 40 to 30mph zone and there is a taxi right on your tail. Quickly slowing right down isn’t always the wise thing to do,” he said. “It also relies on ensuring that it has a very comprehensive and up-to-date map of all speed limits. What happens when you enter roadworks and the car allows you to go too fast?”
Joshua Harris, of Brake, said: “These measures will provide the biggest leap forward for road safety this century, perhaps even since the introduction of the seatbelt. These lifesaving measures come at a vital time, with 70 people still being killed or seriously injured on British roads every day.”
Elzbieta Bienkowska, the EU commissioner for industry, said: “Every year 25,000 people lose their lives on our roads. The vast majority of these accidents are caused by human error . . . With the new advanced safety features that will become mandatory, we can have the same kind of impact as when the safety belts were first introduced.”
A Department for Transport spokesman said: “We continuously work with partners across the globe to improve the safety standards of all vehicles. These interventions are expected to deliver a step-change in road safety across Europe, including the UK.”
Drive to eliminate the dangers
The European Commission plans 15 new safety features from 2022 including:
Alcohol interlock installation facilitation
Prevents motorists driving when over the drink-drive limit. Breathalysers can be installed for previous offenders.
Drowsiness detection
Warns tired drivers to take a break.
Lane-keeping assist
Monitors a vehicle’s position and moves it to the centre of the lane.
Event data recorder
Like an aircraft black box, it allows data to be accessed after a crash.
Direct vision
Makers of HGVs and buses must fit bigger windscreens and side windows so drivers can see cyclists.
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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/automatic-speed-limits-planned-for-all-new-cars-7lrfkzv3d

(HGV = Heavy Goods Van in Brit-Speak)
 
Very pleased to report some Vision Zero in action.

Danforth Road (not avenue) is to be resurfaced this year from Danforth Avenue to St. Clair Avenue East.

As part of this project, a report before Scarborough Community Council will recommend systematic removal of all channelized right-hand turns.

It also recommends removing 2 bus stop lay-bys (not the stops themselves) .

The result will be slightly slower, more cautious turns, and shorter crossing distances with new accessible pedestrian signals.

Report Here:

Agenda Item History 2019.SC5.8

Agenda Item History 2019.SC5.8
app.toronto.ca
 
More Vision Zero:

St. Clair/O'Connor intersection to see right-hand turning channel removed, modifications to turning radii, a new bike box and accessible pedestrian signals installed.

Report here::


Also included is removal of one bus layby (not the stop)

And some other immediate improvements for cyclists w/the promise of more to come...........

Further, within the Ten Year Cycling Network Plan, St. Clair Avenue East was identified as a proposed cycling route between Woodbine Avenue and Victoria Park Avenue.Following further design and consultation, this route is anticipated to be proposed for implementation in 2021. As part of the reconfiguration of the intersection, the opportunity to introduce cycling infrastructure here in the future is being addressed through: •Eliminating one eastbound lane on St. Clair Avenue East, east of the intersection for 130 metres; •Painting a 1.8 metre wide edge line along the curb on both sides of St. Clair Avenue East; and •Painting an additional 1.0 metre wide buffer along the south curb to allow eastbound traffic to bypass buses stopped in front of St. Clair O'Connor Community Inc.
 
Parents Driving Kids to School Cause Way Longer Commutes

From link.

A new study found that the roads are WAY more jammed in the mornings during the school year, and it’s all because parents are taking their kids to school.


Check out these stats. . .​

  1. One in four cars in the morning is a parent taking their kid to school.
  2. Traffic goes up by about a fifth during the school year.
  3. Other drivers’ commutes can be up to 15 minutes longer during the school year.
  4. And morning rush hour accidents drop 43% when kids are out of school.

and from this link...

School run parents jam roads and add an extra 16 minutes to everyone's journey
  • Traffic levels increase by almost a fifth during the school year, a study has found
  • Up to 43% less collisions happen during school drop off times in the holidays
  • Some 80% of parents driving their children could use alternative transport
  • In 2018 UK road users lost £7.9bn and 178 hours as a result of being stuck in traffic
Road users driving in term time face delays of up to 15 minutes thanks to parents taking their children on the school run.

A new study by Admiral, a car insurer, has revealed that traffic levels increase by almost a fifth during the school year.

In 2018 UK road users lost about £7.9billion and 178 hours as a result of being stuck in traffic.
Click to expand...

The study found that 80 per cent of people dropping children off at school by car could in fact use alternative transport that wouldn't clog the road.

Less parents doing the school run also equated to less road accidents, as it was revealed that there were 43 per cent less collisions during school drop off times in the holidays.

Those in Northern Ireland have the longest term-time commute at 43 minutes, with an extra 21 minutes for those doing a school drop off.
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Commuters in the north-west of the country benefit the most from school holidays with their average commute time dropping from 41 minutes to 25.

Nearly half of those surveyed said they were late to work due to traffic at least once a month.

London was the most congested city in the UK with drivers losing an average of 227 hours thanks to traffic.
Click to expand...

London was ranked the sixth most congested city in the world, behind Moscow, Istanbul, Bogota, Mexico City and Sao Paulo.

Commenting on the findings, Sabine Williams, head of Motor at Admiral, said: 'Our investigation has laid bare the impact of the school run on the morning commute, with proof that dropping children at school or nursery is affecting all commuters, both those with and without children.'

Steve Brooks, Wales' Director of UK sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, said: 'It's not surprising that research has found there are less traffic collisions during school holidays.

'Currently, roads outside schools are overcrowded and congested. This congestion is also affecting air quality with four out of ten children breathing toxic air at school.

'By improving and investing in better walking and cycling infrastructure, we could see an increase in children walking and cycling to school, lessening the amount of cars on the road during the school run.
Click to expand...

'Reducing the number of cars is a key way to tackle the ongoing problem of congestion.

'The average school journey is 1.6 miles and yet one in four cars on the road during the morning peak are doing the school run.

'This distance could easily be travelled by walking, scooting and cycling to help tackle congestion and to improve air quality.

'Governments across all levels need to support families and schools to make walking and cycling possible and implement investment in walking and cycling paths and training programmes.'

Sustrans runs a programme called Sustrans School Streets which aims to encourage more street closures around schools to help parents use alternative methods to take their children to school.
Click to expand...
 
Much needed intersection design improvements are coming to Flemington Park.


188413





188414

"Rendering of potential Vision Zero improvements at Deauville Lane and Grenoble Drive. The right-turn lanes will be replaced by trees, plantings and places to sit. People walking and cycling will have shorter distances to cross the street."



988c-DeauvilleSt.Dennis[2].jpg

"Rendering of potential Vision Zero improvements at Deauville Lane and St. Dennis Drive. The right-turn lane will be replaced with corner safety islands to slow turning vehicles and separate motor vehicles from people on foot and bike. People walking and cycling will have shorter distances to cross the street."



Additional info here:
www.toronto.ca

Deauville Intersections

Vision Zero improvements are being designed for two intersections in Flemingdon Park, along Deauville Lane at St. Dennis Drive and Grenoble Drive. The Vision Zero Road Safety Plan calls for engineering improvements where they are most needed to protect vulnerable users of our transportation...
www.toronto.ca www.toronto.ca
 
salsa said:
Much needed intersection design improvements are coming to Flemington Park.


View attachment 188413




View attachment 188414
"Rendering of potential Vision Zero improvements at Deauville Lane and Grenoble Drive. The right-turn lanes will be replaced by trees, plantings and places to sit. People walking and cycling will have shorter distances to cross the street."



View attachment 188415
"Rendering of potential Vision Zero improvements at Deauville Lane and St. Dennis Drive. The right-turn lane will be replaced with corner safety islands to slow turning vehicles and separate motor vehicles from people on foot and bike. People walking and cycling will have shorter distances to cross the street."



Additional info here:
www.toronto.ca

Deauville Intersections

Vision Zero improvements are being designed for two intersections in Flemingdon Park, along Deauville Lane at St. Dennis Drive and Grenoble Drive. The Vision Zero Road Safety Plan calls for engineering improvements where they are most needed to protect vulnerable users of our transportation...
www.toronto.ca www.toronto.ca
Click to expand...

omg the corner safety islands -- I didn't know the City's Transportation department even knows what those are (though I'll be pleasantly shocked if they wind up actually implementing them).
 
ADRM said:
omg the corner safety islands -- I didn't know the City's Transportation department even knows what those are (though I'll be pleasantly shocked if they wind up actually implementing them).
Click to expand...
IIRC there was some pretty explicit council instruction to install some last year - a direct motion requiring them. They exist in Ottawa so Transportation Services doesn't have the "HTA doesn't permit it" backstop to fall on..

Interesting that the first location is in Flemingdon Park of all locations though.
 
innsertnamehere said:
Interesting that the first location is in Flemingdon Park of all locations though.
Click to expand...

The cynic in me believes that City staff consider this to be among the lowest hanging fruit because it's one of the communities that is, in broad terms, least able to organize and engage with government.
 
Bigger Isn’t Always Better: Narrow Traffic Lanes Make Cities Safer

From link.

In Beijing, Chennai and Fortaleza, the rate of fatalities from road crashes is 20-27.2 deaths per 100,000 residents. What do these cities have in common? They have traffic lanes wider than 3.6 meters (11.8 feet). A long-standing belief among transportation planners and engineers is that wider traffic lanes ensure safe and congestion-free traffic flow. Recent academic research, highlighted in Cities Safer by Design, a WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities publication, shows that wider lanes are more dangerous than narrower lanes. To further investigate how cities are stacking up against the existing evidence, the Health and Road Safety team of WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities decided to compare typical lane widths in selected global cities with reported traffic fatality rates.

How Wide Should a Traffic Lane Be?

WRI’s research shows that cities with travel lane widths from 2.8 to 3.25 meters (9.2 to 10.6 feet), such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Tokyo, have the lowest crash fatality rates per 100,000 residents. However, many cities, specifically in the developing world, have wider lanes and higher fatality rates.
Click to expand...

1_0.jpg


New Delhi, Mumbai and São Paulo have wider lanes, ranging from 3.25 meters to 3.6 meters (10.6 to 11.8 feet), which leads to a fatality rate of 6.1-11.8 residents per 100,000, while Beijing, Chennai and Fortaleza have the highest fatality rate, 20-27.2 deaths per 100,000, with lane widths of 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) and higher.

But Why Are Wider Lanes Misinterpreted As Safer?

For decades, transport engineers and planners have considered wider lanes safer, as they provided higher maneuvering space within the lane and were said to help prevent sideswipes among cars. Yet, in an urban setting, this means cars may go faster, and, when cars go faster, the likelihood of crashes and injuries increases. For example, if a car is traveling at 30 km/h (18.6 mph), pedestrians have a 90 percent chance of survival, but, if the car is traveling at 50 km/h (31 mph), there is only a 15 percent chance the struck pedestrian will survive.
Click to expand...

2_NEW.jpg


Narrower travel lanes, coupled with lower speed limits, can foster a greater sense of awareness among drivers. Narrower lanes also ensure shorter crossing distances for pedestrians at intersections, which reduces the risk of an accident.

Do Wider Lanes Help to Reduce Congestion?

In 1963, Lewis Mumford said: “Increasing road width to reduce congestion is the same as loosening your belt to fight obesity.” In fact, increasing road space by having wider lanes doesn’t reduce congestion due to rebound effects. More road space results in generating more traffic. Research shows that 3 meter-wide lanes have 93 percent of the road capacity of 3.6 meter lanes—not a noticeable difference. In addition, if narrower lanes reduce speeds, this should not put great strain on vehicle movement. A recent study from Grenoble shows that private vehicles take only 18 seconds longer to travel a kilometer on a road with speed limit of 30km/h as compared to a road with a speed limit of 50km/hr. Moreover, signal delays at intersections create congestion—it rarely depends on mid-block traffic flows.

How Would Road Dieting Help?

Road dieting is a technique of narrowing lane widths to achieve sustainable and safer pedestrian and cyclist environments. If cities embrace narrower lanes, there are a range of possibilities for re-designing city streets to make them safer and more accommodating for pedestrians and cyclists.
Click to expand...

Scenario 1: Narrowing lanes may provide space for a pedestrian refuge island or median
[IMG alt="<p>Figure 3. Before intervention: 12 meter-wide, two-lane roadway. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety</p>
"]https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/3.jpg[/IMG]

Before intervention: 12 meter-wide, two-lane roadway. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety
[IMG alt="<p>Figure 4. After intervention: 12 meter-wide, two-lane roadway. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety</p>
"]https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/4_0.jpg[/IMG]

After intervention: 12 meter-wide, two-lane roadway. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety

Scenario 2: Narrower lanes may provide space to install protected bicycle lanes
[IMG alt="<p>Figure 5. Before intervention: 24 meter-wide street section. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety</p>
"]https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/5.jpg[/IMG]

Before intervention: 24 meter-wide street section. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety

[IMG alt="<p>Figure 6. After intervention: 24 meter-wide street section. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety</p>
"]https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/6.jpg[/IMG]

After intervention: 24 meter-wide street section. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety

Scenario 3: Narrower lanes can provide wider sidewalks
[IMG alt="<p>Figure 7. Before intervention: 32 meter-wide street section. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety</p>
"]https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/7.jpg[/IMG]

Before intervention: 32 meter-wide street section. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety

[IMG alt="<p>Figure 8. After intervention: 32 meter-wide street section. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety</p>
"]https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/8.jpg[/IMG]
After intervention: 32 meter-wide street section. Graphic Credit: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Health and Road Safety

But Why Aren’t 3 Meter Lanes the Norm?

Most cities in developed countries, like the United States, follow road design guidelines from standard-setting bodies like the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, commonly known as the Green Book, which actually allows lane widths to vary between 10-12 feet (3.0 to 3.6 meters). While the book provides a range, engineers tend to design streets with the maximum lane width, due to the ill-informed notion that wider lanes are safer and can help reduce congestion. Many cities in low- and middle-income countries have adopted this same approach, erring on the supposed side of caution.

Today, with new research showing the opposite of the status quo and a rising interest in cycling, walking and bus systems, it is time for cities to reassess how their own standards foster a safer and healthier city.
Click to expand...
 
From your link it does seem like there's a point where further narrowing doesn't result in additional safety. Although there could be other factors causing the higher fatality rates, including the driving/pedestrian culture in those particular cities.
 
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