Traffic calming options for Westmount Drive
The City of London has provided a guide to traffic calming policies on their website. Click here to visit this page.
There are two traffic calming options that are current viewed by the City as viable for Westount Drive:
1) Speed cushions (also called Speed Humps) - See City mail-out survey for possible speed cushion locations
see a diagram here for the design of the current standard for City of London speed humps
Issues: the speed humps on Hillcrest are very effective, but they can cause problems for vehicles with lower chassis and smaller vehicles. They can also generate some noise as vehicles cross them.
2) Raised Intersections (possible options for traffic calming at Old Mill Crt, and Tobin/ Woods Edge Close - see City of London mail-out survey for details on possible locations
Issues: Raised Intersections were suggested as an alternative to speed humps during the March 20th meeting. They involve a significant grade change made with concrete and/ or ashpalt at an intersection. An example of this type of control currently in use as a traffic calming measure is at the intersection of Maitland Street and Cheapside Street in Old North London. This type of speed control should be accessible by all cars, but helps control vehicle speed due to the significant grade change. To view an aerial picture of the intersection mentioned above click here: https://goo.gl/maps/1vSZs Raised intersections at Old Mill Dr and Woods Edge Close would have little effect on vehicles approaching from the side-streets, and would help slow vehicle traffic at these locations where kids are often waiting for buses and where there is more frequent pedestrian traffic. (i.e. crossing from one side of Westmount Dr to the other.)
Engineering diagram of a Raised Intersection
Expected speed reduction with speed hump (similar reductions could be expected with raised intersections). Key to effectiveness is even spacing at appropriate intervals. A City study has yielded the following results:
Traffic calming measures that have been effectively dismissed for various reasons include: Curb Extensions, a stop sign or signs along the route, curb extensions (similar to on Viscount Road east of Wonderland), full road--width speed hump like those on Cranbrook Drive.
According to the City's website:
What are some Traffic Calming devices?
- speed cushions
- raised intersections and crosswalks
- textured crosswalks
- curb extensions
- roundabouts
What are NOT Traffic Calming devices?
- all-way stops
- 40 kilometres per hour reduced speed zones
- posted speed signs
- children at play signs