I’ve heard over the years that the common issue for various neighbourhood associations is traffic, specifically the need for traffic calming.

This situation is evident in the projects put forward by citizens in Hamilton’s Ward one during the participatory budgeting process.

The funds available for infrastructure projects in the ward is $1.5 million. Citizens submit ideas, a committee creates a short list, and now we get to vote for the ones to put at the top of the list. The top projects will be funded.

Shortlist of projects

The shortlist is actually pretty long, 60 projects to vote on and you rank your top 5 choices.

The categories are :

Large Capital (23)

Parks and Recreation (17)

Public Safety (14)

Beautification and Arts (4)

Other (2)

I’d say 6 of the large capital, one of the parks and rec, all of the public safety, and 2 of the beautification items relate directly or indirectly to helping people get around safely without a car. That would be 23/60 or 38% of the total projects in all categories.

“Traffic calming” and “complete streets” are terms you encounter a lot in discussions about safer streets. They essentially mean the same thing: physically changing the built form to force better behaviour.

Let me tell you how to vote?

I’m going to highlight the projects that I feel have the highest potential fo r making neighbourhoods safer in ward one. Of course you are free to choose your own (and share your choices in the comments if you like).

#15 “ Traffic Calming in the Strathcona Neighbourhood: 5 submissions were received requesting various traffic calming measures around the Strathcona neighbourhood streets with special emphasis on Locke Street North, York Blvd. and the streets around Victoria Park. Funding is requested for a more comprehensive approach to implement traffic calming measures as part of a Complete Streets approach to solve the traffic safety issues in the Strathcona neighbourhood.”

5 submissions were received requesting various traffic calming measures around the Strathcona neighbourhood streets with special emphasis on Locke Street North, York Blvd. and the streets around Victoria Park. Funding is requested for a more comprehensive approach to implement traffic calming measures as part of a Complete Streets approach to solve the traffic safety issues in the Strathcona neighbourhood.” #49 “ Raised Crosswalks at Turning Lanes : Install raised crosswalk tables at separate off-ramp style right hand turning lanes at all Ward 1 locations like Main & Dundurn, York & Dundurn, Queen & Aberdeen et al.”

: Install raised crosswalk tables at separate off-ramp style right hand turning lanes at all Ward 1 locations like Main & Dundurn, York & Dundurn, Queen & Aberdeen et al.” #52 “ Traffic Calming of Main Street : Install Traffic Calming measures on Main Street for safer cycling and pedestrians.”

: Install Traffic Calming measures on Main Street for safer cycling and pedestrians.” #2 Westdale Complete Streets Master Plan: “19 submissions were received requesting various individual traffic calming and Complete Streets treatment ideas for many locations throughout the Westdale neighbourhood. Rather than compete against and interfere with each other, funding is requested to develop a citizen driven Complete Streets Master Plan to ensure overall effective and location appropriate street designs and a fair priority list for long term green and aesthetically pleasing solutions to pedestrian and cycling safety concerns, and calm and quiet residential zones.”

Straightforward?

One thing I noticed about the projects that made me worry a bit, was the lumping site-specific requests for specific traffic calming measures together into larger “master plans”. My initial thought is that this could mean a longer wait for action. Having overall design standards is great, but I’m not sure that we couldn’t address specific situations ahead of a master plan.

The larger plans that encompass smaller projects include Westdale, Kirkendall, and Strathcona.

For instance, my submission proposed decreasing the crossing distance for pedestrians by sharpening the angle of the curbs at intersections along York Blvd. Is it now part of project #15 Strathcona plans?

However, many of the projects listed are site-specific, for instance:

Improve Bike Lane Connections At Dundurn and York

Stoplight at Main and Strathcona

Complete Streets Treatment of Dundurn between Homewood and Stanley

Increase Size of Pedestrian Island at Main & Dundurn

Install Pedestrian Crossings at Rail Trail – Street Crossings

Longwood Road Bridge Safety

Pedestrian Activated Crosswalk at Tom and Dundurn

Queen Street Bicycle Lanes between Cannon and King Streets

Repave the Pedestrian Access between Ainslie and Iona Avenues

Widen the Sidewalk on Homewood Avenue at Earl Kitchener School

I’m not sure what this difference in approach means in terms of understanding how to vote. I guess it depends on how you think about master plans versus clearly identifiable projects. It will be interesting to see which projects come out on top.

The deadline to vote (open only to people living in Ward One) is June 3, 2016.