Traffic and Road Capacity

Tannery Lands arguments review # 3

Intersections considered in the traffic study for the Tannery Lands.

Issue 11 – Would the proposed development negatively impact the existing road network with respect to access, traffic safety, pedestrian facilities, transit amenities, and the anticipated increase in vehicle trips?

Item 6 – Agreed Statement of Facts – The subject site does not currently have frontage on existing arterial or collector roads, as shown on the existing Schedule 4 of the Official Plan.

The development proposal would add between 1,500 to 1,670 residential units, approximately 3,600 square metres of commercial space, and 6,000 square metres of flex commercial space.

The Appellant and the City of Kingston presented evidence on traffic issues at the hearing. No Clearcuts Kingston did not.

The evidence and arguments concerned:

The amount of parking proposed

The proposal provides 1 parking space per residential unit and more than the required spaces for commercial units. There is 1 bicycle parking space per unit.

Both traffic expert witnesses agreed that an oversupply of parking does not promote the City’s goals of increased active transportation and transit use.

They did not agree that the proposal showed an oversupply.

The distance from the development to the nearest transit stop.

The City’s Official Plan defines “walking distance” as 600 m or less.

The closest bus stop is at Montreal Street and Joseph Street – approximately 600 m (?) away. There is also a bus stop at Division Street and Russell Street – 1100 m away (?). (Appellant, para. 167)

The expert witnesses disagreed about from where to calculate walking distance from the residential units. At least some units would be more than 600 m from a transit stop.

The number of car trips that the new development would generate on weekdays.

It was generally agreed that by 2032 there would be 630 vehicle trips per hour in the a.m. and 449 vehicle trips per hour in the p.m. generated by the development.

The impacts on local traffic.

Rideau Street is a local road that, by definition, is supposed to accommodate 350 vehicle trips or less per hour. It has 9 speedhumps to limit and slow traffic and over 100 driveways serving a mostly residential population.

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Appellant: “The Appellant and City engaged in extensive consultations for years, leading to ultimate Staff satisfaction that, at a macro level, the City’s network is expected to be able to accommodate the proposed level of development.” (para. 147) The 2020 Traffic Impact Study was peer reviewed. (para. 150)

City: “The City’s evidence is clear and convincing that the Site cannot accommodate the level of density proposed without negatively impacting local streets and as such should not be approved.” (para. 105)

Note that at this stage of the development process, there are no details about intersections, road widenings, traffic signals, and new sidewalks.

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Tannery Land arguments review

A series of posts outlining key arguments made in the parties’ written submissions.

# 1 Tribunal decision on Tannery Lands soon? The wetland issues

# 2 Remediation of the contaminated land