Torbay Pedestrian Safety Study
Location: Torbay, NL, Canada
Client: Town of Torbay
Duration: 2015
Key Staff: Michael MacDonald, Robin King, Courtney McCarthy
Project Description
With the rapid growth it experienced over the past few years, the Town of Torbay was looking towards the future. It needed to ensure the Town had suitable transportation infrastructure that could accommodate a growing population. This included sidewalks, trail systems, and integrated pedestrian crossings throughout the town
With much of the Maritimes experiencing unprecedented grown, transportation engineers are in high demand. In 2015, Harbourside Transportation Consultants (HTC) was retained by the Town of Torbay to carry out a pedestrian safety review. The review became a key element for the Town in the provision of a sustainable and safe transportation system for its residents.
Harbourside’s Role
To create a thorough, future-minded pedestrian safety review, the Harbourside examined several important data points.
Harbourside gathered background information on capital works plans, development, and anticipated growth areas. It also noted the locations of existing crosswalks, etc.
An assessment was conducted on the existing road network intersections in the study area. Both the AM and PM peak traffic periods on a typical weekday were included.
Harbourside conducted an assessment on the existing Average Daily Traffic (ADT) Counts and speeds on arterial, collector and local roadways throughout the Town.
A Public Consultation Workshop was held to obtain comments from area residents on pedestrian safety, crosswalks and existing problems.
A crosswalk review was performed. This included an assessment of the existing crosswalks and pedestrian generators throughout the Town of Torbay and the adequacy of the control devices currently in place.
A pedestrian plan was created. This reviewed the existing and anticipated pedestrian patterns throughout the Town and included relevant recommendations.
Unique Challenges
As with any project that involves public consultation, buy in from the local population is essential. Communication becomes a key component, not just with the client, but with the community at large.
Social Impact
The Torbay pedestrian study will go a long way in promoting ‘complete’ transportation networks throughout the town of Torbay. This means more accessible walking paths, safer sidewalks, and easier commutes on foot, or via active transportation trails. In addition, the future-minded approach ensures that the town will be able to develop new infrastructure holistically as the town continues to grow.