Traffic Safety Engineering

In 2016, besides the pedestrian-crossing upgrades done in 13 school zones, pedestrian signals or amber flashers were installed at 13 locations. In 2017, upgrades will be done at the following 15 locations. More locations may be added.

Improving left-turn signal timing can help reduce potential conflicts.

Permissive phase: drivers must yield to oncoming traffic and find an opportunity to make a left turn as traffic allows.

Protected phase: drivers can turn left without crossing the path of oncoming vehicles or other road users. Providing a protected left-turn phase can reduce left-turn collisions by up to 99%. There have been 55 locations with protected signal phase improvements since 2009 and there has been a steady decline in the number of left-turn across path collisions in Edmonton. An additional 15 upgrades were completed in 2016.

In order to reduce the number of rear-end collisions on channelized right-turn lanes, upgrades can be made to the design of existing right turn channels. Factors such as traffic volumes, pedestrian volumes, truck volumes, sight lines and turning radius are all considered in the upgrade of right-turn channels. Overall there has been a 75% reduction in collisions at upgraded sites.

Traffic safety at schools is being reviewed using sophisticated video-analytics techniques. When potential problems are identified, engineers can choose specific countermeasures that are tailored to the concerns at each school.

The 13 schools reviewed and upgraded in 2016 were:

Ward 1: Youngstown School
Ward 2: Elizabeth Finch School
Ward 3: Dunluce School
Ward 4: Edmonton Christian Northeast School
Ward 5: Bessie Nichols School
Ward 6: Edmonton Christian West School
Ward 7: St. Matthew School
Ward 8: Mckernan School
Ward 9: Johnny Bright School
Ward 10: West Brook School, Mount Pleasant School
Ward 11: Greenview School
Ward 12: Michael Strembitsky School

In 2017, 24 schools will be reviewed and upgraded.

Ward 1: Annunciation Elementary School | Meadowlark School
Ward 2: Katherine Therrien Elementary School | Inglewood School
Ward 3: St. Philip School | Lago Lindo School
Ward 4: Fraser School | Kirkness School
Ward 5: Good Shepherd Elementary School | Ormsby School
Ward 6: Edmonton Menorah Academy | Grandin Elementary School
Ward 7: Glengarry School | Delton School
Ward 8: Suzuki Charter School | Hardisty School
Ward 9: George P. Nicholson School | Esther Starkman School
Ward 10: St. Boniface Elementary School | St. Teresa Elementary School
Ward 11: Donnan School | Sakaw School
Ward 12: Mary Hanley School | A. Blair McPherson School

In keeping with the Vision Zero Edmonton goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries, the City is installing driver feedback signs (DFS) at various locations throughout Edmonton. Currently there are 140 DFS signs installed in School Zones and on arterial and collector roadways identified as having a high collision risk, and on streets where speeding is a problem. Using radar, DFS measure vehicle speed and then display it with the goal of increasing compliance to the speed limit. DFS monitor compliance and may indicate when manned or automated photo enforcement should be deployed to the area.

In addition to driver feedback signs, Traffic Safety also utilizes portable speed display trailers which are easily moved from one location to another in response to identified speeding concerns.

The visibility of traffic signals can be improved by installing new backboards around signal heads, adding retroreflective tape to backboards, or installing additional signal heads. Making traffic signals more conspicuous can help reduce collisions in situations where drivers have had difficulty clearly seeing the traffic signals. Collisions can be reduced by a range of 7% to 15% or greater following visibility upgrades. There are signal visibility upgrades planned for nine locations in 2016. As well, additional overhead signal lights are being added to 11 intersections along 170 Street.