The River Heights/Crescentwood Traffic Study was initiated as a community-wide study to develop recommendations which address the problem of non-localtraffic using the residential streets in the River Heights/Crescentwood area. The main objectives of the study were to document and quantify the extent of the problems and develop low-cost, easily implementable solutions, based on successful strategies used in the past in other Canadian cities. In addition, an implementation strategy and evaluation methodology has been developed for the recommended plan.

The study was managed by a Steering Committee consisting of two staff members from the City Streets and Transportation Department and the area planner from the City Planning Department. The consulting team included:

• Delcan Western Ltd. - traffic analysis and planning;

• Marr Consulting & Communications Ltd. - public consultation;

• Hilderman Witty Crosby Hanna & Associates - landscape architecture
  
  

The recommended plan (Figure 7.1) was developed in consultation with area residents through a Neighbourhood Advisory Committee (NAC). The NAC was comprised of ten members; eight of which were identified by the area councillor to represent the business, church and school interests as well as the Crescentwood/River Heights Residents' Coalition. Two positions were advertised for members-at-large.

The NAC met with the Consultant Team and Steering Committee members on ten occasions and assisted with each step of the process, from defining the traffic problems through to development of the recommended plan.

A public Open House was held in the neighbourhood on December 1, 1993 to present the study findings, alternative solutions and to solicit comments from the public. The plans were also circulated to City Police, Fire, Ambulance and Operations Departments and to the Winnipeg School Division No. 1. Valuable improvements to the plan were suggested and these were incorporated into the recommended plan agreed to by the NAC, Steering Committee and the Consultant Team.

The major feature of the recommended plan is a series of chokers (or semi-diverters) and median closures which restrict the entrance to particular blocks and provide barriers to short cutting traffic. The street sections remains two-way, but traffic cannot legally drive past chokers to enter protected blocks. These devices are recommended because they present physical barriers to discourage non-local traffic, however they do not restrict emergency vehicle access. These and other traffic calming measures are suggested throughout the entire community to discourage non-local traffic and reduce traffic volumes on the local streets.

Implementation of the traffic calming measures is recommended in two stages. The first stage would be trial period, using temporary barriers. This trial period would be a minimum of six months, preferably one year, to allow traffic patterns to adjust.

Area residents would be able to contact a City representative to inquire about the plan and report any problems or concerns. During the latter part of the trial period the effectiveness of the traffic calming measures would be evaluated. If the evaluation shows that the traffic volumes on local streets have decreased and that the plan is working as intended then the second stage of the implementation would be undertaken. This would involve the detailed design and permanent installation of landscaping at each choker, diagonal diverter and median closure.