Gertrude Avenue Traffic Calming Project
Update 2023: Traffic calming measures are now in place on Gertrude Avenue between Osborne Street and Nassau Street South.
Based on what we heard from the community, we installed a speed table and midblock raised crosswalk with a curb extension.
- Map: Gertrude Avenue (Nassau Street North to Osborne Street) final design – construction in 2022
- View the Community Engagement Report and appendices.
- Speed tables and raised crosswalks are elongated versions of speed humps that have a flat top. These measures slow speeds by causing the upward movement of a traversing vehicle and create discomfort for those traveling at higher speeds.
- The new school crosswalk enhances pedestrian visibility, reduces crossing distance, and provides improved access for students walking to school.
Pre-study conditions
- Gertrude Avenue is a two-lane, undivided, residential local street. It's approximately 10 m wide.
- There are sidewalks on both sides of the street.
- The speed limit is 50 km/h except for a portion of the street where speeds are reduced for a 30 km/h school zone (7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, September to June).
- There is a traffic calming circle at the intersection of Nassau Street North and Gertrude Avenue.
- Northbound traffic on Gertrude Avenue is stop-controlled at Osborne Street.
- The daily traffic volume on Gertrude Avenue is approximately 2,300 vehicles per day, which is high for a local street, which typically accommodate up to 1,000 vehicles per day.
- Gertrude Avenue is able to accommodate higher traffic volumes as it is built with a wider, collector-street cross section.
- In terms of land use, there are single-family residential properties along the north side of Gertrude Avenue. Gladstone School is located on the south side of Gertrude Avenue, which provides kindergarten to grade six programming.
Need for traffic calming
Gertrude Avenue was identified as a high-priority location for traffic calming measures through the City's Residential Area Traffic Calming Program.
Traffic data was collected in September 2020:
- The 85th percentile speed, which is the speed at which 85 percent of motorists travel at or below, is 38 km/h during the times of day that the 30 km/h speed limit applies.
- During the times that a 50 km/h speed limit applied, the 85th percentile speed is 51 km/h.
Traffic calming measures were subsequently installed on Gertrude Avenue between Nassau Street N and Osborne Street to help slow speeds within the 30 km/h reduced speed school zone, and to improve pedestrian access to the school.