Niakwa Road Traffic Calming Project
Traffic calming measures are coming to Niakwa Road between Royal Salinger Road and where it ends at the Seine River.
Update – Spring 2023: The design presented in Phase 2 engagement is now final.
Based on what we heard from the community, we have scheduled a pavement resurfacing prior to installing the speed humps and lighting improvements. The resurfacing will happen in 2023. Other improvements will be installed in either late 2023 or 2024.
Design solution
Map: Niakwa Road between Royal Salinger Road and where it ends at the Seine River proposed designWe are installing four speed humps along this portion of Niakwa Road.
- Speed humps slow speeds by causing a vehicle to move upward and create discomfort for those traveling at higher speeds.
For your reference, here is a photo of a speed hump installed elsewhere in the city:
We are also improving lighting at the intersection of Niakwa Road and Royal Salinger Road. A lighting assessment found that current levels of lighting are below City standards and require upgrade.
Existing conditions
- Niakwa Road is a two-lane, undivided, residential local street. It’s approximately 8 metres wide.
- The speed limit is 50 km/h.
- The intersection of Niakwa Road and Royal Salinger Road is controlled by a three-way stop sign.
- At the west end, Niakwa Road terminates at a footbridge that crosses the Seine River.
- Parking is permitted on the south side of the street.
- The daily traffic volume on Niakwa Road is 320 vehicles per day, which is within the typical range for local streets.
- In terms of land use, there are single family residential properties on the north side of the street. Niakwa Country Club, which contains a golf course and other recreational amenities, is located on the south side of the street. West of the Seine River footbridge, there are large apartment buildings, other multi-family dwellings, and a grocery store.
- Niakwa Road is a signed bike route, but does not have any added infrastructure to create a formal cycling facility. West of the Seine River foot bridge, there is a multi-use path that connects Niakwa Road through an underpass beneath Fermor Avenue and to Niakwa Trail, a multi-use path that runs along the north side of Fermor Avenue.
- There are no sidewalks on Niakwa Road, so pedestrians share the road with motorists and cyclists. Although pedestrian and cyclist count data are not available, Niakwa Road likely has higher volumes of active transportation users, considering the surrounding land use and connection with other cycling facilities.
Need for traffic calming
Niakwa Road is a high-priority location for traffic calming measures based on the City's Residential Area Traffic Calming Program.
Traffic data was collected in October, 2018:
- The 85th percentile speed, which is the speed at which 85 percent of motorists travel at or below, was 51 km/h.
- The 95th percentile speed, which is the speed at which 95 percent of motorists travel at or below, was 57 km/h.
Traffic calming measures will be installed on Niakwa Road to help slow speeds and create a safer space for all road users.