Traffic Calming Studies for Dunvegan Drive, Margaret Avenue and Woolwich Street

I believe that Dunvegan is often used as a shortcut to get to the expressway and people travel far too fast on it sometimes. I think speed bumps would be appropriate based on having seen them work well on Sydney Street in Kitchener a few years ago. Parking along the street at Dunvegan Park can be an issue as well - I worry about children crossing a busy street with lots of cars parked on both sides. It might make sense to have parking only allowed on the park side of the street.

all bills & lawyers fees for the corner of bridle trail & woolwich should be submitted to the city of waterloo not the region of waterloo

all bills & lawyers fees for bridle trail & woolwich corner should be submitted to the city of waterloo not the region of waterloo

We have lived near the corner of Woolwich and Bridle Trail for 50 years.When the city of Waterloo reconfigured the corner in the past approx 5 years by extending it from it's original curb location into the roadway by 15 ft winter time became a problem. Coming down the hill on Bridle Trail and trying to make a right turn onto Woolwich St in snowy or icy conditions became like being a ball in a pinball machine. Then to complicate things the city put a pedestrian island in on Bridle Trail approximately 5 ft up the hill from the corner making it almost impossible to make any kind of a turn on that corner.Sometimes we have to continue going straight through, turning around and coming back up Woolwich to retry. The amount of accidents that have occurred at this corner and some including physical injury have skyrocketed. We have brought this to the attention of the city and police on the scene that this corner needs to be fixed. Everyone needs to be reminded that this hill and corner is deadly in snowy and icy conditions.

I, like many others, would also like to echo my concerns with Braemore Ave. We live in Braemore Circle and find it quite dangerous to cross Braemore Ave. The big curve certainly does not help as it impairs your ability to see traffic coming from University Ave. If someone is speeding, you have little chance to get out of the way by the time you see them coming at you

While Braemore is not part of this project scope, I think you can see from the number of comments here that it still requires more attention and is directly linked to any study on Sandowne and Dunvegan since they are all used as a bypass through Lincoln Village. There have been two speed studies conducted on Braemore in the last couple of years. One occurred at the same time as a road closure on Sandowne which diverted traffic from Braemore. The other while construction was taking place at a house (therefore parked cars) so vehicles had to slow down. As another person commented, this neighbourhood is changing and there are many more young children and families. The number one issue is the lack of enforcement. While I appreciate the lower speed limits, it's clear that some people simply don't care because there is no consequence.

This comment pertains to Margaret Avenue. I have no objection to calming, provided stop signs are not used. Speed humps, ped crossing islands, bump-outs, and solar powered speed indicators are better means of speed control IMO.

We live on Braemore Ave and something needs to be done about the speeds at which people travel on our street. The new 40km/hr signs have little effect for those who ignore them.
We have been out numerous times and have even seen people passing others who are doing the speed limit. Something needs to be done. I’m in favour of speed bumps or more 3 way stops.

I would also like to see no U-turns made from university into Braemore. There has been many a time where I go to turn into my street and the person turning in front of me does a uturn leaving me almost hitting them or me hanging mid intersection waiting for them to complete the turn. Or when leaving Braemore turning right into university they do a Uturn in front of you! Totally unexpected and dangerous.

Please do something with these issues.
Thank you

As a resident of Dunvegan Dr I’m dreading the traffic calming measures. I feel that many of the speeds listed in this group are speculative. Many of the vehicles appear to be going faster because of the bends in the roads. Also are there stats on accidents or injuries in the neighbourhood due to vehicular traffic?
In the end if measures are being implemented please do not use physical barriers such as speed bumps or slalom barriers they are useless and unwanted.
3-way stops at Lee or Sandowne are the only option and would hopefully deter the ‘cut-through’ traffic.

The addition of stop signs won't help - the way they blow through the stop from Sandowne onto Dunvegan - even when crossing guards are on duty. The no stopping signs along both sides of Dunvegan at the Sandowne intersection don't stop parents from parking there to drop off and pick up their kids either. AGAIN - ENFORCEMENT is the most effective deterrent to bad behaviour. Get them in the wallet with fines - and on their insurance bills with license points. We are not even on a sharp bend and the tree in front of the neighbor's house has been hit twice in recent years - with dry pavement.

The Braemore/University situation could be improved significantly by banning right turns on red from Bridge to University, providing a "gap" in traffic when the lights on Bridge are red. Even a "through traffic please keep Left" sign MIGHT help- a LITTLE bit - - -

As for the 3 way stops - NO - I live on one of the corners of Dunvegan and Sandowne and it's enough of a "drag strip" with traffic taking off from one stop. We don't need the engines accelerating and tires squealing all 3 directions. With parking on both sides of the street it is already narrow enough - no more barriers to safe passage are required. What's wrong with active speed enforcement once in a while? Plain-clothes car with radar a couple times a week (during the problem times) and 40Kph limit for Dunvegan Park and Sandowne School areas. Maybe even make it a "community safety zone" with double fines. When it affects the wallet and drivers' license status it tends to encourage compliance. Making a slalom course instead of a drag strip doesn't make it safer - it just makes impatient drivers more impatient. Speed bumps on straight sections could help. All in all, ENFORCEMENT is the most effective (and if that means speed cameras on Sandowne and Dunvegan, go for it.

I live near Margaret and bicycle most places. I am happy with the traffic as is on this street and don't see any need for traffic calming measures. Often traffic calming measures actually make it more difficult for cyclists (e.g. the islands on Lincoln reduce the space on the road). I suggest leaving things as they are.

Pleased to see Dunvegan is being assessed but as others have mentioned, Braemore and Sandowne also need attention. We’ve lived in the neighbourhood 4 1/2 years and I cannot count the number of times I have seen people doing in excess of 70 km an hour on our street. Those of us who live on or just off Braemore can all attest to this. And heaven forbid you drive the speed limit on the street - if you do you are likely to experience road rage from the driver who flies up behind you and passes you before you can make it into your own driveway. I’ve heard horns, yelling, threats to those of us who live here. With walking traffic increasing and the number of children in the neighbourhood growing, this is just completely unacceptable. The 40 km an hour sign doesn’t deter anyone. The only way to slow this traffic down is to install a physical deterrent like speed bumps. The other suggestion I have is to install a median on University at the corner of Braemore to slow the traffic heading into or out of the Bridge and University intersection. As a frequent walker, it is next to impossible to get across university. Slowing the traffic down at that corner would likely impact the speeds on Braemore. People on University are doing 80 to 90 km an hour if the light at Bridge doesn’t slow them. This would also help with another issue, turning right onto University off of Braemore. Right hand turns are very dangerous it’s very hard to see traffic is it whips around the corner off Bridge. Left-hand turns off of Braemore onto University are next to impossible.

We live on Braemore Ave, just past Pittsford Close, and we're really tired of almost getting hit entering and leaving our driveway.Last year, I had my signal on, turning left into our driveway, and some speed demon came up behind me, passed me on the left..just missed me by inches..
We have complained many times..falling on deaf ears.I have noticed the speed trap monitors a few times, but once they are up..people slow down..Why not keep them hidden from the drivers line of sight, to get their true speed.Its even getting dangerous cutting the grass on the boulevard, close to the road
Why not install speed bumps , more stop signs, before someone gets seriously hurt.

I have been complaining about Dunvegan Drive being a racetrack, we have many people driving at a high rate of speed ( including some GRT buses ) believe that the speed limiting won’t do much good, we are in need of traffic calming devices such as make some sections one lane for maybe 100 Meters by placing cement planters or road dividing cement blocks. Than also have a 3 way stop at Dunvegan and Sandowne. Another 3 way stop at Dunvegan and Lee, another 3 way at Dunvegan and Grangewood. The one lane midway between Lexington and Sandowne Drive. This should bring the message home to drivers seeking a shortcut from Lexington to University Ave. As Dunvegan is being used as a short cut by many drivers that commute to the Expressway.

I can’t encourage enough the need to decrease speed in both Dunvegan and Sandowne. Both streets have become major bypasses for the bridge street traffic. We have had numerous people comment on how ridiculously fast people drive on these two roads. I really wish a three way stop could be installed at both sandowne and Braemore Intersection as well as dunvegan and sandowne. It’s dangerous and there are many children and families who inhabit this area - Sandowne school is right down the street. Most vehicle must be driving at least 60 and over on average. Please do something before someone gets hurt.

My husband and I live close to the intersection of Woolwich Street and Maverick, Waterloo.

Just recently, traffic lights were installed close to us on University Avenue and Woolwich .... very much appreciated, I might add, as they were desperately needed on this very busy intersection.

When traffic crosses the intersection on University Ave, and are heading on Woolwich towards Maverick Street, they literally will drive 50-60 mph around the bend, unaware that people are trying to cross the street.
It is a blind spot coming around the bend and there is no indication whatsoever, that drivers should be aware of pedestrians crossing and to slow down. While walking my dog in that area, and trying to cross the street after the bend, I can literally be standing there 10 minutes with drivers unaware of any speed limit whatsoever, or have just plain good manners that pedestrians should be able to cross the road safely without being injured or having to run across. During dark evenings, even though I take a flashlight and wave it onto my dog and myself trying to cross the street safely, cars are still unaware that they should be slowing down.

Woolwich Street is a 50 mph zone, on the bend of the road, just after the University/Woolwich traffic lights - there should be a "slow down" warning .....and/or pedestrian crossing sign, at the very least.

I am very afraid that someone will be injured or killed if Pedestrian Crossing/Slow down signs are not installed asap. Thank you.

I live off Braemore Ave and the cars don't slow down when turning off Lexington to Dunvegan, then to Sandowne and Braemore then the reverse happens coming off Unit in the evening. There should be a stop sign at Braemore and Sandowne as well as Sandowne and Dunvegan. This is a quiet family neighbourhood that is being used as a shortcut by very aggressive drivers.

It would also make sense to have a round a bout at Braemore and University to slow the speed of the drivers on University. The moment they pass Bridge Street they gun it.

I live on Dunvegan and appreciate this project being underway. With the slight bend right after the park, it is often hard to see cars whipping down the street while trying to back out from our driveway. With lots of children in the area, a bus route and a school zone, there is definitely a need to slow down motorists to keep residents safe.