Traffic study highlights problem intersections

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This article was published 06/03/2021 (1518 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There were few surprises as Steinbach council reviewed the final report of the annual Traffic Count Program, but one aspect councillors weren’t expecting was a downward trend in overall traffic counts compared to 2019.

The study was performed during peak periods from 3-6 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2, 8 and 9 and noted what the report describes as “significant decreases”, at or above 10 percent in traffic volumes north and southbound on the Highway 12/Brandt Street corridor and the Highway 52/Main Street corridor.

The largest reduction was noted at Lund Road and Highway 52 which showed a 24.1 percent decrease, from 2,015 vehicles in 2019 to 1,530 vehicles in 2020, counted during one hour of peak traffic. Other intersections showing a greater than 20 percent decrease in traffic flows were also on Highway 52 at Giesbrecht Street and Industrial Road.

Mayor Earl Funk said the decreases are being attributed to COVID.

Problem intersections were no surprise to the city.

The worst among them was Highway 12 and Loewen Boulevard. Intersections were given a letter grade based on the signalized control delay, the amount of seconds vehicles had to wait.

The Loewen intersection eastbound was assigned an F with a 501 second wait for turning and crossing Highway 12. That’s a more than eight minute wait.

All F grades, assigned to wait times of more than 80 seconds, were on turning and cross street situations. They included a westbound left turn on Park Road East/West, and east bound from Acres Drive to Penfield Drive, and a southbound left turn at Highway 52 west and Main Street.

The report also made some key recommendations, but it’s not likely changes will happen anytime soon.

On Highway 12 and Loewen Boulevard it was recommended to add eastbound and westbound left-turn lanes, eastbound and westbound right turn cut-off lanes, and one additional southbound left turn. That would raise the grade to a “D” based on current counts.

“That’s been on the radar for quite some time now,” Funk said.

He added that the city has been working with Manitoba Infrastructure and has set land aside for future changes. There is no timeline on when that project could happen, and Funk said more land is needed.

The report also recommended adding traffic signals to Highway 52 and Giesbrecht Street North. A priority point target is used to assess the need for traffic signals with 85 indicating the need is there.

“The intersection is inching towards meeting the traffic signal warrants and currently meets the 71-priority point (76-priority point in 2019) of the 85-priority point target and meets the side street criteria of greater than 75 vehicles per hour,” the report stated.

The city’s busiest intersection for 2020 was Highway 12 and Park Road East and West which had 3,170 vehicles reported in peak hour traffic volumes. Coming in second was Highway 12 and Main Street with 2,950.

Of the studied intersections the lowest count was noted at Hanover Road East/West and Highway 12 with 790 vehicles.

Funk said while there is no immediate action council is taking after receiving the report, it is useful for future decisions.

“It’s key to our planning,” he said. “It helps us to work with MI (Manitoba Infrastructure) on the target intersections that need to be taken care of.”