Collision Report
Friday, March 05, 2021 - 9:45 AM
On March 10 at the Committee of the Whole, Council will review a detailed report from the City’s Transportation Engineering division on collisions that occurred between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2019 in St. John’s. The report summarizes collision data for reported incidents at intersections and midblock (between intersections), as well as those involving pedestrians and cyclists. (To read the report, please visit the Committee of the Whole Agenda for March 10, 2021)
“The data in this report provides Council and the public with excellent information on key areas of safety concern for people moving throughout the city, regardless of mode of transportation,” said Councillor Ian Froude, Council lead on transportation for the City of St. John’s. “By conducting a further analysis of the top streets and intersections where collisions occur, we can begin to address design issues that may contribute to their poor safety performance.”
It is important to note that numerous factors contribute to collisions – from environmental conditions such as weather and natural light, to human error – not just location. The report considered the total number of collisions alongside the volume of vehicle traffic through an area when rating the intersections and streets.
“By looking at areas where the ratio of collisions to vehicles is disproportionate, we start to get a picture of streets and intersections where there may be underlying factors such as traffic controls or physical design that could be modified to improve safety,” explained Councillor Froude.
Between 2012 and 2019, 41% of reported collisions occurred at intersections and 59% occurred at mid-block locations. Although a greater number of collisions occur at midblock locations, intersections have a higher proportion of collisions resulting in injury.
- The top ten rated intersections for collisions are familiar and busy intersections, including Rawlins Cross (#1); Goldstone @ Thorburn (#2); and Kelsey Drive @ Kiwanis street (#3).
- The top five midblock collision areas all have some things in common; they are on a higher speed, higher volume, five-lane cross section with many driveways and busy commercial uses. Kenmount Road, for example, has three spots in the top ten for midblock collisions.
To address areas where pedestrian and cyclist-involved collisions are highest, the report focused on highlighting areas where there are more frequent conflicts or interactions between these modes. Importantly, many of these areas are already being addressed, including the number one area – Water Street between Ayre’s Cove/ McBride’s Hill and Clift’s Baird’s Cove; Rawlin’s Cross (#2); and Canada Drive at Hamlyn Road (#3), which is scheduled for rehab and intersection improvements as part of the Bike St. John’s Master Plan.
It is recommended to Council in next week’s Committee of the Whole that consultants will be contracted to complete detailed analysis on the top ten locations, provide a list of recommended improvements and complete select designs as planned.
Completion of the collision report and projects emerging from the planned analysis are part of the City’s strategic commitment to be a City That Moves - a city that builds a balanced transportation network to get people and goods where they want to go safely – as identified in Our City, Our Future.