Traffic signals at the intersections of Strandherd and Beatrice Drive and Strandherd Drive and Riocan Avenue in Barrhaven are set to change in the coming weeks.
This will include protected lefts for traffic turning off Strandherd Drive, said Councillor Wilson Lo’s weekly newsletter. Protected left turn signals stop oncoming traffic, providing left turn drivers safe passage through the intersection.
According to Councillor Lo, the following must be met to allow a protected left signal at an intersection:
- An average of two or more vehicles turning left per signal cycle;
- More than half the vehicles turning left wait through more than one cycle to complete their turn;
- There is enough capacity at the intersection for the traffic waiting to turn left;
- Number of reported collisions involving left-turning vehicles as a percentage of total collisions at the intersection and compared to the number of left-turn collisions at other intersections across the city.
An advance left requires the first three criteria are met, noted the newsletter.
According to Councillor Lo, ten collisions involving left-turning vehicles at Strandherd and Beatrice Drive and 19 collisions at Riocan Avenue have been reported over the last few years, excluding 2020 and 2021.
While an advance left still allows vehicles to turn left during the main green cycle, a protected left prevents all left-turning vehicles except during the turn cycle. The intersections exceeded the four criteria, especially in the reported collision data, the newsletter reads.
Following concerns raised by residents south of Strandherd Drive, new signals at the Standherd Drive and Beatrice Drive intersection will help community members gain better access to their neighbourhood, said the councillor.
While residents were calling for advance or protected left turn signals at Strandherd Drive and Greenbank Road and Greenbank and Highbury Park Drive, both intersections did not meet all the criteria for either measure, said the newsletter.
The Barrhaven East councillor noted that intersection modifications — like doubling up the left-turning lanes — at Strandherd Drive and Greenbank Road will be needed to accommodate traffic waiting to turn left, while Greenbank Road and Highbury Park Drive has met acceptable levels of service.
“However, I am aware the change to the Catholic high school boundaries for St. Mother Teresa and St. Joseph for the coming school year will bring additional left-turning traffic to Greenbank/Highbury Park,” he said.
As a result, this intersection will be re-assessed in the fall.