2026 Aberdeen Traffic Safety Measures Implementation

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:08]Hi everyone, my name is Mike Field. I'm the manager of transportation in the transportation division. I just wanted to provide a quick update on some changes that are happening on Aberdine Avenue in between Queen Street and Dundurn Street. Uh we're in the process of implementing a number of interimm roadway safety measures within that segment. We provided updates to public works committee uh about this work back in October of 2025 and then again in February 2023 sorry February 23rd 2026 um and outline the work that uh that is happening um and it involves uh some pavement marking changes uh some enhancements to the bus only markings some temporary bumpouts corner radius reductions and additional ladder crosswalks to in in uh increase pedestrian visibility uh transit stop visibility and uh and basically uh um improve the realm of of Aberdine with a uh desire to uh implement some traffic calming. These measures are intended like I mentioned to improve safety, visibility, roadway operations in the near term while the longerterm reconstruction of Aberdine continues through the design stage. uh residents, as you drive down Aberdeene or walk or roll, you may notice some of those uh temporary lane adjustments, parking changes, uh short-term traffic disruptions while the work is being completed.

[00:01:36]Uh several of those elements were actually done in 2025, uh where we installed some ladder crosswalks, some pavement markings. However, we put a pause over the winter and then we're returning this spring to finish off the work and we're anticipating to uh complete that work within the next 1 to two weeks. Today being uh May 20th, weather permitting. Those interim measures uh are built upon several years of roadway safety improvements uh in a pilot project that was conducted on Aberdine. Uh we completed a multi-year review of pilot measures which involved um uh taking away parking restrictions on the curb lanes within that section of Aberdine to uh to promote people parking as a means of providing some buffer between the sidewalks and the live vehicle lanes as a traffic calming technique. Um those pilot measures include included traffic operations. Uh like I mentioned the parking activity.

[00:02:34]Uh we also looked at collision data before and after the implementation of of that initial uh pilot work. Uh and that review identified uh some degree of improved overall safety conditions along Aberdine, including reductions in total collisions uh and no reported pedestrian cyclist collisions uh within that uh pilot period, but also identified that um there wasn't a huge uptake of uh on street parking as part of that. So we identify that there's some additional trafficcoming opportunities to further enhance the environment. Uh and that's what these measures are really working on uh putting in place. Um the pavement markings are really building on that work and promoting um a safer corridor by uh designating parking spots uh more formally than it was before. Uh so those pavement markings are um helping uh delineate that part of the roadway for uh dedicated parking. There'll be some bumpouts that are installed to further reinforce those parking spaces. And then like I mentioned, there's some visibility enhancements. You'll see that there's red boxes. Uh those are designating bus stops and then some hatched areas that are showing areas which there's no stopping, no parking permitted. Um, as I mentioned, at the same time that this work is happening, the planning design for the future reconstruction of Aberdine A Avenue is continuing by the engineering services division. And uh, just last night on May 19th, there was a public information center um, where uh, the public were invited to uh, to provide uh, some feedback on uh, on the design uh, look at some options and that sort of thing.

[00:04:19]More information about that reconstruction project is available on uh the city's website and I'm sure the council's office can provide a link to uh to that as well. So with that, I'm just going to open up the design drawing and share the design drawing for Aberdine and I'll just walk through some of these changes uh so you can relate to what you're seeing on the road to what will be coming in the final form.

[00:04:45]Okay. Okay. So, what I have up on the screen right now is the uh the detailed design drawing that uh we use to install all of the infrastructure, those changes on Aberdine. And I'll just walk through them uh quickly starting on Queen Street and then I'll I'll move um towards uh Dund and just highlight some of the changes. Um the bold on the drawing are the uh the changes for the most part. Uh and they're ear marking for the most part pavement markings. So, you can see in this part um some pavement marking improvements at the intersection with uh some stencils and a pavement marking for a dedicated right-hand turn lane onto Queen Street. But as I move to the side, you'll see some of the more uh substantial changes with the pavement markings. So, you'll see the introduction of a buffered tapered space uh with some hatched lines. This is really designating uh the bus stop area which is shown in red. That is uh the existing bus stop. And this area is just showing for drivers and people parking or wanting to be parking on the roadway.

[00:05:51]That this is not a location on the roadway that we want cars parking or driving because that is uh where a bus is going to um to enter the the bus stop area and then sit and wait for um uh transit users to enter on the bus and then leave. On the other side, you'll see there's pavement markings where uh the bus will travel through the intersection and they'll use this hatched area to enter back into the live lane of traffic as they go down their way along uh Aberdine Avenue. Right here, there's a little uh you'll see these gray rectangles and this uh this shape here. This is actually a bumpout uh that's going to be put in place using temporary measures. This says concrete jersey barriers, but we're going to uh create this bumpout using uh pavement markings and knockdown sticks. Those are the uh the post that we put in. And that is making sure that uh this is not used as a through lane any longer. And you'll see these features on other parts of Aberdine. And we put these in to um uh protect the parking spaces and to encourage uh safer speeds by not allowing vehicles to drive in the curb lane. That was the intent of the parking pilot initially, but like I mentioned, we didn't get a lot of uptake of the parking. So, this is, uh, really reinforcing the trafficcoming effect.

[00:07:14]So, uh, moving my way along Aberdine, you'll see that there's a solid pavement marking line that is designating that, um, the, uh, lane that's at the curb is a parking lane. Um, as you know, there is a there's a bump out that I showed right here. the taking away the ability as a through lane and uh providing a protected parking within this segment of road and then the reappearance of another bus stop with the hatched area like I explained uh showing where there's no stopping allowed for the buses uh that that area to be cleared for buses to be used across the other side of Aberdine you'll see the similar features for the opposite side of travel so the the uh configuration is being used on both sides of of Aberdine uh in a consistent consistent manner between Queen and Dund.

[00:08:08]Um I will highlight if I can zoom in uh a little bit on the intersection of Mountain Avenue in Aberdine. There's um one feature. So the ladder crosswalks were installed in 2025. So if you're familiar with it, the ladder crosswalks were installed last year. But uh if you see these lines, maybe I'll zoom in a bit more here.

[00:08:30]um with the bees, these earmarked B's.

[00:08:33]So what we identified is the corner radii at this intersection is very sweeping. So it allows vehicles to drive very quickly around the corner if they're uh coming from Aberdine onto mountain or mountain onto Aberdeene. So we want to make sure that we uh control vehicle speeds through there through engineering design. So we're putting in temporary uh corner radii reductions through some ballards and some pavement markings. So when you uh come close to this intersection, you will see pavement markings and ballards that will require vehicles to make basically a more of a tighter 90 degree turn as they navigate that. And that really uh to make that kind of turn uh cars need to slow down.

[00:09:13]Um there's another intersection that has a similar um corner radius reduction as well. Um and that's uh being in concert with all the other pavement marking and adjustments for Aberdine proper itself.

[00:09:27]So, I'm just going to go up and over to the match line. Like I mentioned, all these features are serving the same purpose along the roadway.

[00:09:39]Um, and the bumpouts and it goes all the way to Dundurn and that's where the uh the work ends. Um, as of today, which is May 20th, as I mentioned, uh, for the most part, the pavement markings are finished. Um, with, uh, the exception of some of them, and the missing components are really some of the signage and the bumpouts themselves. And that is work that is, uh, we're going to be completing over the next uh, one to two weeks, likely sooner, uh, as this weather, this work is weather dependent.

[00:10:09]So, we need to have uh some uh good weather to finish off the pavement markings, which you typically do at night, and install the rest of the features.

[00:10:17]May not make complete sense right now if you drive Aberdine because we're not fully completed, but once we're completed, it'll be a bit more intuitive as far as a driver's perspective and also pedestrians and transit users and that sort of thing as far as what all these things mean.

[00:10:35]>> Super. So to be clear, um the uh the far south lane and the far north lane are with exception near intersections of Dundurn when you're coming across though you are not to be driving in those sections. Um you have and between Dund and about uh just around Mount Royal.

[00:10:56]Then you move into the lane that you're supposed to be in. And then as you approach Queen Street just after Maple Side, I think um it then allows you to split off between those who are going up the mountain and those are going to continue west or sorry continue east.

[00:11:12]>> Yeah, correct. Basically, the curb lanes within most of the section of the corridor are no longer through lanes, not meant to be driven uh from end to end. They're they're parking areas uh as part of the trafficcombing plan. So the pavement markings and the bumpouts are just reinforcing that they're no longer through lanes. Uh the center lanes are the through lanes and then uh a as intersections are not all the intersections but more the major intersections Durn and Queen uh those um uh drop off and it opens up more lanes uh so that we can manage the traffic through the intersection in a as efficient um way as possible.

[00:11:53]Um, all right, Mike. I got to ask Lock Street, which I'm trying to find on my map here.

[00:12:01]This is generally what um drivers who are heading eastbound will see when they reach Lock Street. For those who wish to turn onto Lock to make that northbound left-hand turn, you will enter in a left turn lane only section of uh the eastbound lanes. Those who wish to continue further eastbound will move towards the curb and then back out again once through the intersection.

[00:12:28]Providing a left turn only at lock at that location will help with uh the prevention of backup and the final design which this is not. This is our mockup of this to give you an idea what it will look like uh is forthcoming.

[00:12:46]Okay. I should have mentioned and maybe maybe it's it's worth mentioning that um once all these changes are completed, we will be monitoring the area uh to make sure that it's working the way that we wanted it to or want it to. But uh if there's any adjustments that we need to make to um uh to make it better or to uh you know account for actually operational conditions, we'll make those. So what we're initially implementing if we do need to change it because of observed issues we will make those changes over Time out.