Traffic

On site at the corner of Kildare and Rembrandt with Police Traffic Officer

In keeping with my promise to study the traffic flow on Kildare Road, west of Cavendish, particularly at the corner of Rembrandt Avenue I spent 45 minutes with Montreal Police Station 9 Traffic Officer Simon Poitras on the scene during a Monday morning rush hour.

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Officer Poitras and I monitoring the corner.

History will note that after the last election I  requested that the CSL Traffic Committee study the possibility of adding a stop sign to slow down speeders and give motorists on Rembrandt a window to  turn towards Cavendish - particularly during rush hour.

Last week Councillor David Tordjman (Traffic Committee Chair), Officer Poitras and I met with representatives of Rembrandt condominiums to discuss how the new stop sign has worked and sought suggestions on how to improve the safety of the corner even further.  A lot of good ideas were shared and they will be discussed at the next Traffic Committee meeting. You can see the summary here.

Officer Poitras did say at our meeting that at first glance he was concerned  that by having a stop sign at only one side of Kildare (the other is not long enough) it might give drivers a false sense of security. Following our session he went out on his own to study the corner and upon reflection he was comfortable that the new measure is working. He then called and invited me to join him. We noticed  that cars coming from Rembrandt were  all looking both ways very carefully before turning left. A lot of vehicles were driving fast, some doing quick (and illegal) stops at the new signs. Beware! Officer Poitras will stake out the corner. On the other side we noticed that the 162 bus was stopping well before the driveway where its sign is posted, which is a good thing because its actual stop does create a blind spot. And that existed before we added the stop sign.

We do need to reduce the speed limit on Kildare, from Cavendish to Merrimac and we hope the Montreal Transit Commission will consent to moving their bus stop back several feet.

I will keep everyone updated on this dossier.


Meeting with Rembrandt Avenue reps discusses new stop sign on Kildare

Last September we added a new stop sign at the corner of Rembrandt and Kildare Road going West. We did so to address the concerns of Rembrandt Ave. residents who have often been stranded at their stop sign endlessly.

Due to the high volume of cars turning onto Kildare eastbound from Cavendish, we want to avoid a potential back-up onto Cavendish as a consequence of cars stopping at Rembrandt. In addition, Ministry of Transport requirements for adding a stop sign on the approach are not met. Thus the reason why another stop sign was not installed.

Soon after the 2017 election, I asked our Traffic Committee staffed by two engineers and chaired by Councillor David Tordjman, also an engineer, to study the request put forward by Rembrandt Ave.  residents for a stop sign. It was agreed that we would review this measure within the first year of implementation. Thus far residents of Rembrandt Ave. are quite pleased.  The response is mixed from those on other streets.

In order to get a better handle on how people feel I called a small focus group meeting at City Hall on January 7. Councillor Tordjman was present. We had representation from all five condo high rise building on Rembrandt as well as people residing on Kildare Road, Merrimac, Ilan Ramon, Sir Walter Scott and Marc Chagall.

 

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Councillor Tordjman, myself, Elysée Condo President David Ostroff and Officer Poitras.

 The stop sign was discussed at the  last Traffic Committee meeting. Council has not made any final decision on its future. For now the status quo remains in place.  I insisted that residents of Rembrandt should certainly be consulted again and  I asked Councillor Tordjman and Police Station 9 Traffic Officer Simon Poitras to join me at a meeting with representatives from the condomiums on Rembrandt. We did so on  Monday night, May 27.

The purpose of the meeting was for Councillor Tordjman and Officer Poitras to share any concerns of the Traffic Committee and the Police. At the same time, I invited the condo reps to express their views and provide us with some ideas on how to make that stop safer.

Councillor Tordjman stated from the start that the possibility of any accident occurring at that corner existed prior to the installation of the new stop sign as well.

The Traffic Committee  will continue to monitor this intersection. A traffic flow study will be undertaken to measure the volume of traffic and the times they are approaching each intersection.. We have decided to do this after Labour Day when school is back in full swing. It  will give us a better portrait of the situation.

We  had some excellent suggestions from then condo reps. These will be shared with the Traffic Committee.

One comment that resonated came from resident David Haltrecht who said “Since this stop sign was installed I feel safer! Before that the situation was far more dangerous. Motorists turning left from Rembrandt got impatient and would make illegal turns, wading their way right into traffic.”

I will keep everyone posted.


Important traffic calming measures will proceed this spring

We have some updated traffic calming news.

The traffic calming plan in 2019 is focused on making the Kildare corridor a safer street for pedestrians. The funds will be spent on the following categories:

 Pedestrian counts on Kildare

 Sidewalk bump‐outs on Kildare as well as Clanranald

 Flashing signage on Kildare, Guelph, Cavendish

 Line painting on Kildare

 Standardized signage and bollards at various locations

 Speed bumps at various locations

 StreetLight Data

 

Pedestrian and vehicular counts are planned at two intersections: Sir Walter Scott/Kildare and Westminster/Kildare. In the case of the former, this will give us some valuable information in terms of the traffic flow at particular hours. It is something that was requested at a special focus group meeting I held on the subject in January.

Flashing stop signs will be added along the Kildare corridor to warn drivers and provide additional protection for pedestrians. These are planned at two intersections: Sir Walter Scott  and Kildare and Caldwell and Kildare.  

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Additional line paint will be added on the Kildare corridor with more durability to improve visibility year‐round and warn drivers. This will be planned at one intersections as a trial: Sir Walter Scott and Kildare.

We will be converting some speed cushions to permanent humps: Engineering has determined locations in which seasonal speed cushions will be converted to permanent asphalt humps. They are planned at four  locations: Rembrandt,  McAlear, Eldridge and  Melling.

There will also be action taken on the Avenue and the crosswalk between the new rental apartment building and the entrance to Quartier Cavendish. Too many cars are speeding in this area and we worry that a serious accident can occur. Many of the residents of the apartment building are seniors. We will take a fresh look at the parking to remove any blind spots.

As you can see a lot of attention   has been paid towards District 2. I thank the Traffic Committee, chaired by Councillor David Torjdman, for their due diligence on these matters.


Police Station 9 taking aim at cars that run stop signs on Kildare Road

It has been, sadly, a regular occurrence for years: motorists running stop signs on Kildare Road, between Marc Chagall and Rembrandt.

I see it when  I am driving myself  and whenever I walk the area. Perpetrators are most likely residents of District 2. Occasionally cars from Police Station 9 set up speed traps and try and nab the offenders. Such was the case today  as a patrol car sat at the corner of Merrimac and Kildare, Parents from JPPS and Bialik doing pickup and drop off tend to be the guilty parties as  well in some cases.

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A police car looks for violators at Merrmac and Kildare.

 

On Kildare there are stop signs going west at the corners of Merrimac,  SIr Walter Scott and since last September, on Rembrandt. Vehicles typically make what I used to call "Chicago" stops. They slow down, but keep on going. A lot of research was done before adding the  stop sign on Sir Walter Scott a few years ago and most recently on Rembrandt, We are trying to keep the area safe. For some people,  the  only way this sinks in is if they get an expensive traffic ticket. The police will be setting up shop there more often so please  try and put your foot on the  breaks more consistently.


First focus group on Rembrandt/Kildare Road stop sign attracts different viewpoints

Last September we added a new stop sign at the corner of Rembrandt Avenue and Kildare Road. We did so to address the concerns of Rembrandt residents who have often been stranded at their stop sign often endlessly.

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Due to the high volume of cars turning onto Kildare eastbound from Cavendish, we want to avoid a potential back-up onto Cavendish as a consequence of cars stopping at Rembrandt. In addition, Ministry of Transport requirements for adding a stop sign on this approach are not met.

Soon after the 2017 election I asked our Traffic Committee staffed by two engineers and chaired by Councillor David Tordjman, also an engineer, to study the request put forward by Rembrandt    residents for a stop sign.

It was agreed that we would review this measure within the first year of implementation. Thus far residents of Rembrandt are quite pleased.  The response is mixed from those on other streets.

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At the table as we discuss the issues.

In order to get a better handle on how people feel I called a focus group meeting at City Hall on January 7. Councillor Tordjman was present. We had representation from all five condo high rise building on Rembrandt as well as people residing on Kildare Road, Merrimac, Ilan Ramon, Sir Walter Scott and Marc Chagall.

“The solution implemented simply doesn’t fit the problem,” commented Mark Sadegursky, a resident of Ilan Ramon for the last 15 years who, among other things, recommends Rembrandt and Merrimac be turned  into a one way street.

Stop Warning - Rembrandt and Kildare (2)

We have recently added a standard illustration on Rembrandt which informs the people leaving the street that there is only a stop on the right side of the intersection. 

“I've spent time at the intersection since the additions and I have seen the pros and cons,” reports our traffic engineer, Spyro Yotis. “Cars from Rembrandt are not waiting as long to get onto Kildare, but there was indeed a danger. Since we added the illustration cars seemed to have gotten used to the configuration.”

Mark Sidloi, the president of the Meadows Condominium on Merrimac and Kildare, feels the stop sign is a fair measure.” It's not a huge inconvenience, certainly not over and above the traffic that is on that corridor on some days during the time prior to the stop,” he said. “And it can be a lifesaver to the people on Rembrandt.”

Jason Ullman of Marc Chagall believes it has created gridlock for motorists such as himself when they leave for work during the busy JPPS-Bialik drop off period. Among things he suggested was for the extended sidewalk on Kildare Road to  be modified and three-lane traffic   introduced, remove one of the other stop signs on Kildare (at Merrimac or Sir Walter Scott) and to make Rembrandt/Merrimac a one way.

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David Tordjman responds to questions.

Councillor Tordjman explained the process we have followed thus far. He recognized that there been a traffic flow issue at certain times in the morning and promised that Kildare Road (between Marc Chagall and Cavendish) will be part of a closer analysis which will include all of the stop signs presently in place. Phil Troy, who lives on Kildare Road, strongly urged our Urban Development team to undertake some simulations. 

Martin Bogante said that he has resided on Marc Chagall for 18 years. “This stop sign has, for the first time, enabled me to make a left turn without taking my life into my own hands,” he said. “There is a big difference between inconvenience and safety."

Ilan Ramon resident Howard Liebman said in an email: “We simply can’t regulate every hundred meters of road surface with bumps, bollards, stops and other measures. Safety is paramount and we need to teach driving skills and courtesy at the provincial level.”

Finally some residents cited that the Montreal Transit Commission (MTC) bus stop at Rembrandt and Kildare represents a danger and they suggested it be moved or eliminated.  It just so happened that one member of our group that night works at the MTC and he has already connected us with someone who can look into the issue.

I was glad to have Gregory Libman as part of our group. A bright young CEGEP student who drives to school each weekday morning, he provided a valuable youth perspective.

I must mention that with excavation work about to begin on the second Equinoxe highrise on Marc Chagall, there will be many more trucks coming down Kildare over the next 18 months or so. This would certainly impact the accuracy of any simulations.

This was a good exercise and provided us with some valuable input for future deliberations.


We need a crossing guard at Cavendish and Kildare

 If anyone knows of a viable candidate, please share  this with  them. We need to fill the very important post of crossing guard at Cavendish and Kildare.

CROSSING GUARD

The City of Côte Saint-Luc is currently searching for a candidate for the position of Crossing Guard.

THE POSITION

Reporting to the Director of Public Security, the crossing guard supervises people at intersections in order to prevent traffic accidents. He/she ensures the safety of individuals and informs them of safety regulations.

DETAILS OF POSITION

  1. Stop traffic at intersections by way of portable stop sign, when the situation arises.
  2. Invite people to look both ways before crossing the street.
  3. Accompany individuals crossing the street, from one side to the other.
  4. Show individual how to cross the street in a safe and reasonable manner.
  5. Explain to individuals the meaning of certain traffic signs in the area.
  6. At all times, crossing guard must respect all road signs and invite people to do the same.
  7. Give to local police district office and/or local Public Security department, a description of any noticeable loitering individuals.
  8. Advise immediately 9-1-1 when a person is hurt and take care of him/her until patrol officers or ambulance arrives.
  9. Carry out any other related duties as requested by supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will possess a high school diploma – Secondary V.

Candidates with security background will be preferred.

Other:  Bilingualism, ability to work under stressful conditions, available for night work, including weekends, well spoken, diplomatic, a valid driver’s licence is preferred.

SCHEDULE

Monday to Friday : 7 AM to 9 AM and 2 PM to 4 PM (4 hours per day = 20 hours per week)

 

To apply in confidence, please forward a copy of your résumé, along with a covering letter to:

 

By e-mail:        [email protected]          

By Fax:           (514) 485-8926

By Mail:          City of Côte Saint-Luc, Human Resources Department,

                        5801 Cavendish Blvd., Côte Saint-Luc, Québec H4W 3C3

 

We are an equal opportunity employer. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

 

 



 

 

 


New traffic calming measures on Sir Walter Scott and Kildare the latest improvements enacted

Traffic safety continues to be among paramount importance for me as the city councillor for District 2.
 
I am pleased with the changes that have occurred at the back entrance/exit for  the City Hall/Library complex. The speed bump and the signs notifying motorists to go around the circle has brought forward the positive results we expected. However, some of my constituents have wisely asked for another speed bump in the parking lot  as vehicles approach the turn to make their exit. There is no question too many speeding incidents are occurring. Our Traffic Committee has agreed to look at this at their next meeting.
 
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New bollards at Sir Walter Scott and Kildare Road.
A few years ago I was able to get stop signs installed  at the corner of Sir Walter Scott and Kildare Road. As I take my regular walks, I still see too many vehicles making short stops or going right through.  Last week we took increased traffic calming measures with the addition of some bollards and signs urging vehicles to slow down. I monitored the corner for the past few days and I am pleased with the results thus far here as well.
 
These bollards are part of 10 intersections in the city which will have high visibility traffic calming. The intersections include flexible bollards, fexible signs, more pedestrian crossing signs, silhouettes for school and park areas and extra line painting.
 
Next up will be a new stop sign at the corner of Kildare and Rembrandt for vehicles headed towards Cavendish. We hope this will bring some relief for motorists from Rembrandt during morning and afternoon rush hour having to cope with the traffic from JPPS/Bialik.  While I know some residents wanted a stop sign on the other side, our Traffic Committee studied this closely and determined that it would cause serious backups from vehicles turning on to Kildare from Cavendish.
 

Important traffic safety measures have been enacted in District 2

One of the main topic when I knocked on doors last fall during the 2017 municipal election campaign was how to curtail speeding on certain streets.

Working with our newly constituted Traffic Committee, chaired by Councillor David Tordjman and staffed by Engineer Spyro Yotis, there were five specific targets for me in District 2:  vehicles making dangerous U-turns at the corner of The Avenue and Park Place; evaluating the speed bumps on Marc Chagall Avenue near Kildare Road; analyzing the problem of vehicles darting out of the rear parking lot exit of the City Hall/Library complex on Sir Walter Scott Avenue; speeding  on Rembrandt Avenue; and the logjam of cars at the corner of Kildare  Road and Rembrandt during rush hour.

Park Place resident Corey Frenkiel provided some good feedback about vehicles entering  the Quartier Cavendish via The Avenue and then making U-turns on his street.  These drivers were too lazy to turn into the actual lot. A No U-Turn sign was installed recently and the problem seems to be resolved. We are now concentrating on the crosswalk from the apartment building on The Avenue leading to the Quartier Cavendish entrance next to the café. Some vehicles are driving much too quickly in that section as well. For starters we have installed flower pots to slow them down. Mr. Yotis will continue to monitor the situation to see if any more corrective measures are necessary.

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Speed bumps on Marc Chagall.

We placed speed bumps on Marc Chagall last year on a trial basis after many complaints from residents  of speeding cars. The situation was exacerbated by the many construction vehicles going back and forth almost daily for the new Equinoxe twin towers condo apartment project. Phase Two has not even commenced yet so we expect work there to last another 18 to 24 months. The speed bumps have been deemed successful, notably by some residents of Les Cours Marc Chagall town houses which are right in front of this new deterrent.

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Making the Sir Walter Scott turnaround safer.

 With the beautiful reconfiguration of our parking lot at the City Hall/Library complex, the rear exit/entrance was changed.  Not only were many vehicles speeding in and out, most were not using the turnaround. We have installed very large signage directing vehicles appropriately and in the last few days,  speed bumps. This course of action should eliminate the problem and force motorists to be more prudent.

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Our Public Works crew installs new speed bumps at the rear entrance of the City Hall/Library parking lot.

Rembrandt Avenue is home to five high rise condominiums, a park, a town house complex and via the turnaround on Merrimac Road the 127 unit Meadows condo.  Many people cross the street to take the laneway to Heywood and Cavendish Boulevard. Rembrandt residents  in particular  asked me to please push for a speed bump. We never had one there before. It is now in place and I have gone on site to observe.

RembrandtspeedbumpFinally, for years the corner of Rembrandt and Kildare Road has been a problem; notably for Rembrandt motorists trying to make a left turn on Kildare during rush hour. This problem is most acute during drop off and pickup times for JPPS/Bialik.  We have looked into the possibility of installing stop signs, as requested by one resident. For now our Traffic Committee is not recommending this, reasoning that it would create even more problems. At my request we did add stop signs a few years ago at the corner of Sir Walter Scott and Kildare. This was more feasible and had the desired positive effect.

While on the subject of traffic safety, let me share the news that Crossing Guard Norman Klein has resigned. For the last number of years he did an excellent job at the Kildare/Cavendish corner, filling the huge void left following the passing of his predecessor Archie Kwiatt. Our Human Resources Department is seeking a replacement. If anyone knows someone who might be a good fit for this job please let us know. We will maken an official posting.


Traffic safety measures taken on Marc Chagall and Park Place

In recent months I have heard from residents concerned about the safety of their children on Marc Chagall Avenue and Park Place due to cars driving at excessive speeds.

I asked our traffic engineer to carry out speed tests on both streets. The results from Marc Chagall showed that speeding is a problem. The 85th percentile showed 58 km/hr,  which is very high. In response to this we have installed temporary speed cushions on this stretch. We will re-evaluate their effectiveness in the fall. Already, we see a clear improvement in cars slowing down. That is good news with classes about to begin at JPPS/Bialik and with more vehicles using the street due to the construction of the new highrise. Thanks to my colleague, Councillor Glenn J. Nashen, who as head of our Traffic Committee worked closely with our Traffic Engineer Spyro Yotis to look into the situation.

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"It seems to be slowing down most cars,"  commented Marc Chagall resident Jason  Ullmann.  "Some still fly over it,  but I would still  say it's a success."

While no traffic calming was called for on Park Place, it was determined that those cars driving too fast represented people actually residing on the street or visitors. We have therefore decided to follow a route we took a number of years ago on Ilan Ramon Crescent and placed two signs warning vehicles to drive carefully and containing a pictogram of children playing. It has served as an excellent wake up call on Ilan Ramon and I hope it will be the same on Park Place. Thanks to Ralph  Rimokh for his work on this file with me,

DriveSafe


A meeting with our Police Commander Jean O'Malley

We have been very lucky over the last number of years to have some wondeful commanders at Police Station 9, which is physically located in District 2 at the corner of Cavendish and Kildare.

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With Commander O'Malley.

 Commander Jean O’Malley has been at the helm of Station 9 for almost two years now. I had the chance to spend the morning with him as part of my foursome for our annual Côte Saint-Luc Golf Classic on July 6. More recently, I sat down with him in his office to talk more specifically about several issues in the district.

Traffic safety remains a central concern. Commander O’Malley was on our special committee which studied different ways to improve the Cavendish-Kildare intersection. This finally resulted in a new split phase configuration. In short, motorists travelling westbound on Kildare are now able to drive through the intersection at Cavendish while traffic in the opposing direction waits. This allows drivers to turn left (or turn right, or go straight) without opposing traffic. Likewise, motorists coming from the opposite side now have their chance to move through the intersection without interference, soon after. Just as many vehicles as before are able to pass through the intersection. However, the process is less stressful for many. Pedestrians also appreciate the change because they now have fewer vehicles coming from few directions to contend with. While constituents continue to express their appreciation over the change, Commander O’Malley and his staff agree that it has marked a huge improvement.

Just to be clear, there have been no accidents at the corner since the new configuration came into place.

Police Station 9 personnel have been present at intersections like this to warn pedestrians to be careful. “Yes I am very pleased with the changes to Kildare and Cavendish,” said the Commander. “But everyone has to use caution. That means if you determine that the number count does not give you sufficient time to cross then wait for the next one.”

When our crossing guard Archie Kwiatt passed away a few years ago, he was not immediately replaced. I worked diligently with our Public Safety Department to make sure the job was posted. We were lucky to find Norman Klein, who adds an extra degree of security at that corner.

Commander O’Malley’s team will be out in force when school begins at the end of the month. We always pay special attention to JPPS-Bialik at Kildare and Marc Chagall, first to keep the parent motorists in order and also to advise the students to cross the street carefully. With more trucks than usual turning on Marc Chagall, because of the new highrise construction, the police and Public Safety are keeping a closer eye on that corner.