In-Service Traffic Safety Review for the City of Edmonton

The City of Edmonton has over 250 kilometres of trails and shared sidewalks that encourage the public to walk, run, and cycle. These trails and sidewalks form a network of interconnected routes linking residential districts with the river valley, downtown, the University of Alberta, and other major areas. Walkers, joggers, cyclists, skaters, and people with disabilities can enjoy activities away from traffic on many of the trails.

The City of Edmonton developed their Multi-use Trail Corridor Master Plan in 2001. The plan provides a broad vision for the trail system in Edmonton, and specifies that multi-use trails must be designed to accommodate all ages of commuter and recreational cyclists, in-line skaters, runners, walkers, dogs on leash, and disabled persons in wheelchairs. Potential trail corridors were identified along road and utility rights of way, and a staging plan was recommended to develop select multi-use trails over the next ten years.

Edmonton Transit System’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) line runs from Edmonton’s downtown to the northeast along an old Canadian National Railway rightof- way. The Multi-use Trail Corridor Study identified a portion of this LRT right-of-way corridor to be developed into a multi-use trail. Between 2002 and 2005, the City of Edmonton constructed a portion of this multi-use trail between 97 Street and 117 Avenue.

Earlier this year, the City of Edmonton’s Bicycle and Active Modes section of the Transportation Planning department retained Associated Engineering to perform an in-service safety review of the LRT and multi-use trail corridor. The City of Edmonton wishes to increase safety and apply Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles on existing trail corridors.

As part of the issue identification phase, Associated Engineering performed a trail users survey. We asked trail users questions about their usage, needs, and observations along the trail. The results of the survey were used in conjunction with stakeholder comments to develop recommendations for improvements.

The trail cross-section includes a three metre wide asphalt trail offset about six metres from the tracks, and pedestrian-scaled luminaries. The Northeast LRT Multi-use Trail includes six at-grade roadway crossings, five of which are relatively parallel to the LRT roadway crossings and one which is a mid-block crossing without LRT tracks nearby.

The Associated Engineering team of Subbu Gopalakrishnan, Shawn Benbow, and Sorpea Lim performed a safety assessment at each crossing and identified visibility, signage, lighting, and crossing improvements.

Some of the recommendations to modify and improve the roadway crossings included relocating signs, and installing additional signal heads and pedestrian-actuated amber flashing lights.

Stefan Johansson of Gibbs Brown Johansson Landscape Architects assisted Associated Engineering with aesthetic and landscape improvement recommendations for the corridor.

Landscaping improvements included tree and small shrub plantings along the trail to provide a visual barrier between the trail and LRT. Pedestrian barriers such as bollards and chains were recommended at key locations where, historically, shortcutting has been a problem.

Inconsistent fencing along the corridor was identified as an issue during the stakeholder meetings and site visits. The project team recommended that the City develop a comprehensive corridor perimeter fencing policy to install consistent durable, vandalismresistant fencing along the entire length of the corridor.

When the trail was built, the only signage installed were pedestrianscaled yield and stop signs near the roadway crossings. As part of a comprehensive plan to include wayfinding and other information along the corridor, the project team recommended installing trail gateways or trailheads at entrances to the multi-use trail. A wayfinding system was also developed based on existing signage in Edmonton’s river valley trail system. These will provide trail users with regulatory signage, such as yield or stop signs, as well as street labels and distances to major destinations or community features.

Once suggested improvements are implemented, the multi-use trail will be more visually appealing and safer for users

Associated Engineering Sponsors Microbial Fuel Cell Research

With increasing attention, people are recognizing the potential of wastewater as a resource rather than just a waste associated with everyday life. But few people are likely aware of the recent discovery that bacteria, normally linked to wastewater, can be used to directly convert organic matter to electricity. At its fundamental level, biological wastewater treatment is all about electron transfer. A microbial fuel cell (MFC) combines treatment and electricity generation by using bacteria, and their enzyme systems, to anaerobically transfer electrons from reduced wastewater constituents to an anode. The electrons then migrate through an external circuit to the cathode, where they combine with oxygen and protons to produce water. The difference in electrode electrical potential and electron flow produces electricity. The direct energy conversion efficiency of MFCs may one day be developed to a point where they generate not only enough energy to operate the facility, but could also output surplus electricity to the power grid. The vision is a combined wastewater treatment – power generating facility.

Associated Engineering recognizes the longterm importance of developing energy efficient treatment processes and alternate energy source technologies, and we are cognizant of the implications MFC technology may have on wastewater management. To this end, we are pleased to be a corporate sponsor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison MFC research program and the innovations their team is pursuing in this field. For general information on MFC technology, please contact Dr. Dean Shiskowski, P.Eng. in our Burnaby office. Wastewater. Maybe it is time for a name change?