TAMRMS#: B05
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BUDGET INFORMATION REQUEST (BIR) - Traffic Calming Program
Requested by: Councillor Korotash
Date of Request: November 6, 2025
Date Response Due: November 13, 2025
Confidential: No
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QUESTION
recommendation
I would like further detail on the traffic calming program. I realize there aren’t specific costs and it depends on the outcomes of resident consultation and the measures that are chosen but order of magnitude will help. Perhaps recent costs on Malmo can provide some insights:
1. Perhaps a very brief background on the traffic calming program- I believe Mr. Schick said this program was a council initiative?
2. What was the approximate cost of the temporary measures / work done to date on Malmo.
3. What is involved in making traffic calming permanent on Malmo - is it just turning traffic cushions into permanent speed bumps or would the temporary curb jut-outs have to be turned into permanent curbs?
4. What is the approximate cost of making traffic calming permanent on Malmo?
5. Is the capital expense just for the actual implementation? I.e. are the resident consultation and surveys done through operating / staff position?
6. What are the streets / intersections / neighbourhoods that are on the radar for next steps.
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RESPONSE
1. St. Albert Traffic Calming Background
Traffic calming is the combination of mainly physical measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behaviour and improve conditions for non-motorized street users (Subcommittee on Traffic Calming of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)). The overall goal is to enhance the safety for all road users.
In 2014, following a variety of reported resident traffic related concerns, a motion was passed by Council stating:
Whereas Council recognizes the importance of finding solutions to traffic and road safety issues throughout the city, that Administration develop a traffic calming policy for Council's review and approval.
The direction and steps to develop the Policy and resulting administrative process for Traffic Calming was in recognition of the increase in volume of concerns received from residents, the impact of continual growth and resulting traffic demands and Council’s goal of maintaining a safe and efficient transportation network. The Policy and Process was then developed applying a review of industry best practices, review of Canadian standards and guidelines, review local concerns, and incorporated information attained from public consultation for the 2014 Transportation Master Plan (TMP) update, as well as the 2014 Safe Journeys to School program.
A key focus of the Traffic Calming Policy and Process was to develop and document a transparent action plan for how the City would address traffic related concerns within neighbourhoods; utilizing a process of resident input, data and engineering best practices that was custom to the needs of a community and the resident concerns and preferences.
On April 4, 2016, Council approved Policy C-TS-02: Neighbourhood Traffic Calming which was supplemented with a Traffic Calming Process and Guidelines. The process identified that Traffic Calming may be initiated by residents, with subsequent review of operational data and safety data (vehicle volumes, speed and collision occurrences) to “warrant” sites for Traffic Calming; or sites may be identified by Administration through network screening of the same criteria (city collects and analyzed data).
Traffic Calming is a program focused on delivery of improvements to address traffic related issues at a neighbourhood level, largely focused on collector or neighbourhood roadways that feed and connect to multiple local roadways. Traffic Calming is not a process or program associated with arterial roadway improvements. Such operational, design or construction improvements for arterials (whether corridor or intersection) are separate capital programs - largely focused within ENGS-054 Transportation Network Improvements.
First implementation of Traffic Calming was applied to the neighbourhood of Erin Ridge and Erin Ridge North; whereas previous examples of measures of Traffic Calming had been applied during the Safe Journeys to School Implementation without a formal Traffic Calming process, these two communities followed the process of resident engagement for survey of support, issue and location identification, Traffic Calming Plan development and implementation of temporary and permanent measures. Plan development and design for Traffic Calming occurred for Erin Ridge in 2016 and construction of measures occurred from 2017 to 2020. In conjunction with work occurring in the communities of Erin Ridge other neighbourhoods advanced with Traffic Calming as well, such as:
1. The Gardens - site specific area of Grosvenor Boulevard at Grenfell Avenue 2017: Community led
2. Lennox Drive in the Lacombe community - 2018: Community led
3. Akinsdale community (Akins Drive and Alpine Drive) - 2018/2019: Administration led; not community involved process
4. Laydon Drive: 2023: resident led
5. Malmo Avenue: 2024 / in process: resident led
6. Riverside: 2024 (in process): resident led
As noted, Administration has delivered on safety improvements in response to other resident requests that have applied traffic calming measures; however, the issues were site specific and relevant to pedestrian crossings and not delivered as a Traffic Calming process. In addition, multiple measures exist in school zones throughout the City from delivery of the Safe Journeys to School Program (2014).
As part of the Traffic Calming Process, Administration receives, reviews and assess requests from residents for Traffic Calming. Residents report concerns of vehicle speeds, volumes, pedestrian safety or other traffic related concerns and Administration reviews the area with recorded speeds and volumes of traffic and looks at historic collision occurrences to identify if the data validates concerns. The data is then utilized to help prioritize potential resource allocation and response to areas.
Full information and links to the Traffic Calming Policy and Process and application for submitting to Administration is found on the City website.
2. Traffic Calming Implementation Example - Malmo Avenue
In 2024, Administration advanced response to resident submitted requests for Traffic Calming that were validated and “warranted” as candidates for Traffic Calming in four (4) communities - North Ridge, Oakmont, Riverside and Mission. At this time, Administration was also directly involved with residents of Malmo Avenue (located in the community of Mission) attempting to review and respond to school related traffic concerns. From the first phase of the Traffic Calming process which involves a neighbourhood survey to identify “support” or “non-support” for Traffic Calming from residents, only the community of Riverside achieved the necessary criteria to advance and work then also continued for the area of Malmo Avenue.
Because the other areas did not advance and Riverside is in a state of Traffic Calming Plan development, Malmo Avenue represents a more wholistic and advanced process of delivery for Traffic Calming that can be summarized with scope and costs:
A) Malmo Avenue Costs of Work to Date and Temporary Measures:
a. Project Management & Administration = $11,100
b. Data Collection & Stakeholder Engagement = $48,100
i. Note - these costs include all scope for communication development, performance of surveys and all mailouts, in person workshops with residents and information sessions (3), review and compilation of responses to surveys and issue identification information.
c. Traffic Calming Concept & Engineering = $1,600
d. Preliminary Design = $10,600
e. Sub-Total Malmo Avenue Professional Services Costs = $71,400
B) In terms of work completed in the field to implement the preferred Traffic Calming Plan, the following items were installed:
i. Temporary curb extensions: these are the small concrete island slabs (yellow in color) that are installed on the sides of the roadway to narrow the road; typically located at pedestrian crossings.
1. There are no costs associated with these, as these are in stock from the City’s previous temporary applications that have since been made permanent and may be reallocated to next priority sites. $0.
a. Replacement costs of the pedestrian curb extension are approximately $600 each; however, there are no planned orders subject to further Traffic Calming implementation and site-specific plans.
ii. Temporary speed cushions: these are the sections of rubberized tabletop style blocks that were centered in the roadway that act as speed tables for vehicles to have to slow to travel over. For the Malmo Avenue Plan, five (5) speed cushion locations were identified, and thus applicable temporary measures were acquired at the cost of approximately $19,000 (materials and shipping).
1. These measures are purchased with the objective to reutilize them on next priority sites as temporary measures to “test” and pilot potential developed Traffic Calming plans.
iii. Road markings to mark new pedestrian crosswalks and centerline of the roadway: $7,900. Note - these are not temporary in consideration that the plan is implemented.
iv. Pedestrian Warning Flasher Systems for Pedestrian Crossings: A total of five (5) pedestrian crossings were implemented with markings, signs and warning flashers; approximately cost of $40,000. Note - these are not temporary and will remain or be reallocated to alternative sites, subject to final approval and implementation of the permanent Plan.
v. School Zone Signage and Warnings: These are permanent infrastructure and will remain. Inclusive of two (2) poles and bases with warning systems and signs, and then three (3) separate school zone warning sign stacks - Approximate cost $8,000
vi. Driver Feedback Signs: these are not temporary and if the plan is not implemented could be reallocated to alternative sites. $6,000
vii. Sub-Total of Measures and Equipment = $80,900
1. Note: much of the temporary measures are not “lost” costs to the site, except for potential road marking (that is low risk from Plan development). Temporary measures applied can be maintained and utilized at next priority locations. Costs reflect where applicable the program purchasing these measures as a “first”.
viii. Total Costs to Date of Malmo Avenue = Professional Services + Measures and Equipment = $152,300
3. Malmo Avenue Temporary to Permanent Actions
As noted from the measures and equipment applied for the implementation of the temporary improvements on Malmo Avenue, the transition from temporary to permanent largely focuses on the hard infrastructure delivery to remove the temporary curb extensions and construct permanent concrete bulb-outs or extensions, and then also the construction of the speed tables / speed cushions on the roadway. Other measures applied such as the warning flashers for pedestrian crossings or school zones would remain, as well as signage. It is also important to note that temporary measures applied (curb extensions or speed cushions) may be applied at next priority sites and may alleviate costs of future implementation of temporary measures in the next communities subject to the plan and number of units needed.
a. Inventory of temporary measures empowers potential response to multiple areas.
Please see Attachment 1 for the concept layout of measures applicable to the temporary installation.
4. Malmo Avenue Cost Estimate for Permanent Measures
For the plan approved by residents, the construction of permanent measures is estimated to be $350,000. This value reflects engineering and construction management costs, contractor mobilization, traffic control, concrete and asphalt removals and construction and landscaping, with an additional 20% contingency within that shared cost.
Please see Attachment 2 for the concept layout of measures applicable to the permanent construction of measures. Note, the variance between the Temporary Concept Layout and Permanent is largely shown in the curb extension measures.
5. Traffic Calming Operational Funds
No, the Traffic Calming requested annual budgets within Charter ENGS-058 reflect total costs associated with delivery of the Traffic Calming Policy and Process - inclusive if resident engagement and surveys, engineering and design and construction (inclusive of acquisition of materials and equipment).
There is an internal staff resource focused on receiving, reviewing, assessing and engaging with residents on the Traffic Calming Program; however, due to scope and the multifaceted actions required to delivery the process, external professional services are required to support the City’s program, which are funded through this project charters requests.
6. Traffic Calming Candidates and Next Priorities
Currently, Administration has approximately sixty (60) resident applications for Traffic Calming within areas throughout the City. It should be noted that these requests need to be vetted and assessed; as some residents request Traffic Calming to arterials or areas that are non-applicable, or the concerns may be site specific versus Traffic Calming intent focused.
Next candidate locations include the areas of:
a. Lacombe Park (East and West) - variety of locations
b. Ebony Way - segment specific roadway
c. Jensen Lakes - focused on Jensen Lakes Boulevard
As added background and for Council’s awareness, Administration is in process of developing the City’s Mobility Strategy; looking at a variety of network and operational aspects for moving through our City, services provided and growth horizons with capital investment priorities. As part of scope of this work, the City’s Traffic Calming Policy and Process is under review and accounting for more recent best practices, our own experiences with delivery of the Policy and opportunities for improvement or change. Administration expects the Strategy will be completed in Q1 2026 and further presentations on potential Policy or process amendments will be made for Council’s consideration later in 2026.
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Report Date: November 11, 2025
Author(s): Dean Schick
Department: Engineering
Department Director: Dawny George
Managing Director: Adryan Slaght
Chief Administrative Officer: William Fletcher