4.3.2.1
Regulatory Signs
Woodland
Avenue at C & E Trail (Photo 2)
Stops Signs exist along Woodland Avenue east of this intersection and Yield Signs are used to the west. The segment of Woodland to the west will be carrying more traffic in the near future, and there should be some consistency in the application of control devices. Primacy of message issues also exist at this location. It is not good practice to mount two signs on the approach to the intersection in the manner indicated in Photo 2. The most important sign is the Stop Sign.
Recommendations: Install Stop Signs on Woodland Avenue between C & E Trail and 58th Avenue; and remove the Pedestrian Crossing Sign (See Section 3,2.4) and relocate the Stop Sign.
54th
Avenue and 47th Street (Photo
3)
There is an inconsistent application of intersection control signs at this intersection. There is a Stop on the north approach and a Yield on the south. It is not good practice to two different intersection control signs at an intersection controlling the major directions of flow.
Recommendation: Replace the Yield Sign on the south approach to a Stop Sign.
Highway
2A and C & E Trail (Photo 4)
There is an inconsistent application of intersection/right-of-way control signs at this railway crossing. There is a Stop Sign on the east side, and this is likely required due to sight distance restrictions to the south. There is a Yield on the west side. It would be preferable that they all be Stop Signs.
Recommendation: Replace the Yield Sign with a Stop Sign.
54th
Avenue at 50th Street (Photo
5)
This intersection is controlled by multi-way Stop Signs. The tab is shown above the Stop Sign. The standard location for tab signs is below the primary message sign. This practice occurs at a number of locations.
Recommendation: Revise the signing to place the tab signs below the Stop Signs.
C
& E Trail at 54th Avenue (Photo
6)
There is the tab problem as discussed above, and as well, vehicles on the west approach cannot see traffic on C & E Trail. From a sign location perspective, the sign should be relocated to the west side of C & E Trail. It is noted that the transportation study is addressing this intersection from a network perspective; hence, a recommendation will not be made.
Highway
2A at Woodland Avenue (Photo 7)
Traffic approaching this intersection has visibility
constraints regarding the Stop Sign located on the southwest corner of the
intersection. The fence on the
south side of Woodland reduces the visibility on this approach. As
well, the Stop Sign on the east approach is oversize.
Recommendation: Install an oversize Stop Sign on the west approach and consider also installing a Stop Ahead (WB-1) on the west approach.
C & E Trail North
Just north of town, the speed limit is 70 km/h and then drops to 60 km/h near College Avenue. For southbound traffic, there is no Maximum Speed Ahead Sign 60 km/h (WB-9). Note that in the 1998 MUTCD, this sign has moved from the regulatory class of signs to a warning sign class of signs.
Recommendation: Install a WB-9 sign for southbound traffic.
C & E Trail South of 63rd Avenue (west side) and North of
Woodland (east side) (Photo 8)
The Maximum Speed 60 Signs at these locations are of a non-standard dimension. They appear to measure 60 x 60 cm and they should measure 60 x 75 cm.
Recommendation: Replace these signs with standard size signs when appropriate.
C & E Trail at North end of
Recreation Grounds (Photo 9)
This pedestrian crossing sign located on the west side of this street has been placed in advance of the pedestrian signal. This sign should be of the warning classification; WC – 16R. At the intersection, the crosswalk signs are a mixture of old and new type of school crosswalk signs. This also occurs at the 56th Avenue intersection. These should be standardized when convenient.
Recommendation: Replace the School Crosswalk regulatory sign with the warning sign; WC–16R.
C & E Trail at Woodland
Avenue
(Photo 2)
It is not necessary to install Pedestrian Crossing signs at locations where the intersection is controlled by multi-way Stop Signs. This occurs at several locations in the Town.
Recommendation: Remove
the un-necessary Pedestrian Crossing signs at multi-way stop intersections.
Highway 12 at the C & E Trail (Photo 10)
The special crosswalk at this location is typical of the design that has been used in the City of Edmonton for a number of years. The special crosswalks installed by the Town of Lacombe are reasonably consistent with the MUTCD design.
Recommendation: Update to current standards when signal maintenance requirements require rebuilding, or when the intersection becomes controlled by traffic signals.
Highway 12 at 58th Street (Photo 11)
It is not normal practice to install Pedestrian Crossing
signs at signalized intersections as noted above.
Recommendation: Remove the un-necessary Pedestrian Crossing signs.
Highway 12 at 53 and 54 Streets (Photo 12)
The warning sign at the crosswalk on Highway 12 (these are on both sides of the highway) is not an appropriate sign at this location. It should either be placed in advance, and/or the sign be replaced by a standard Pedestrian Crosswalk Sign; RA-4.
Recommendation: Replace the warning sign with the standard Pedestrian Crossing sign; RA-4.
58th Street at 53rd Avenue (Photo
13)
The practice in the Town of Lacombe is to install pedestrian crossing signs at the crosswalk, and augment at some locations with advance warning signs. The Pedestrian Crossing Signs are either the standard RA-4, or an RA-3 if the device is situated near a school. The advance warning sign should utilize the same pedestrian crossing symbol.
Recommendation: Install RA-3 signs at the crosswalk on both sides of 58th Street, and WC-16 signs in advance of the crosswalk.
58th Street between Fairway Drive and Northstar Drive (Photo
14)
Pedestrian Crossing Signs used for the crosswalks in the above area are located away from the crosswalk. The MUTCD indicates that these signs are used to indicate the location of a pedestrian crosswalk and not that there is a crosswalk ahead. For this latter purpose, warning signs are used.
Recommendation: Relocate the pedestrian crossing signs to be at the crosswalk.
50th Avenue West of
Highway 2A (Photo 15)
The Playground Sign is a non-standard shape for a warning sign. The Playground Area Sign (WC-3) is diamond-shaped, 60 cm x 60 cm.
Recommendation: Replace the existing sign with the MUTCD standard WC-3 sign.
Handicapped Parking Zone (Photo
22)
The handicapped zone extends right up to the Stop Sign, and insufficient clearance is given to provide for appropriate sign visibility. As well, the turn restriction sign is not the prime message, and the Stop Sign should be placed in the top position.
Recommendation: Revise the zone to start from the most southerly sign, and then extend northwards as far as necessary, and change the order of the two regulatory signs.
Miscellaneous
Parking Signs
There are several forms of parking signs used in the Town of Lacombe, and there is a need for standardization. The following photos indicate some degree of inconsistency in the application of these signs:
· Photo 16: An old word message sign that has not been used for several decades.
· Photo 17: The parking sign is a good example of a Parking Limit Control sign. The lower sign should have double headed arrows.
· Photo 18: This parking sign has a non-standard word “limit” added to the message. The sign in Photo 17 is preferred.
·
Photo 19: The parking sign on top represents a standard
application of this sign, while the sign on the bottom should have the
double-headed arrow.
·
Photo 20: This
sign indicates a good basic design no-parking sign, though a double-headed arrow
should be added.
·
Photo 21: Similar to the sign in Photo 16, this sign has an
obsolete message, and the symbol version RB-55 should be used.