Municipal Representatives, Part II

Dear Mike and Waye,

Further to yesterday's email, one of my readers points out that many of my concerns are covered in ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NUMBER 2018-005-ADM Respecting Construction Site Management.

For a project of this size there is required to be a pedestrian management plan.  The order is excerpted here, with especially relevant sections highlighted:

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Pedestrian Management 13. 

(1) All construction projects that require sidewalk closures, any type of physical encroachment into the public ROW, or works on private property within 2m of a public space or passageway, shall submit, as part of the CMP, a detailed Pedestrian Management Plan (PMP) for review and approval by the Municipality. 

(2) The contractor or owner shall: 

(a) submit a PMP, prepared by a qualified TWS, that meets all applicable regulatory requirements, including those listed in sections 5 and 6 of this Administrative Order, to address and control the safe passage of all pedestrian traffic that enters or exits the site along with pedestrian traffic that travels the streets impacted by the construction project; 

(b) not combine the PMP with the TCP. 

(c) indicate in the PMP, at minimum: 

(i) all impacted sidewalk areas; 

(ii) location of impacted bus stops and proposed bus stop relocation areas, complete with pedestrian routes to and from the relocated stop; 

(iii) proposed pedestrian routes and detours; 

(iv) nearest controlled or marked crosswalks; 

(v) location of proposed sidewalk closure signage; 

(vi) proposed location of appropriate wayfinding signage; 

(vii) proposed delineation for temporary sidewalks, complete with temporary sidewalk, ramp, and barricade construction details; 

(viii) contact information for the TWS; and 

(ix) proposed location of appropriate wayfinding signage, as required; 

(d) pay all applicable fees in accordance with AO15 and obtain all necessary permits from the authority having jurisdiction for any planned lane and street closures. Lane and street closure applications will be reviewed, and responded to, by the Municipality within 5 business days of their application date; 

(e) conduct a hazard assessment for vehicle/pedestrian traffic for all that enter and exit the site as well as all those that travel the streets impacted by the construction project; 

(f) have at all construction sites and maintenance locations, wherever a clear pedestrian route of 1.5 m is not achievable via the normal route, alternative safe, stable, and accessible pedestrian routes shall be provided with suitable protection from vehicular traffic; 

(g) have the PMP prepared by a qualified Temporary Workplace Signer (TWS), and must be implemented and monitored by qualified Traffic Control Personnel; 

(h) ensure notification has been distributed, a minimum of 5 business days in advance of the closure, to the impacted area in accordance with section 33 of this Administrative Order and the HRM TCM Supplement; 

(i) maintain traffic control elements as required to ensure their operation in compliance with the PMP; and 

(j) contact the Municipality for approval of any changes or modifications to the approved PMP that may be required to accommodate unforeseen events. 

Visually Impaired Persons 14. The submitted PMP shall include measures which can help to improve the safety and convenience of visually impaired pedestrians, such as: 

(a) improved definition of safe places to walk, wait, and cross, by way of edge lines, contrasting colours, and contrasting textures; 

(b) installation of devices that give pedestrians right of way and control traffic or help them navigate safely, e.g. temporary crossing markings, traffic signals, and audio or textured tactile elements; 

(c) reducing the potential complexity of situations, e.g. through the addition of a central refuge for multilane streets so that pedestrians only cross one direction of traffic, accounting for pedestrian crossing time; 

(d) visual cues to highlight to pedestrians the most direct route across the road – sometimes these cues are road marking of the crossing itself or in other cases the alignment of the footpath, hand rails, or the tactile ground surface indicators are positioned in such a way as to ‘launch’ the pedestrian in the right direction; 

(e) provision of a clear path of travel which is free from obstacles and surface irregularities; and 

(f) measures to reduce vehicle speeds and to increase driver awareness of pedestrians.

Accessibility 15. The submitted PMP shall ensure: 

(a) walkways for pedestrians and persons using mobility aids are constructed of firm, stable, and non-slip materials, and are accessible grades; 

(b) wherever possible, roadway crossings should be at controlled crosswalks and should be located such that the sidewalk and the crosswalk are perpendicular to one another; 

(c) all pedestrian routes should be free of obstacles, such as light standards, traffic signal supports, posts, overhanging signs, branches, or catch basins as well as temporary objects such as equipment, boxes and garbage containers, etc.; and 

(d) curb ramps should be provided wherever there is a level difference between the sidewalk, or pedestrian pathway, and the intended travelled surface.

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Given the density of highlighted text and  the obvious lack of compliance, I would like to have your explanation and a copy of the PMP for the Mills development, along with reports from the Temporary Workplace Signer (TWS) and qualified Traffic Control Personnel.  Past experience leads me to believe that this request will allow you to demonstrate that Administrative Orders are consequential land applied without favouritism.

I await your reply.

Gus Reed